An Understated Dominance Novel (Dahlia & Dustin) by Marina Vittori updated 2025-26 - An Understated Dominance Chapter 2683

Chapter 2683

The moment those words left Cassius’s lips, Grace’s face went pale.

The fragile hope she had clung to shattered like glass. In her mind, she saw the horrifying image of her father not being healed but instead turning into a monster—his body twisted, his soul devoured by the very elixir meant to save him. The despair hit her like a tidal wave, leaving her breathless.

Stevie dropped to her side, catching her as her knees wavered, eyes brimming with tears of her own.

Logan stood quietly nearby. He didn’t speak. He didn’t try to comfort her. Some truths could not be softened—they simply had to be faced.

Cassius looked at Grace, his ancient eyes full of quiet sympathy. He sighed. “Child, it’s not that I wish to deny your filial devotion—it’s fate itself that toys with you. To draw upon the Ruin Dragon’s power is to drink poison to quench thirst. It might bring temporary relief, but it will also hasten the breaking of the seal. When that happens, life will perish, the earth will wither, and everything you hold dear will be destroyed. That is a burden no one can bear—a sin too great for any mortal to carry.”

He paused, his gaze sweeping over Logan and the others. “Emmitt, another guardian, and I—we are the keepers of this seal. The duty has passed through generations: to ensure that the Ruin Dragon never rises again. But your intrusion, however unintentional, has already shaken the balance. My advice is simple—leave this island while you still can. Some of the herbs you’ve found here may indeed help with mortal ailments, but to think they can reverse death itself… that is nothing but a dangerous illusion.”

Cassius’s voice carried the weight of centuries. His words revealed the cruel truth behind Fairyharbor Island—the elixir they sought was not salvation, but damnation itself.

Grace’s mind was in turmoil. Her heart split between two impossible choices: to continue seeking the elixir and risk unleashing catastrophe, or to abandon her final hope and live forever haunted by guilt.

Her father’s kind smile, her mother’s dying wish, the desperate faces of her people—all collided violently in her thoughts. Cassius’s warning echoed in her ears, painting visions of the Ruin Dragon breaking free, consuming the world in flames.

Logan remained beside her, silent and steady as ever. He didn’t push her, didn’t speak a word. He knew—this was a choice only she could make.

After a long, suffocating silence, Grace finally raised her head. Her eyes were red, but within them burned a fragile, unwavering light.

“Senior,” she said softly, her voice trembling but firming with every word, “I understand your teachings.”

She drew in a deep breath and continued, her tone now resolute. “As a daughter, it is my duty to save my father. But as a ruler, I must place the lives of my people above all else. If I, out of selfishness, awaken something that brings ruin to the world… even if my father returned, he would never forgive me. And I could never forgive myself.”

Straightening her back, she bowed deeply to Cassius. “Thank you for your wisdom, Senior. I am willing to give up my search for the Dragon Blood Bodhi.”

The words came out steady—but the moment she spoke them, she felt both a crushing sorrow and an immense release. The unbearable weight she had carried seemed to lift, even as the ache in her heart deepened.

Cassius’s expression softened with admiration. “It is rare to find one so young who can see beyond their grief and choose righteousness over desire.” His voice lowered, carrying a faint, cryptic undertone. “Yet… your father’s illness may not be without hope.”

Grace’s head snapped up, tears still glistening in her eyes, but now mixed with a spark of renewed life. “Senior, what do you mean?”

Cassius turned his gaze toward the heart of Yaochi, where the mist shimmered like living light. “The water at the lake’s core contains the purest essence of heaven and earth. It can cleanse filth and restore vitality. While it cannot resurrect the dead, it may prolong life and heal chronic wounds. That, child, may be the sliver of hope you seek.”

He paused, his expression hardening. “However… that core lies at the weakest point of the seal. The Ruin Dragon’s consciousness lingers there—it watches, waiting for any chance to break free. It is perilous beyond imagination. And I am not the only guardian of this place.”

Cassius’s eyes dimmed slightly. “Emmitt has already fallen to your strength, and the Mirage Spirit’s illusion was broken. Though they have retreated for now, not all who guard the seal share my view of mortals treading this land. Some may not let you leave in peace.”

He didn’t say more—but the warning was clear.

Even as one burden lifted, another path full of danger unfolded before them.

Grace wiped her tears, her expression firm once more. “Even if there’s only the faintest chance, even if danger waits at every step, I must try. Please, Senior—grant me your guidance.”

Cassius looked at her for a long moment, then turned to Logan—whose calm gaze met his without flinching. Finally, the old monk lifted his whisk and pointed toward the shimmering, divided lake.

“To reach the core,” he said slowly, “you must cross the Weak Water. Nothing floats upon it—not even a feather. Even birds cannot fly across its surface. Only by channeling pure spiritual power or using rare artifacts can one open a temporary path. And beneath the surface…”

He paused, his eyes deep as the lake itself. “Beneath lies a trial all its own.”

His words rippled through the air like a stone thrown into still water, their meaning spreading and sinking deep.

The terror of the Ruin Dragon, the discord among the guardians, and the perilous path through the Weak Water—each revelation weighed heavily on their hearts.

For a moment, the silence around Yaochi felt absolute, heavy with dread and the faint shimmer of fragile hope.