Seth couldn't believe how excruciating the pain was.
So this is what it takes, he thought as the blue flames erupted from his palms, burning away the dark, malignant marks marring Clark's body. The fire was relentless, and with each burst, it drained his life force. His body trembled, vision blurred, and his knees threatened to buckle.
The flames, once brilliant and full of power, began to waver, flickering weakly as Seth's strength waned. He staggered, barely managing to stay upright, each breath coming in ragged gasps.
Aiden's heart twisted at the sight of the lord's struggle. Instinctively, he moved forward, ready to intervene, but Royfield grabbed his arm, his voice a command.
"No!" Royfield's grip was firm, his expression resolute. "We cannot disobey the lord's order, Sir Aiden. We must not interfere unless he tells us to."
Aiden gritted his teeth, feeling a wave of helplessness and worry. His eyes remained fixed on Seth, anguish welling up as he realized how powerless he truly was. Nearby, Claire clasped her trembling hands together, her lips moving in a desperate, silent prayer.
"Please, O Lord that rules above… save my brother. And… save Lord Arlecia, too."
Seth's mind spun from the unrelenting exertion.
Even sacrificing my own life isn't enough to bring back the dead? Despair coiled around his heart as the flames sputtered and began to die out. The protective circle of fire vanished, and Clark's body lay only partially healed.
"My lord!" Aiden broke free from Royfield's grip and rushed forward. But Seth, his voice harsh and forceful, raised a hand streaked with blood to stop him.
"Stay back, Aiden! Do not come any closer!" The command rang out, sharp and resolute, and Aiden froze, tears pooling in his eyes as he stood there, helpless.
Claire's heart thudded painfully in her chest. Watching Seth's blood-soaked form, she felt her hope slipping away. What if this sacrifice isn't worth it?
Guilt overwhelmed her, and through her tears, she whispered, "My lord, you can stop now… I-I'll accept my brother's fate. If he's meant to die, then… then I'll accept it."
Her words seemed to hang in the air, a bitter and heavy betrayal.
Seth's crimson-stained eyes widened, disbelief and anger flashing in them. "Stop?" he whispered, voice cracking. His exhaustion twisted into something sharper, and he raised his voice. "Stop your lies, Claire! Do you expect me to believe you'd willingly let go of your only family?"
Claire flinched, her mouth agape with shock. Seth's voice softened, but his gaze held firm. "You can't fool me. You love him too much to give up, even if it means costing someone else dearly. Be honest. I despise dishonesty."
Claire's sobs wracked her body, torn between her love for her brother and the horror of the sacrifice Seth was enduring.
Seth swayed, barely able to keep upright. His long, white lashes were stained with blood, and more crimson tears dripped down his pale cheeks. Clark's body remained only partially healed, his original skin color starting to return.
Seth whispered, "If offering my life isn't enough… then what devotion will suffice?" He reached for the ornamental dagger at his waist, his grip steady despite the pain. His expression hardened, resolute, as he prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice.
Realization struck Aiden, Royfield, and Claire at once, their eyes widening in horror. Aiden and Royfield lunged forward to stop him.
But it was too late.
Seth clutched the dagger and drove it into his chest, piercing his heart.
"My lord!" Their cries of anguish filled the chamber. Claire screamed, the sight of Seth stabbing himself burning into her mind like a cruel nightmare.
Seth's voice, though weakened, carried unwavering conviction as he chanted, "From the Ashes to Life, O Feather in Flames…" His eyes blazed with blue lightning, and a circle of fire erupted around him, transforming into a swirling wall of blue flames. The energy grew fiercer, forming a cyclone that engulfed everything around him.
Aiden and Royfield stumbled back, shielding their faces from the searing heat. The fire's brilliance was blinding, and the oppressive heat pushed them further away, leaving them powerless.
There was nothing they could do. The cyclone of flames was a force beyond anything they had ever seen, hiding Seth and Clark from view. Helplessness gripped them, and anguish filled their eyes.
No… my lord… don't leave me, Aiden thought, his chest tightening. Memories of flames consuming his family surfaced, and panic set in, his breathing growing shallow and erratic.
