The mornings in Elandor had returned to being bright and radiant, but for Elysiel, the sunlight now seemed like a distant echo of something she barely recognized. The blue sky, the flowers blooming again in the castle gardens, and even the laughter slowly returning to the voices of the fairies—all of it should have been a sign of victory. The plague that had threatened to destroy the kingdom was contained. The cycle of death had been interrupted.
She walked through the castle's corridors, once a vibrant fortress, now immersed in heavy silence. The gaze of the fairies watching her, however, was no longer one of admiration or hope. It was one of fear. Elysiel felt it in the hushed whispers as she passed by, in the way the servants avoided her eyes, as if something about her frightened them. "Do they feel the darkness?" she wondered. "Do they know what I did?"
Since the pact with Seraphis, Elysiel could feel the changes in herself. The darkness he had brought with him, not only enveloped the kingdom, but also seemed to have taken root in her. Her power, which once flowed lightly and naturally, now felt heavy, burdened by something dark, like a river struggling against the current instead of following its course.
She walked into the castle's great hall, where Arabella was waiting. The warrior remained silent, but her eyes betrayed her growing concern. Arabella was a loyal friend, a fierce guardian, but since the pact, a coldness had settled between them. Elysiel could feel it, as if the bond of trust they once shared was being eroded by suspicion.
— Bella — Elysiel said as she approached. — I know you have something to say.
Arabella, always direct and honest, did not hesitate to respond.
— You're changing, Lys. We all see it. The kingdom was saved, but… there's something else. Something no one can explain, and everyone is afraid to ask.
Elysiel sighed, trying to hold back the weight pressing on her chest. "What did you expect?" she asked herself. "I did what was necessary".
— I made a pact with Seraphis to save Elandor. You know that. I had no other choice. — Elysiel's voice was firm, but the echo of doubt in her words disturbed her. — But you're right. The cost was high.
Arabella observed her for a moment, her golden eyes fixed on Elysiel as if trying to pierce through the veil of mystery that now surrounded her.
— Elysiel, he's changing you. I see it in your eyes, in the way you act. What else is he taking from you?
The question struck Elysiel like a knife. "What else is he taking from me?" Since the pact, Elysiel had felt the darkness, yes, but there was something more, something she couldn't name. Seraphis was like a constant shadow, even when he wasn't present. The bond that now existed between them was deep, a connection that went beyond any pact or contract. She could feel it whenever Seraphis was near, as if their souls were linked on a level that transcended the physical.
— He gave me power, Bella. But also… — Elysiel hesitated. — I feel that part of me is being consumed. I know. But that's what was necessary. I saved the kingdom.
Arabella frowned, clearly unsatisfied with the answer. To her, the price was too high, and there was no way to accept that her friend was being lost to a demon, even if it were to save Elandor.
— There's always another choice, Elysiel. — Arabella's voice was harsher now. — We can't surrender completely to the darkness, no matter the reason.
Before Elysiel could respond, a distant sound echoed through the hall. The doors opened, and Seraphis entered, his presence immediately dominating the room. His black wings were folded against his back, and his gaze was fixed on Elysiel, though he didn't ignore Arabella. There was a palpable tension whenever Seraphis approached, as if the very air around him became denser, more laden with something dark and primordial.
— Am I interrupting something? — Seraphis asked with a slight smile on his lips, though his eyes glimmered with a predatory light.
Elysiel turned to him, her heart beating faster. She could feel the bond between them pulsing, a sensation that left her uneasy. At the same time, she realized that his presence calmed her in a disturbing way.
— No. — Elysiel replied, keeping her gaze steady on him. — We were just discussing what comes next for the kingdom.
Arabella, however, was not intimidated by Seraphis's presence. Her distrust was clear, and she didn't hide it.
— Your methods may have stopped the plague, Seraphis, but Elandor is changing. What do you really plan for this kingdom?
Seraphis smiled, a slow, calculated smile, but there was something dangerous in his eyes. He moved closer to Elysiel, ignoring Arabella's challenge.
— I plan to protect Elysiel and her kingdom, as I promised. — He replied, his voice smooth but firm. — But change is inevitable. I brought the missing balance. You have the light, and now, you also have the darkness. This is the balance that will save the kingdom.
Arabella stepped forward, her eyes burning with determination.
— Balance? You've brought more than darkness, Seraphis. You're corrupting this place.
Elysiel felt the tension rise. Arabella had always been protective, but now she was beginning to cross a dangerous line.
— Arabella, please. — Elysiel intervened, raising her hand. — I've already made my decision. The pact is done. We can't go back now.
Arabella, clearly displeased, shook her head before turning sharply and leaving the hall, her golden wings glowing as she disappeared down the castle corridors.
Elysiel sighed, the tension in the air finally easing with Arabella's departure. She felt the weight of her choices intensifying with every moment. Arabella was right to be suspicious. Elysiel knew that. But now, with the bond between her and Seraphis growing, the situation seemed beyond her control.
Seraphis approached her, his hand lightly touching Elysiel's arm. His touch sent a shiver down her spine, but it wasn't just fear. That touch awakened something deeper, something she struggled to understand.
— She doesn't trust me. — Seraphis said, his voice soft. — But you do. Don't you, Lys?
Elysiel looked at him, feeling the warmth of his touch spread through her body. The bond between them pulsed, and with it came a strange sense of security. Seraphis was a terrifying presence, but now he also understood her in a way no one else could. The pact that united them was more than just an agreement; it was something intimate, something that connected their souls.
— I have to trust you. — Elysiel replied, even knowing that those words carried more than simple acceptance. They carried her to surrender to Seraphis's power.
He smiled, leaning a little closer, his eyes shining with dangerous satisfaction.
— Then you're learning. What we've done together is just the beginning. Our bond is still growing. — His voice was like a whisper that resonated in her mind.
Elysiel couldn't help but feel that he was right. The more time she spent with Seraphis, the more she felt her soul being shaped by the darkness he carried.
But was it possible to wield this power without losing herself entirely?