19. Escaped

Isabelle POV

Xander carried mother gently, his face set in a grim expression. Chelsea and I stayed close, our hands still tightly gripping each other, the residual power of our combined light a comforting reminder of our newfound strength. The pack would not welcome her easily. She will have to work hard to gain back the trust and love she once had from them. 

As we reached the safety of the pack territory, enclosed with the witches' aegis barrier to keep out unwanted creatures from entering, the Alpha, Luna, elders and the other members emerged, their faces a picture of relief as they see most of the warriors still alive. Seraphina stepped forward, her eyes narrowing at the sight of Chelsea.

"Isabelle, Xander, what have you done?" she demanded, her voice trembling with a mix of fear and fury. "She aligned with the Destroyer. She betrayed us." She was motioning angrily at Chelsea with her hardened chin.

"She was under his control," I said protectively. "She's free now. We saved her from his clutches."

Alpha Benjamine, followed by the Luna and the elders stepped forward, wearily looking at Chelsea. They had witnessed the battle from afar, with a mere shadow of the Destroyer and his minion's, and they know, we need Chelsea's help if we are to defeat the Destroyer.

"This is not the time for division," Alpha Benjamine said, his voice calm but authoritative. "We must focus on healing and preparing for the next attack. The Destroyer will not rest until he is victorious. And soon, he will be physically out of his cage. The power he has shown us is merely a tip of the iceberg."

"He's right," a tired and weary Arianne agreed, her gaze softening as she looked at Chelsea. "We need to strengthen our defenses and our unity. Isabelle, Chelsea, your powers need to be focused. Your powers will be stronger if you move and work together as one. We cannot just wait for when your mother wakes up."

Our mother, still unconscious, was taken to the pack hospital. Xander volunteered to stay by her side while Luna Clarissa is busy helping to take care of the wounded, after which, the Luna will stay with mother until she is awake. After making sure that she will be alright, Chelsea and I went to the secluded garden where we could train without interruption. No time should be wasted. Werewolves, vampires and witches are also doing their best to strengthen themselves in preparation for the Destroyer's next attack. 

"We need to harness our power, Chelsea," I said, taking her hands in mine. "Together, we're stronger than we ever imagined. We need to train hard and be ready for whatever comes next. We cannot just wait until mother wakes up or regains her strength."

She nodded; her eyes filled with resolve. "I won't let him control me again. I'll fight with everything I have. I will make it up to them."

For days, we trained relentlessly, pushing our limits and discovering new depths to our abilities. The pack watched with a mixture of awe and skepticism, unsure of what to make of Chelsea's return, but still hopeful of a positive outcome. Even the Beta family, the family with whom Chelsea grew up with as her family, would watch her from a distance. They would be smiling at her but would still keep their distance. Chelsea needs to work hard to gain back the family she almost lost, but it would be worth it.

One night, as we rested after an intense training session, a terrible rumble echoed through the forest. The ground shook, and cold wind swept through the trees, making even the cold-blooded vampires shiver.

The Destroyer was making his move!

Immediately, the witches in the pack called for an emergency meeting. The alpha, luna, the elders and officers attended. We arrived in the meeting hall after making sure the warriors are in their places. A gigantic mirror has been set up on the stage like a television screen ready for viewing. Seraphina waved a hand and like on television, a video started, however, as the seconds passed, we all realized whatever was happening is actually happening. The mirror is showing us a video of the Destroyer physically coming out of the ancient, sealed cave. The cave has been blasted with something powerful and dark, clearly by someone outside the cave. This scene made everyone shiver in fear and horror as now the Destroyer has physically stepped out of his cage. 

"He has broken free," Seraphina whispered, her voice hoarse and her breath coming out in waves. "We need to prepare for him."

Everyone was in a flurry of activity after the video, doing everything they can to keep the territory safe. Coordination with other supernatural beings immediately took place to make sure that everyone is aware of the latest development. Pups, women and elders without training were to be held safe in safe houses. While warriors are to remain on the alert.

Chelsea and I focused our energy, our hands glowing with a brilliant light. We poured everything we had into the seals, the power surging through us like a raging river. The ground trembled, and the air crackled with electricity as the seals glowed brighter and brighter.

But just as it seemed we might succeed, a surge of dark energy burst forth, knocking us back. The Destroyer's laughter grew louder, more triumphant.

"You are strong," he admitted, his voice filled with malevolent glee. "But not strong enough."

With a final, deafening roar, the seals shattered, and the aegis barrier flickered then disappeared. The Destroyer moved forward just as all the other witches raised their hands to put back the aegis barrier.

The warriors, officers, witches and vampires stood strong, but the Destroyer's power was overwhelming. He lashed out, sending wolves, witches and vampires flying with a wave of his hand.

"Isabelle! Chelsea!" our mother's voice called to us, weak but determined. She must have been woken up by the strong energy of the Destroyer's power. "You must combine your powers once more. It's the only way to stop him. You have to focus!"

Chelsea and I stood side by side, our hands clasped tightly together. We focused on our mother's words, letting the light within us grow and merge. As we did, a powerful beam of light shot towards the Destroyer, striking him with a force that shook the very earth.

He screamed loudly as heat and light unexpectedly hit him as we have not yet made any move to direct our combined light towards him. Pain and rage evident as he writhed for a few seconds. But he was far from defeated. With a final, desperate effort, he straightened and unleashed a blast of dark energy that sent us all sprawling.

As we all quickly stood up, anticipating another attack, we stood side by side, supporting each other against the Destroyer. Determination to protect every realm overcomes fear. Vampires, witches and werewolves stood their ground determinedly. Unwilling to just let the Destroyer cause chaos and death. The Destroyer's evil laughter surrounded us as he drew back out of the territory, causing a strong sense of fear and dread among us. We remained alert and ready to defend until the Destroyer was completely out of sight.