Demonic Witches Harem: Having Descendants Make Me Overpowered!-Chapter 90: Torn Apart By Fate

"Ah, I finally found you."

The voice came from the darkness, smooth and gentle, but still, it sounded like a nightmare to Aubree. A man stepped into the moonlight, his white robes gleaming under its glow.

It was Rhys.

Aubree's breath hitched as her gaze locked onto Aurelia. The girl stood frozen, her neck perilously close to the gleaming edge of the high priest's sword. Tears streaked her cheeks, silent and trembling.

"H-How?" Aubree whispered, her voice unsteady. She didn't dare take her eyes off Aurelia.

Rhys smirked. "Your smoke."

He sighed, shaking his head. "I'll give you one last piece of advice—consider it a final lesson before you leave this world. Don't light fires if you don't want to be tracked. And definitely don't scream."

His gaze flickered to Aurelia. "Or pick fights with your parents. You never know if it'll be the last thing you say to them."

The blade pressed deeper against Aurelia's neck, drawing a thin line of blood.

Aubree's heart lurched. "No! Don't do it! Kill me instead—please!" she pleaded, stepping forward desperately. "She didn't do anything wrong! It's me you want!"

Aurelia sobbed, her body trembling.

"You'll be fine, Aurelia," Aubree choked out, unable to stop her tears. "I'm so sorry."

Rhys sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. Killing a woman and a young girl—it wasn't his style. He liked to think of himself as a gentleman. But sometimes, death was mercy.

"I envy the bond you two share," he admitted. "I will give you a chance to say goodbye for one last time."

With that, he released Aurelia. The girl wasted no time, sprinting straight into her mother's arms. They clung to each other, shaking.

"I'm sorry, Mom," Aurelia whispered through sobs. "This is all my fault."

"No, it's not," Aubree murmured, stroking her daughter's hair.

"I should have never brought you into this cruel world. You deserved a better life... to be someone else's beloved daughter."

Aurelia's body shook harder, but she wasn't crying anymore. A quiet resolve settled in her chest.

Leaning close, she whispered, "You need to stay alive, Mother."

Aubree stiffened. "What?"

Before she could question further, Aurelia pulled away, her eyes fierce with determination.

Rhys tapped his sword against his shoulder impatiently. "Are you done? No more last words before I send you both to the afterlife?"

Aubree exhaled shakily, stepping toward him. She wasn't afraid of death. She had faced it too many times to fear it now. The only thing that terrified her was leaving Aurelia alone in this world.

But... she would be fine. Aubree had to believe that.

She closed her eyes, preparing herself—

"Fang of Wind!"

Aurelia's voice rang out behind her, clear and strong.

A magic circle flared to life, wind howling as it shaped into a crescent blade. The air itself screeched as the attack shot forward, slashing across Rhys's body in a spray of blood.

"Fuck!" he hissed, staggering back. Crimson seeped through his robes, and he gritted his teeth.

"I should've worn my damn armor!"

He cursed his own arrogance—he had avoided it because it was too heavy for his lean frame.

"Run, Mom!" Aurelia shouted, already dashing to the left.

Aubree, stunned for only a second, snapped into motion at her daughter's scream and sprinted in the opposite direction.

"You need to survive, Aurelia! Survive!" she yelled, praying her daughter could hear her over the chaos.

Rhys gritted his teeth, slamming his palm against the dirt as pain pulsed through his body.

"Goddamn it!" he snarled, his grip tightening around his sword.

He knelt on one knee, focusing his energy on healing himself. The wound wasn't deep enough to be fatal, but it bled too much for comfort.

Unfortunately, he wasn't a cleric. His abilities in healing were minimal at best. Even so, his magic was enough to slow the bleeding, allowing him to press forward.

He took a deep breath, exhaling sharply as he forced himself back on his feet.

He knew exactly where both women had run. He had tracked enough fugitives in his life to recognize the paths they would take.

"The mother is more dangerous than the girl," he murmured to himself. "She dies first."

Channeling divine energy, Rhys muttered a quick incantation. Magic surged through his legs, reinforcing his speed.

His boots barely touched the ground as he took off, dashing through the forest like a phantom.

---

Aubree's lungs burned as she climbed the rocky incline, her fingers scraping against jagged stone. She had no choice but to gain the high ground to waste his time.

She reached a small ledge and turned, panting. Her body screamed in protest, exhaustion already weighing her down.

