The room was bathed in flickering candlelight, casting eerie shadows across the cottage walls. The place was old and rustic, a far cry from the grandeur of Ivory High, with wooden beams crisscrossing the low ceiling, and faded wallpaper peeling off in corners. The worn floorboards creaked with every step, as if the house itself was groaning under the weight of secrets too heavy to bear. Dust hung in the air like suspended memories, and the place reeked of musty decay and tension. Mina's red candles, burning low, were the only source of light, illuminating the trio's lifeless bodies lying on the floor, their souls trapped in the mirror's astral plane.
Joakim stood still, his piercing emerald eyes locked on the man who had suddenly risen from the circle. Damian, his hazel eyes now glowing red with rage, stood protectively in front of Lamia, whose ethereal beauty seemed even more radiant in the dim light. Lamia's long red hair cascaded over his shoulders, and his tear-streaked face shimmered in the candlelight, giving him an otherworldly glow. At the far side of the room, Catherine, with her long brunette hair tied back in a messy bun, trembled as she watched the two men stare each other down.
Joakim, however, was not fazed by the sight. His expression remained cold and indifferent as he stepped closer to the circle of candles that had once been a barrier of protection.
"Come with me, Damian," Joakim said, his voice low and filled with menace. "And maybe, just maybe, your precious lover will be allowed to live. But refuse... and they will all die right here and now."
Damian let out a low, humorless chuckle, his eyes narrowing as he took a step forward. "Let me guess, you're Peter Lockwood's son. He sent you, didn't he?" Damian's voice dripped with mockery. "You don't think I did my research before coming to Ivory High? Of course, I knew it would be you breaking through my barriers."
Joakim's face twitched slightly, a flash of irritation crossing his otherwise composed features. "You might know who I am," he replied, his voice now laced with venom. "But you have no idea what I'm capable of. I was trained by the deadliest assassins, and trust me, I have a particular hatred for anyone who tries to harm those I love."
Damian grinned darkly, his eyes gleaming. "Love? You really want to talk about love after everything your father did?" His gaze shifted to Lamia, who was staring at Joakim, his expression hardening as memories flooded his mind. Lamia suddenly remembered the man in front of him—Joakim, the son of Ruth, Peter Lockwood's mistress. He had seen him before, in the past. He was part of the plot that led to his kidnapping from the hospital, and now Lamia felt an overwhelming desire for revenge.
"Don't worry, Joakim," Damian continued. "I know all about that little bracelet your father gave you. The one from the Black Dragons that makes you immune to magic." Damian's eyes flashed with a deadly intensity. "But without it, you're nothing."
Joakim froze, his composure cracking for a brief second. He narrowed his eyes at Damian and signaled to the thugs waiting outside. With a sharp whistle, the cottage was stormed by armed men, their weapons gleaming menacingly in the low light.
Damian felt the shift immediately. The thugs rushed toward Mina, Lamia, and Catherine with deadly intent. Damian's attention darted between Lamia and the men attacking. Before he could react, Joakim pulled out a syringe filled with a potent serum and injected it into Damian's neck. Damian screamed, the pain rippling through his body like fire.
Lamia's eyes widened in horror as he turned, seeing Damian stagger. Meanwhile, Mina was already engaged in fierce combat with the thugs, her twin daggers spinning in her hands as she expertly deflected their attacks. She was a seasoned fighter, but even she was beginning to tire under the relentless assault.
"Run!" Mina yelled, her voice strained with exertion.
Cathy didn't hesitate. She grabbed Lamia's hand and pulled him toward the basement door, leading to the only escape from the cottage. But Lamia dug his heels into the floor, refusing to move.
"No, Cathy! I can't leave them! Damian could die!"
Cathy turned on him, her eyes blazing with desperation. "Lamia, listen to me! They want you dead! Don't you see? They're after your family's legacy, and you're a threat to them!"
Lamia's hand instinctively went to the necklace around his neck—the silver heirloom that held a power he had long forgotten. His heart raced, his breath quickening as he realized what he had to do. "My necklace," he murmured. "It can help. It has to."
Cathy's eyes widened in fear. "Lamia, no! You don't know what you're doing. You can't let the Black Dragons find out about your power! Asmodues—he'll know!"
Lamia shook his head, determination hardening his features. "Damian has risked everything for me. I'm not leaving him behind." His voice was soft but resolute. "This is my turn to save him."
Before Cathy could protest, Lamia kissed her hand and gently pulled away. He turned back toward the chaos, his eyes filled with a calm determination that made Cathy's heart ache.
Damian was still locked in a fierce struggle with Joakim, his movements slowed by the serum coursing through his veins. Joakim slashed at Damian with a sword, drawing blood as the two men fought with deadly precision. But before Joakim could deliver another blow, a bright light filled the room.
Both men turned toward the source, shielding their eyes from the blinding glow. Lamia stood in the center of the room, his eyes glowing an unnatural silver, his necklace floating in the air before him, shimmering with raw, ancient power.
"Lamia!" Damian yelled, his voice filled with alarm. "No! What are you doing?!"
Lamia smiled softly. "We need to leave, Damian. Trust me."
In a flash, the necklace dissolved into a burst of energy, the light enveloping Lamia as he let out an ear-piercing scream. The sound echoed through the room, shaking the very foundation of the cottage. The thugs clutched their ears, blood pouring from their noses and mouths as they collapsed one by one, their bodies convulsing violently.
Joakim stumbled back, his face twisted in shock and disbelief. He was immune to magic, yes, but this... this was something beyond his comprehension. The power in the air was too great, too overwhelming.
Before Joakim could react, Damian's strength returned. The serum's effects were gone, burned away by the energy radiating from Lamia. With a savage roar, Damian slammed his hands together, summoning a swirling vortex of dark magic. The black portal expanded rapidly, consuming everything in its path.
Within seconds, the vortex engulfed the entire room. Joakim barely had time to scream before he was swallowed by the darkness.
In the final moments, Damian reached out and grabbed Lamia. Their eyes met, and in that instant, they vanished into the void, leaving behind the shattered remnants of the cottage as it exploded into flames, the ground trembling beneath the force of the blast.
Everything in the cottage—every secret, every haunting memory—was reduced to ash as the fire consumed it all.