The silence that filled the castle of Elandor was suffocating. The shadows seemed denser with each passing day, as if the very kingdom were succumbing to the dark power that now surrounded it. Elysiel walked through the castle corridors, her mind a storm of thoughts. The confrontation with the council still echoed in her mind, but what troubled her more than her words was the silent doubt growing in her heart.
As she crossed the empty hall, her thoughts wandered to Seraphis. Their connection, the overwhelming passion and power they shared, had become inescapable. She could no longer separate her life from his presence. But now, with the increasing pressure on her kingdom and the consequences of the pact becoming ever clearer, a dark question surfaced in her mind: Did Seraphis truly care for Elandor, or did he see it only as a piece in his game to acquire more power?
Elysiel felt trapped between two worlds: her responsibility as future queen and the darkness that now bound her to Seraphis. Each time she tried to focus on her kingdom, on the fairies who depended on her, something pulled her back to Seraphis, like an invisible chain she couldn't break.
She sensed his presence before she saw him.
Seraphis emerged from the shadows, his sleek and imposing figure slowly advancing toward her. His red eyes glowed intensely, but there was something in his posture—an unusual softness, as if he knew Elysiel was on the edge of something deeper than any previous doubt.
— You seem distant. — he murmured, his voice soft yet laden with an intensity that made the surrounding air grow heavy.
Elysiel looked at him, her thoughts still in turmoil. There were times when Seraphis's presence soothed her, made her feel safe, as if he were the only one who truly understood her. But lately, that safety was accompanied by growing unease.
— The shadows we've brought aren't just protecting us… they're consuming the kingdom. The fairies are withdrawing, and my council… they no longer trust me.
Seraphis studied her for a moment, his eyes assessing her. He knew what she was feeling, and her doubt was something he needed to handle carefully.
— The power we share is too great for them to understand. — he replied, stepping closer and gently touching her face. — They fear what they cannot comprehend. But you… you know what we're building. You can't allow their weakness to divert you from our true path.
Elysiel closed her eyes at his touch, feeling the familiar comfort that came with his presence. But at the same time, something inside her resisted. She opened her eyes, gazing at Seraphis with a mixture of tenderness and distrust.
— But what about Elandor? — she asked, her voice low, almost fearing the answer. — This kingdom is mine, and I've protected it from the beginning. Am I sacrificing everything we've built for a power that might destroy us? Does Elandor truly matter to you?
Seraphis was silent for a moment, his expression impenetrable. He knew this question would come. Their connection had grown, but now it was being tested.
— Elandor matters… because it matters to you. — he finally answered, his voice filled with a rare softness. — But what we're building is bigger than any kingdom. You and I, Elysiel, are made of power. And that power demands sacrifice. Elandor may be the beginning, but it's not the end. Together, we can control forces beyond this world.
Seraphis's words hit her with force. She knew he was ambitious, but hearing him say it made her realize the extent of his desires. What he sought wasn't just control of Elandor; he wanted something much greater. And she, somehow, was at the center of that plan.
— You want more than Elandor. — Elysiel said, her eyes narrowing. — What do you truly expect from me, Seraphis? What do you expect me to sacrifice?
Seraphis smiled, a cryptic smile that made her wonder just how much he had planned from the start.
— The power we share demands more than just physical union, Elysiel. — he said softly. — There are ancient rituals, rituals that will deepen our bond and make us truly invincible. But these rituals… they will test your limits.
Elysiel felt a chill. The power flowing through her, the bond with Seraphis, had already changed so much. But now, he was speaking of something darker, something that would require more than she might be willing to give.
— What kind of rituals? — she asked, her voice firm, though her heart raced.
Seraphis stepped closer, his eyes glowing with an intensity that made her feel as though she were on the brink of falling into an abyss.
— Rituals that involve the deepest darkness. Blood, soul, the very essence of who we are. You've already touched this power, Elysiel, but you haven't fully experienced it. If we do this together, we will be unstoppable. But you will have to surrender to the darkness completely. There will be no turning back.
Elysiel felt the weight of his words, the darkness around her seeming to vibrate in response. A part of her wanted to surrender, to embrace this power, this total union. But another part resisted—a part that still clung to the idea that there was something within herself she didn't want to lose.
— You're asking me to sacrifice more than I already have. — she said, her voice trembling slightly. — Elandor, my light, my soul, my very essence…
Seraphis interrupted, his voice smooth and enveloping.
— I'm asking you to embrace who you truly are. What we are together. Nothing else matters, Elysiel. There is nothing beyond us. You know this.
Elysiel wanted to believe him. She wanted to give herself completely to Seraphis, to the power he promised. But as she stood there, looking at him, a new wave of doubt washed over her. And at that moment, the vision took hold.
Suddenly, the world around Elysiel seemed to disappear. She was enveloped by darkness deeper than anything she had ever experienced. Then, the visions began.
She saw Elandor, her kingdom, engulfed in flames. The fairies fled in terror as the shadows consumed everything. The gardens withered, the trees that were once green and lush stood dry and twisted, as if the life had been drained from the land. In the center of it all, she saw herself, wrapped in a cloak of darkness, her eyes black as the deepest depths of the underworld.
Elysiel felt a wave of panic. Was this what Seraphis's power would bring? The total destruction of Elandor? Was the price of this union the annihilation of everything she had once sworn to protect?
She tried to scream, to fight against the vision, but she was trapped. And then, she saw him: Seraphis, standing beside her, smiling as everything crumbled. He wasn't worried. He was satisfied.
The vision ended as abruptly as it had begun, and Elysiel found herself back in the hall, gasping for breath, sweating, and trembling. Seraphis watched her with curiosity, as though he knew exactly what she had seen.
— What was that? — she whispered, panic evident in her voice.
Seraphis leaned in, his dark smile still in place.
— You saw the future, Elysiel. The future that can be yours… if you choose it.