But she needed to be alive, at least until her daughter was safe. She knows too well that Rhys would come to her first, she was older, her magic more trained than just a little girl.

"Be safe, Aurelia, be alive and well," she prayed to no deity, it was just for herself.

The underbrush rustled below. He was coming.

Aubree narrowed her eyes, raising her hand as flames flickered at her fingertips. She wouldn't let him win so easily.

She took a deep breath, gathering her magic, and the fire around her palm changed, twisting into something sharp. The flames hissed, solidifying into long, jagged shards.

The moment Rhys came into view, she thrust her hand forward.

"Scorching Fraction!"

The fiery spikes shot toward him, crackling in the air like hungry beasts.

Rhys barely had time to react. He twisted his body, dodging two, but the third seared across his arm, burning through his sleeve and scorching his skin.

"Tch!" He hissed but didn't stop.

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His boots skidded against the dirt as he propelled himself forward, eyes sharp with fury. "You witches and your damn tricks!"

Aubree clicked her tongue, stepping back as she prepared another spell. Her hands glowed a deep crimson as fire coiled around her arms like living serpents.

Rhys didn't give her a chance to attack again. He lunged, his blade slashing through the air with deadly intent, this time he wouldn't let her go easily.

Aubree twisted her body, barely dodging the strike, but the tip of his sword sliced through her shoulder.

Blood spattered the rocky ground.

She clenched her jaw, pain lancing through her body. But she didn't let it distract her. With a flick of her wrist, she slammed her palm against the ground.

"Ember Snare!"

The earth beneath Rhys exploded in a burst of molten embers, fiery tendrils wrapping around his legs like chains.

The heat scorched through his thin priest uniform, making him grunt in pain as he struggled to break free.

Aubree staggered back, breathing heavily. She knew this wouldn't hold him for long.

Rhys smirked despite the pain. "Not bad," he admitted, gripping his sword tightly. "But not good enough."

With a surge of strength, he slashed through the embers with a single swing, breaking free in an instant.

His sword was being covered by light mana, making it more stronger and could break anything weaker than him.

His body blurred as he shot forward, closing the distance before Aubree could react.

A sharp pain exploded in her stomach.

Her breath caught. She looked down to see his blade embedded in her abdomen, crimson spilling down her robes.

"You put up a good fight," Rhys said, voice almost regretful. "But it's over."

"See? This isn't as bad as being burned alive and I will make sure your daughter also died in the same manner as you."

Aubree coughed, blood dripping from her lips. Her knees buckled, and she collapsed, her body trembling as she clutched her wound.

Rhys exhaled, wiping the sweat from his brow. "One down. Now, for the—"

A sharp gust of wind tore through the air.

"Wind Fang!"

A crescent of razor-sharp wind struck Rhys from behind, cutting deep into his feet, making him harder to move. He stumbled forward, gritting his teeth as fresh pain surged through him.

"Damn it!"

He whirled around, his vision swimming for a moment.

Aurelia stood behind him, her hands still glowing with magic. Tears streaked her face, but her expression was fierce.

"I won't let you kill her!" she screamed.

Rhys scoffed. "You little—"

Before he could finish, another burst of wind magic struck him, forcing him back. His body screamed in protest. He had already taken too much damage. If this kept up—

No. He wouldn't let some child get the better of him.

"Oh, fuck you! Maybe I should have burned you," he squinted his eyes but then sighed, "No, I never have any grudge, especially with a child."

Rhys moved like lightning, his sword slashing through the wind. He closed the distance between them in an instant.

Aurelia's eyes widened.

His blade cut through her side, the steel slicing deep.

A choked gasp escaped her lips as she staggered, blood blooming across her clothes.

The ground beneath them trembled.

Aubree, barely conscious, could only watch in horror as the ledge they stood on crumbled beneath their feet

"No, no, no, Aureliaaa!!!" her hand stretched, trying to take her daughter's hand but they were too far away.

With a sickening crack, the earth gave way.

"Mooommmm!!!"

Aurelia and Rhys plunged into the canyon, their screams swallowed by the roaring river below.

Aubree's body refused to move. She reached out weakly as she crawled, her blood making a trail, but her strength was gone.

"AURELIAAA!!!" she screamed, her voice hoarse and broken.

Darkness clouded her vision, her body collapsing completely.

"No! My daughter, no... I can't, I can't give up like this, I can't die like this." tears started to stream down her face.

The last thing she saw before her consciousness faded was the rushing river, carrying her daughter away.

And then—nothing.