Royfield noticed Aiden's distress and moved to steady him. "Breathe, Sir Aiden. Slow, deep breaths." His voice was calm yet urgent. Claire, her own terror rising, helped Royfield, her hands trembling as she tried to focus on calming Aiden instead of succumbing to her own fear.
The heat and light pressed down on them all, and they clung to one another, praying desperately for a miracle as Seth fought against the very hand of death.
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Inside the swirling inferno, Seth's body lay limp, crumpled near Clark's. Though his physical form was motionless, his consciousness clung to a fragile thread of awareness. He watched as the dark, malignant marks on Clark's body vanished, dissolving into nothingness.
It's working, he thought, relief washing over him. But then a strange emptiness settled in, and he realized his soul felt adrift. What now? Am I dead? If so, why am I still conscious?
An icy wind swept through him, cold enough to freeze his core. He felt himself being pulled away, lifted from the scene in the dungeon. The world around him dissolved into a misty, gray expanse as the wind carried him higher.
He ascended rapidly until he was deposited before an enormous palace door, suspended above the swirling fog. The door was impossibly tall, towering like it belonged to a being far greater than any he had ever known. Without a sound, it creaked open, revealing a vast, empty hall.
At the center of the hall was a banquet table surrounded by twelve grand chairs, each bearing a unique, ancient crest. Seth approached cautiously, his curiosity piqued by the detailed symbols on the seats. As he neared, a voice spoke from behind him.
"Oh, an uninvited visitor," it said.
Seth spun around, heart racing. A bizarre creature stood before him, its form obscured by thick, wild hair, with no discernible face, eyes, or limbs. Seth couldn't even tell which direction it faced.
"What… what are you?" he asked, stepping back instinctively.
The creature shifted slightly. "I am merely a servant of this palace," it replied, its voice calm but eerie. It began to drift closer, and unease prickled along Seth's skin.
"Stay back!" Seth demanded. "Don't come any closer."
"Why are you so afraid of me?" The creature's tone was almost amused.
Do you even need to ask? Seth thought, swallowing hard.
"You don't look… normal. I've never seen anything like you before."
The creature made a sound that could have been a sigh. "Ah, you're like the others. Always the same," it said, drifting toward the twelve seats.
Seth frowned. "What do you mean, 'like the others'? And… what are you doing?"
"Cleaning," the creature answered, moving in a peculiar circle around the seats.
Seth watched, confused. "Cleaning? You're not even touching anything."
The creature ignored him, continuing its strange ritual. After a moment, it returned to face him. "I'm done cleaning."
Seth glanced around, unimpressed. "It didn't even need cleaning."
The creature leaned or perhaps shifted closer. "Why are you here, uninvited guest?"
Seth crossed his arms. "I don't know. I didn't come here by choice."
The creature drifted even nearer, and Seth took another step back. "I needed to see you better," it explained. "Up close, you resemble the master of this palace."
Seth stiffened. "The master? You mean… the owner of this palace?"
"Yes," the creature replied. The revelation left Seth reeling.
"Then tell me how to leave," Seth demanded. "How do I get back?"
The creature seemed surprised. "You don't know how to return?"
Seth glared. "Would I be asking if I did?"
The creature pondered this. "Did something… pull you here?"
Seth's mind raced. "Yes, I believe I was dragged in."
The creature grew thoughtful. "Perhaps the Gallu spirits made a mistake."
Seth's eyes widened at the familiar term. "Gallu spirits?" he echoed.
Aren't those the underworld's servants in the novel? Fear coiled in his stomach. "Am I in… the underworld?"
The creature seemed momentarily startled. "You know of this realm?" But then it clarified, "Not quite. It's similar, but not the same."
Seth's confusion only deepened. "What does that mean?"
The creature's voice turned grave. "The master of this place wasn't from this domain. He devoured the former Lord of Death and seized half the authority of the underworld. The other half was taken by another."
Seth's blood ran cold. "So… he's like a god?"
"Yes," the creature confirmed.
A chill ran down Seth's spine, the enormity of the revelation sinking in. The hall felt even more imposing, and the weight of what he'd stumbled into left him breathless.
What kind of power have I entangled myself with?