The dawn after the storm shimmered with a quiet grace, as if the realm itself was holding its breath in reverence.
Lucien awoke slowly, the warmth of Eiran's body still enveloping him like a protective cocoon. The soft sound of Eiran's heartbeat echoed under his ear—a rhythm steadier than any song, more comforting than any word.
Lucien smiled into the hollow of Eiran's collarbone. For a moment, he let himself believe this was forever.
"I know you're awake," Eiran murmured, his fingers tracing lazy circles over Lucien's back.
"I was pretending," Lucien whispered. "I wanted to stay in the dream a little longer."
Eiran pulled him closer. "Then don't wake up yet."
---
They lay in silence, letting the world exist beyond their fragile sanctuary. Lucien's mind wandered. Despite the calm, an ache lingered deep in his chest—a reminder that peace, however beautiful, was fleeting.
"I keep thinking about what comes next," Lucien said eventually.
"I know."
"What if we lose this? What if fate changes its mind?"
Eiran leaned down, kissed his forehead. "Then we change it again."
---
The camp stirred late that morning. Sorrel had already begun preparing their next course—her sharp eyes scanning maps laid across a stone slab.
"We're heading east," she said as they approached. "Toward the Mirrorwood. It's the last known boundary of this realm. Beyond that… we'll see."
"More magic," Lucien guessed.
"More danger," she replied. "The Mirrorwood reflects what you hide. If you go in with secrets, it shows them to you—and to others."
Lucien stiffened.
Eiran met his gaze. "We face it together. No more hiding."
Lucien nodded. But fear coiled in his gut. Some truths weren't just dangerous—they were damning.
---
They reached the Mirrorwood by nightfall. It loomed like a cathedral of glass—trees with bark like polished obsidian, leaves that shimmered like moonlight.
Their reflections stared back at them from every surface. Not just physical ones, but emotional echoes. Glimpses of their doubts, their past selves, their buried guilt.
"I don't like this place," Sorrel muttered.
"Neither do I," Lucien whispered.
They stepped in.
---
The deeper they walked, the more the wood closed in. Reflections began to move independently, whispering half-formed memories.
Lucien saw himself screaming alone in a storm, saw Ravencroft carving out a throne in blood. He saw his mother's face from Earth—the last look of disappointment before she walked away.
"You always leave," his reflection said. "You never stay."
He staggered.
Eiran grabbed his hand. "I'm here. I'm not leaving."
Lucien met his eyes, heart cracking open.
"I want to tell you something," he said, voice trembling. "Back in my old world—I didn't believe in love. I didn't think I deserved it. And when I first saw you… I hated how much I wanted to believe you were real."
Eiran smiled gently. "You don't have to believe it anymore."
Lucien blinked. "Why?"
"Because I'll keep proving it, every day."
---
The wood tested all of them.
Sorrel faced a reflection of herself kneeling over a battlefield, her hands soaked in blood. Her guilt screamed louder than any monster.
But she stood. She whispered to the ghost: "I did what I had to. But I won't be that person again."
The path began to shift.
The trees bent away, revealing a clearing filled with glowing water—a pool of absolution. It shimmered with ancient power.
Lucien stepped to the edge.
He saw himself again—but this time, not as a villain or a lost boy. He saw a man choosing to love. Choosing to fight not for power, but for peace.
"I'm ready," he said.
Eiran took his hand.
Together, they stepped into the water.
It embraced them—not with cold judgment, but with warmth. Memories flowed through them like music: every moment shared, every vow, every brush of fingers, every laugh.
And then—visions.
Of the future.
Of battles to come.
Of a throne ringed in flame.
Of Lucien standing alone.
Of Eiran bleeding in his arms.
Lucien gasped.
"No," he whispered. "I can't lose you."
Eiran pulled him close. "Then we'll fight harder."
---
When they emerged, the pool was still.
The Mirrorwood was silent.
And the path ahead had cleared—leading toward a great archway carved from starlight.
Beyond it lay the final threshold.
A kingdom suspended in the sky, lit by falling stars.
They would face enemies there. Face destiny.
But for tonight, they had each other.
Lucien curled beside Eiran beneath the roots of a silver tree.
"I was always terrified of needing someone," Lucien whispered. "It felt like weakness."
Eiran brushed a kiss against his temple. "Needing someone isn't weakness. It's what makes us strong."
Lucien's eyes fluttered closed. "Then I'm stronger than I've ever been."
The stars above whispered promises.
And beneath them, two souls lay entwined—not as villain and hero, but as two hearts defying fate together.
----
To be continued...
Thank you for reading ☺️