The moonlight illuminated the vast hall where Sophia had awakened. Her heart was pounding, but her body, which had once been fragile and sick, now felt vigorous and full of energy. She stood in the center of an imposing palace, surrounded by columns of black marble that seemed to touch the sky. The air was cold, but not unpleasant; rather, it gave her a feeling of alertness, as if every molecule of her being was more alive than ever.
Sophia looked around, taking note of every detail. The walls were adorned with dark silk tapestries, depicting scenes of battles and victories from the past, all revolving around a central figure: the King of the Night. In the distance, she could hear the murmur of voices, whispers that seemed to come from the shadows themselves.
"Do not fear," said Kael, who remained by her side, observing her with his intense and penetrating red eyes. "You are in your new home, Sophia."
She nodded, still struggling to comprehend the magnitude of what had happened. Had she died? Was this the afterlife? Everything seemed too real, too tangible to be just a dream.
"Why me?" she asked, her voice soft but firm. "Why did you bring me here?"
Kael looked at her silently for a moment, as if evaluating how much he should reveal to her.
"Because you are special, Sophia. Your soul is unique, a beacon of light in the darkness." His words were measured, filled with a power that Sophia could barely comprehend. "This realm needs that light, and I... I have been waiting for someone like you."
Sophia felt a shiver run down her spine. Kael's words were a compliment, but also a burden. Being "special" in this new and strange world filled her with uncertainty. However, something inside her urged her to accept her new destiny.
"What is expected of me?" she finally asked.
Kael smiled slightly, an almost imperceptible curve on his dark lips.
"First, you need to understand this world and what is required of a Silver Princess. You are not just a guest here, Sophia." His eyes flashed with intense light. "You are a candidate."
Sophia blinked, surprised by his words. Candidate? The word sounded ominous, loaded with expectations she didn't fully understand.
"A candidate for what?"
"To be my betrothed," Kael replied, his tone serious and definitive. "In this realm, the strongest and most capable women compete to earn that place. But it's not a beauty contest or a simple test of power. It's a test of will, of soul, of what it truly means to be a queen."
The Demon King's words resonated in Sophia's mind, leaving her momentarily breathless. Betrothed? Queen? It was too much to take in. Her entire life, since she had fallen ill, had been a struggle to survive, to cling to the little she had left. And now, she was being asked to become something more, someone she didn't even know if she could be.
"But... I know nothing about being a queen." Her voice broke, showing the vulnerability she still harbored.
Kael moved closer to her, his presence enveloping, like a tangible shadow that embraced her without touching her.
"You don't need to know now, Sophia." His tone was reassuring, but firm. "All in due time. All you need to know is that there is much at stake, and that here, you have a chance to be something more than you were in your previous life."
Sophia looked at him intently, her thoughts tangled in a web of conflicting emotions. Kael was a being of unsettling majesty, but there was an honesty in his words that reassured her, if only a little.
"What if I can't?" she whispered.
Kael extended a hand towards her, his long and elegant fingers surrounded by a dark energy that Sophia felt vibrating in the air.
"Then, you won't. But I guarantee you that in this place, you will discover what you are capable of. The Demon Realm reveals the true nature of its inhabitants. Here, shadows and light dance together, and you, Sophia, must find your place in that dance."
Sophia looked at the outstretched hand in front of her. Accepting it meant accepting this new destiny, this new path offered to her. There was so much she didn't understand, so much that scared her. But deep down, something inside her burned with an intensity she hadn't felt in a long time: the need to live, to find a purpose beyond the suffering she had endured.
With determination, she took Kael's hand. An unexpected warmth spread from her palm, coursing through her entire body, filling her with renewed energy. Kael observed her with a mixture of approval and something else, something Sophia couldn't define but that made her feel a tremor deep within her being.
"Welcome to the Demon Realm, Sophia." Kael said these words with an intensity that echoed in the empty hall. "Your journey has just begun."
And with those words, the shadows surrounding Sophia began to move, transforming into a tangible and dense form, enveloping her until the world around her disappeared. There was no pain, no fear. Only a strange peace, a feeling that, for the first time, she was exactly where she was meant to be.
When the shadows finally dissipated, Sophia found herself in a new room, less majestic than the previous one, but warm and cozy. The light from an oil lamp flickered softly in the corner, casting dancing shadows on the walls.
Before her, a large full-length mirror reflected her image, but what she saw left her speechless. The Sophia looking back at her from the mirror was not the same one she had known all her life. Her skin was paler, almost translucent, and her eyes, which were once sky blue, now shone with a silver intensity. Her hair, which had always been blonde, was now a silver tone that reflected light with an ethereal glow.
She was beautiful, yes, but she was also another person. A part of her had changed, and the understanding of that fact hit her hard. She was in a place where magic and shadows were as real as life itself, and her own being had begun to transform to fit into this new world.
"Welcome, Silver Princess," whispered a female voice behind her.
Sophia turned quickly, finding herself face to face with a slender and elegant figure, wearing a black dress that seemed to be made of the night itself. Her eyes, a deep amber color, observed her with a mixture of curiosity and respect.
"Who are you?" asked Sophia, still recovering from the shock of her new appearance.
"My name is Lyra, the Queen of Shadow," replied the woman, making a slight bow. "I am here to help you adapt to your new life. From now on, you will be trained in the arts of the realm, and I will be your guide in this process."
Sophia nodded slowly, still assimilating everything that had happened. Although confusion and fear were still present, determination also began to arise within her. She had a new purpose, a new path to follow. And although the future was uncertain, Sophia knew she was not alone.