The shadow stood before us, tall and dark. I froze, my breath caught in my throat, while Aldric squeezed my hand even tighter. The room was silent, as if the entire world had stopped moving at the presence of this undefinable figure. Torchlight flickered on the walls, creating the illusion that the shadow was alive, breathing with the night.
"Who are you…?" I whispered, though my words felt fragile.
The shadow didn't answer immediately. It simply stood there, silent yet terrifying. Then, slowly, its voice emerged—deep, as if rising from the depths of the earth. *"I am the beginning. I am the end. And you two… are but fragments of the curse I have woven."*
I felt the tremor of magic seep into my bones. Aldric shifted slightly in front of me, his body half-shielding mine. "I don't care who you are," he said hoarsely. "You won't tear us apart."
The shadow seemed to smile—though there was no face I could see. *"Your love… is but a small spice in this ritual. But you're right: the two of you are the key."*
I swallowed hard, lifting my chin. "If we're the key… then we can also lock the door holding this curse. We will break you."
"Many have tried before you, Seraphine," the shadow murmured. "Many have dared to fight. But in the end, they all surrendered. Because what you face is not mere magic. This… is the root of your very souls."
Aldric snorted, his gaze sharp. "We are not them. I will not give up. And Seraphine… she's stronger than you think."
I felt the blood of Valeria pulse through my veins, mingling with the thrum of the curse. I drew a long breath, feeling the warmth of his hand against my skin. "Tell me what you want," I hissed. "Why are you here now?"
The shadow remained still, then slowly stepped closer. Each of its steps pressed against our chests—the air grew heavy, time slowed. *"What I want is simple… rebirth. Your blood, Seraphine. Your blood is the bridge I have awaited for thousands of years. You and Aldric… are two sides of a mirror. One incomplete without the other."*
Aldric turned to me, his eyes dark. "So all this time… he was waiting for us?"
I nodded, trying to steady myself even as my heart thundered. "He… he is the shadow behind the Astoria curse. Maybe even more."
The shadow drew near enough that I could feel the chill dripping from its bodiless form. *"You're right, Seraphine. Astoria is merely a mask. This curse was born from a despair older, darker. And you… you are the daughter of blood and fire. You and Aldric were created to bear this burden."*
My head spun. Each word he spoke seemed to unveil a truth I didn't want to accept. "No," I whispered. "I won't be your tool."
Aldric nodded slowly, his voice firm. "If you think we're just pawns in your game… then you're wrong."
The shadow fell silent, then let out a low laugh—a chilling sound that shattered the stillness of the temple. *"Then… prove it to me. Prove that your love… is strong enough to defy the fate already written."*
---
Suddenly, the circle of fire on the floor pulsed again. Its red flames surged, towering so high they nearly touched the stone ceiling. I let out a soft cry, inhaling the searing air that felt like knives. The curse spun, pulling us deeper within.
Aldric grasped my shoulders. "Listen to me, Sera. Focus on me. Don't let him fracture your mind."
I nodded, my eyes locked on the blaze surrounding us. I felt the blood of Valeria in my veins—white light that had always been my strength—thrumming, rejecting the cursed fire that sought to consume us.
The shadow stepped into the circle of fire, merging with the living crimson blaze. *"You will dance with me tonight. Because only by conquering your fear… can you break the chains of this curse."*
---
The fire began to consume everything. I felt myself being pulled—into a darkness that wasn't mine, into a space where voices whispered ceaselessly. I turned, finding Aldric beside me—but his voice was far, barely audible.
"Seraphine…" his voice was rough. "You must rise… this is… his illusion."
My body shook. All my memories—of love, of pain, of nights spent fighting alone—were wrenched out, rewound like a broken film. I saw my mother, her eyes brimming with tears; I saw Aldric, kneeling before me, his body soaked in blood.
*"You see, Seraphine? This is the deepest part of your heart. This is the source of your strength… and your weakness,"* the shadow whispered, its voice filling my entire mind. *"You cannot fight this curse without surrendering everything."*
Tears slipped down my cheeks, but I wiped them away quickly. "I… won't give in," I murmured, though my voice was nearly gone.
I felt Aldric beside me—his hand still gripping mine. He closed his eyes, his voice low. "You're not alone. I'm here, Sera. Focus on me. You and I—together."
---
I drew a long breath, trying to steady my heartbeat. The white light in my veins throbbed stronger, rejecting the darkness that sought to cage us. I felt something inside me—something beyond Valeria's blood, something born of the love that had grown between Aldric and me.
I looked at him, my voice soft but steady. "Aldric… if this has to end tonight… I'm ready."
He met my gaze, his eyes full of resolve. "And I will end it with you."
The shadow laughed—a sound that trembled, as if even he was startled. *"Interesting… so very interesting. Then let us see who will triumph: your love… or this curse."*
---
The fire pushed deeper. My body felt weightless, as if I were floating. I felt the circle of magic press against my skin, trying to split my soul apart. I screamed, but no sound came out. Aldric held me tight, his face tense, sweat dripping from his temple.
"Seraphine… look at me. You must fight!" he shouted.
I tried to breathe, recalling everything we had shared. The night I first met him in Astoria's hall; the moments when he stood by me even when the world turned against us. I clung to him, feeling his heartbeat match my own.
"We will not be separated," I whispered. "This curse… is not stronger than our love."
---
Suddenly, white light from Valeria's blood burst from my body. I felt heat sear me, but it was not pain—it was power that refused to yield. The cursed fire split, cracks forming in the red circle.
The shadow let out a scream—a sound unlike any human's. *"No… you cannot…"*
Aldric groaned, but he didn't let go. "Sera… keep going! You… are the light he despises."
I summoned all my courage. I closed my eyes, letting the white power erupt from my heart. I felt the cursed fire melt away, dissolved by our shared light.
Then I heard a voice… a gentle voice in my ear, not the shadow's. *"You are stronger than this curse, Sera. I'm proud of you."*
It was my mother's voice—piercing time itself, filling me with a strength I never imagined.
---
The white light grew, swallowing the entire chamber. I saw the shadow stagger, its form cracking like a shattered mirror. The fire died, leaving the circle of magic nothing but ashes.
Aldric pulled me close. "You did it," he whispered, breathless. "We did it."
I held him back, tears streaming down my cheeks. "Not yet… it's not over," I said in a raspy voice.
From the cracks in the shadow, a face emerged—like a mask falling away, revealing a truth far more terrifying.
---
Istared at that face, feeling my blood thunder in my veins. It was no stranger's face—it was… my own.
The shadow looked at me, its eyes empty. *"Seraphine… I am you. Your shadow. The part of your heart you tried to bury."*
I froze, my mouth open. Aldric stared at me, shocked. "What… does it mean?"
I didn't know what to say. The voice sounded again, closer, more real. *"You thought you were just fighting a curse? No… you were fighting yourself."*
Aldric pulled me closer, his gaze fierce. "We'll face this… whatever it is."
I nodded slowly, though my heart quaked. "Yes… we'll face it. Together."
The shadow—myself—smiled faintly. *"You have awakened me, Seraphine. And now… you can never run from me again."*
And in that moment, I knew—the true battle… had only just begun.
---