Offered to the Triplet Alphas

Chapter-106. The blessed

[Raven]

Asher peered at me, his gaze lingering longer than usual, before turning toward the distant walls with a heavy sigh.

"I can't believe you are saying this," Asher said.

I lowered my eyes.

"Me too," I admitted, my voice quiet. "I can't believe I want those people near Ezra again, but... my knowledge, my experience, my powers... they're not enough to heal Ezra. The curse is interfering with the treatment. Nothing's working. I... don't know what to do. There's no way I can neutralize the curse's resistance. I've tried everything."

"Everything?" Asher's voice sharpened, and he turned to face me. "Really? Have you really tried everything? Or are you just too afraid to try everything you've got? Afraid that you'll make it all worse?"

"What do you mean? Do you think I'm holding back because I'm afraid of making things worse?" I shot back, my frustration rising.

"Yes," he said, his tone unwavering. "Because there's a way to slow down the curse and neutralize its resistance, even though it's temporary. But that method... it's only effective if you're willing to do what it takes, even if it's difficult." I shook my head, disbelief creeping in.

"The only way to even slow it down is if we have a dragon's blessing. But forget about blessings - we don't even have dragons in hell."

"Not alive, no," Asher said, his voice low and steady, "but dead, yes. And they're here because they want to be here. Otherwise, we wouldn't have been able to bring their skeletons into Hell or display them in the lounge of Helxton." I stared at the carpet of leaves crushed beneath my shoes, the memory of Helxton flooding my mind. My heartbeat quickened as I recalled everything that had happened there.

Asher placed his hand on my shoulder, studying me intently as though waiting for me to realize something important.

"Dead or alive, a dragon's blessing can always help," he said.

"But no dragon has ever blessed a demon. Not just demons, it takes celestials centuries, sometimes lifetimes, to receive a dragon's blessing. The dragons have only ever blessed a select few, and they're all in paradise." Asher smiled, a soft laugh escaping him as he lowered his head.

"What's so funny?" I glared at him, my frustration building.

He didn't answer right away. Silence hung heavy in the air, each second stretching like hours. My chest tightened, my impatience growing with every passing moment.

Holding my gaze, Asher said.

"Raven... it's time you step out of my shadows and see your own light."

his palm over my

heart. The heart of a true healer. The heart that is blessed by a

Have you lost your mind? When did that

"Follow me."

walls, and I reluctantly followed him. My mind raced with thousands of thoughts. Every moment I had spent beneath the dragon skeleton in Helxton flickered in my mind. We walked in silence for minutes until we reached the concrete gate that Ezra had destroyed after he

my fists, trying to keep my

the bunker... try to remember. Where did you go that night?

That night...

***

I felt more alive with the dragon's dead skeleton than with alive people walking

I went there again,

only thought that consumed me was: I never

question I asked was: what would I do if Ezra

else. Each time, all I received in return was a sense of lightness, a peaceful heart, as if the dragon somehow understood me in ways others couldn't.

crack shattered the heavy silence both within and around me.

***

out of my memories,

voice shaking. "The dragon's claw fell, and I just happened

firmly, holding my gaze. "There is no greater healer than a dragon, and they chose you. They responded to the purity of your heart and blessed you. So that night, when you felt nothing but helpless, you unknowingly came up with the solution to the very

the words feeling foreign in my mouth. The concept itself

things happening for the first time. A dragon has blessed a demon for the first time and it happened to you. It saw something in you that even you failed to see. It's time, Raven. Time to respond to your

my head,

This is... it's ridiculous. If the dragon had blessed you, it would make sense. But why me? I am... nothing." I rubbed the back of my neck. "I'm no

curled into

you because you are Raven Xipher and you will meet yourself soon enough. The reason it could have never been me is that Asher doesn't have what it takes to heal others. Asher was - and will always be - inferior to Raven." I froze under the

mockery, for any trace of

sensation rose in my

saying it. He meant

prophetic voice charged with urgency. "Through you, many will find their purpose, their second

running clammy fingers through my hair. My mind swirled with tangled thoughts, and I bit

closer. "He's stronger now, which means his powers are more dangerous than ever. The old ways won't work on him. That's why you need to create new ones. To do that, you need to push past your fear, your insecurities, your self-doubt. You

of wind that rustled around me, my mind felt less cloudy. But there was an unfathomable restraint within me, as if there were invisible shackles holding me back from setting free and accepting what was logically the best option I had