---
The night wind carried the scent of blood and dew, whispering secrets yet to be spoken. I stood at the edge of the river that separated the ruins of the ancient temple and the dense forest beyond. Its waters reflected the dim moonlight, glinting at times like a dagger.
Aldric had yet to return.
Since the battle in Astoria's hall, he had vanished like a shadow torn from its host. Oren had said he would find me at the temple tonight, but time kept ticking by, and there was no sign of him. I clenched my fingers, feeling the pulse of the curse deepening, as if time itself pressed me to make a choice.
"Are you worried, Lady?" Oren asked softly, his gaze gentle.
I nodded faintly, trying to calm my heart. "Aldric has always appeared when I needed him. But now… I feel he's fighting this alone."
Oren looked down, staring into the river. "He's strong. But he's also… fragile. And he never wanted to show that to you."
I took a breath, gazing at the dark sky. "I know. And I won't stop looking for him."
We walked together across the weathered wooden bridge, its creaking boards like a death march. I held my breath, focusing on each step—the temple awaited at the end, the meeting place already agreed upon. But my heart kept drifting back to Aldric.
It was here that I realized one thing: even if I was ready to fight this curse, I was never ready to lose him.
---
The temple doors creaked open with a soft push, revealing a long corridor lit by torches. The scent of incense filled the air, both calming and suffocating. I stepped forward slowly, letting each footfall echo against the cold stone walls.
Oren watched me, then turned aside. "I'll keep watch outside, Lady. I won't let them disturb you."
I nodded. "Thank you, Oren."
He bowed slightly before disappearing into the darkness. I took a breath, walking deeper into the corridor. The walls were adorned with ancient reliefs, telling the stories of cursed brides and blood joined by dark magic.
I stopped in front of the main chamber. There, Armand and Vivienne were already waiting. Their faces were calm, but I knew behind them lay dangerous intentions.
"Welcome, Seraphine," Armand greeted in a flat tone. "Tonight… you will make a choice you can never take back."
I met their gaze without flinching. "I didn't come here to yield. I came… to end all of this."
Vivienne gave a thin smile. "Then show me—if you truly can."
---
In the center of the chamber, a crimson magic circle burned, slowly spinning like a vortex of blood. I felt its power brush against my skin, demanding obedience.
"This is where it all began," Armand said, his voice deep and resonant. "And this is where… it will all end."
I stared at the circle. The white light in my veins throbbed, fighting the pull of Astoria's magic. I felt an old wound in my chest—one I had kept buried—beginning to tear open again.
*"Aldric… where are you?"* I whispered silently.
---
Meanwhile, in another dark corridor, Aldric staggered forward. Shadows trailed behind him—whispers of the curse that never slept. He felt a force trying to tear his mind apart, demanding blood and whatever soul he had left.
His eyes were red, his lips murmuring protective chants. But beneath it all, he knew: this curse wasn't only striking at Seraphine. It was striking at them both.
"I have to find her," he rasped, blood dripping from the wound in his shoulder. "I can't let her face this alone."
He pressed his hand against the wall, feeling the cracks of magic seeping into his bones. Each step was a battle—between loyalty and surrender, between loving Seraphine and becoming a slave to this curse.
---
Back in the main chamber, Armand looked at me with calm eyes. "You know, Seraphine? This curse can never be broken… except by those willing to lose everything."
I lifted my chin. "If that's the price I must pay… then I'm ready."
Vivienne stepped closer, her finger touching the circle of fire. "But you're not alone in this, are you? There's someone you've always hoped would appear."
My heart skipped a beat. "What do you mean?"
She gave a faint smile. "Aldric. He… is part of this curse. You know that."
I shook my head, rejecting her words. "No. Aldric is my choice. He's not… part of this curse."
Armand let out a low laugh. "You're wrong, Seraphine. You two are bound more tightly than you realize. And if you fail tonight… he will be destroyed with you."
---
Suddenly, the temple door groaned. Aldric appeared at the threshold, his body bloodied and torn. His breath was ragged, his eyes blazing wildly.
"Seraphine!" he shouted.
I turned, my heart cracking open. "Aldric! Why… why are you here?!"
He stumbled forward, his gaze locked only on me. "Because I won't let them take you. Or tear us apart."
Vivienne sighed, her voice tinged with wonder. "Look… love defying death. Beautiful, isn't it?"
Aldric reached me, his hand gripping mine as it trembled. "I'm with you, Sera. No matter what happens."
---
Armand raised his hand. "Then let us see if your love… is enough to defeat this curse."
The circle of fire surged, engulfing us in a blinding red glow. I felt the curse in my veins pulling at Aldric too—like we were one flesh, one soul, inseparable.
"I won't leave you alone," Aldric whispered in my ear. "I swear it."
I drew a breath, feeling Valeria's power stirring in my blood. "Together. We'll break this curse… or die with it."
--
Flames and white light exploded. The world around me shuddered, the roar of magic piercing my ears. I felt Aldric's hand tighten around mine, the only thing keeping me from falling.
Vivienne stepped back, enthralled. "Incredible… you two are the key."
Armand smiled faintly. "Do you see, Vivienne? They… are the cursed bride and groom themselves."
I looked at Aldric, tears sliding down my cheeks. "You are my home. And this curse… will never tear us apart."
He nodded, his voice hoarse. "I believe in you."
---
Suddenly, the circle of fire stilled. The flames vanished, leaving the two of us standing in the chamber. But then, another voice echoed—a voice I didn't know, but it felt… like life itself.
"You think you can challenge me? You think your love can conquer a curse that has lived for millennia?"
I froze, turning toward the source. A shadow emerged from the darkness—tall, its face blurred, but brimming with power. Armand and Vivienne looked shocked, as if they hadn't expected this themselves.
Aldric pulled me behind him, his eyes wide. "What… is that?"
The shadow turned to me, its voice vibrating through my bones. *"You will know, Seraphine. You will know who I am… and why no one has ever escaped me."*
I drew in a sharp breath. Behind all of this, there was something bigger—older than Valeria's or Astoria's blood.
Aldric's hand clutched mine, his whisper fierce. "I won't let you go, Sera."
I nodded, my heart pounding. "And I won't give up."
The shadow advanced, and for the first time… I felt a fear I had never known.
And I knew—our real battle had just begun.
---