An unsettling haze was thrown over the country by the storm clouds churning in the sky above the cursed realm. A suitable preface to the fight raging inside the dark palace's walls was the distant sound of thunder. Creatures of the night pushed forward, their claws glistening in the lightning, while shadows twisted and writhed. Standing tall and formidable, Alaric felt the weight of millennia bearing down on him more than before.
Sharp and unwavering, his eyes never left the person at the center of the chaos: Celine, facing the adversaries who wanted to use their evil magic on her, her mortal heart thumping with terror and resistance. They thought she was a control mechanism and his vulnerability the monarch. However, they had misjudged her spirit.
The ancient power of his species, the return of strength he had long denied, flared in Alaric's veins. Something deep within him had been aroused by Celine's presence; it was something deadly, primitive, and uncontrollable. But it was more than power; it was love, a love he had vowed to bury with Elara, a love that was unstoppable. But here she was, or rather, a resurrected version of herself, in Celine's eyes, drawing him back from the brink of darkness with her essence.
And now, this precise instant, what he had feared was happening. He was the reason Celine was in danger. Originally a pawn, she had become the focal point of his universe and the one who had brought back his feelings. He would not fail again; he had already failed once.
Deep and authoritative, Alaric's voice resounded through the storm as the beasts closed in. "Remain back!" Dark energy crackled like wildfire as his might reverberated across the atmosphere. He was aware of the price, though, even as he used all of his might. He could not contain the beast inside him, the ravenous want for murder, revenge, and her, no matter how much force he called upon.
Celine pivoted, her eyes wide with something other than dread and her breathing shallow. The way his hands shook when he touched her, the way his eyes lingered on her neck, where her pulse danced just beneath the surface—she had seen the darkness in him surface. However, she no longer had fear in her eyes—only sadness and love.
Though they were kind, the words that came out of her mouth sliced like a knife through the mayhem. "Alaric, you have my love."
Time paused.
Heart stopped in Alaric's chest; he had long believed it to be cold and dead. It never occurred to him that he would hear such words again, not from anybody and not in this lifetime. especially not from her. His thoughts cried him to reject it, to turn her away, to protect her from what was in store for anybody who dared to love him. But his body would not budge. He felt fully alive for the first time in ages.
"Celine, no..." His voice was a rough whisper, full of pain and optimism at the same time.
Her eyes filled with tears, yet despite the encroaching shadows, she maintained her poise. Alaric, you are unable to keep me safe from this. You are unable to shield me from your history. However, I can shield you from what is ahead.
Her remarks were a blow to him. She was aware. She was aware of the events that transpired eons prior, including how Elara sacrificed everything to rescue him, how her passing devastated him, and how he promised never to fall in love or allow himself to be vulnerable ever again.
His strength surging within him like a wave, he roared, "I won't let you sacrifice yourself for me." "I refuse to let the past happen again."
Celine moved in closer, her hands shaking slightly as she grabbed for him. Her touch was warm, human, and alive as she caressed his face. "It doesn't have to happen again. This has nothing to do with fate, history, or curses. It's all about us here. This is my choice. You are the one I've chosen.
As his eyes met hers, Alaric's breath caught. Everything else, including his foes, the storm, and the weight of his empire, vanished at that instant. She was the only one there. In his gloomy world, the sole source of light.
However, the tempest was impatient.
Dark forces burst through the palace walls with a thunderous crack. The night's animals charged forward, hungry and unrelenting. With his might blazing and his blade sharply cutting down on the attackers, Alaric moved to protect Celine. However, as soon as he killed one, another appeared; their numbers were limitless, and their need for Celine's blood was unquenchable.
Celine's voice broke firm and unwavering amid the mayhem. "Alaric, give up! Not all of them can be defeated. Not in this manner.
With rage and despair battling within of him, he turned to face her. What then would you like me to do? Allow them to grab you? Allow them to transport us?
"No." He met her brilliant, furious gaze. "I'm going to end this."
Celine moved closer and raised her arms, almost welcoming the darkness that wanted to engulf her before he could respond. Alaric rushed, but he was stopped by an unseen force that was stronger than anything he had ever experienced.
The deep, old power in Celine's blood began to stir as the air around her shimmered. Her voice rang out, gentle and strong, as she said the words of a magic she had forgotten, a spell that would bond her soul, like Elara had previously done, to his.
With her eyes fixed on his, Celine said, "By my blood, I offer my life." Our destiny is bound by my love. Indefinitely.
"No!" The palace's very foundations trembled with Alaric's shout, but it was too late. Once the spell was performed, Celine's life energy started to diminish, absorbing into the magic that now guarded the kingdom, him, and all they had battled for.
Alaric fell to his knees and wrapped his arms around Celine's lifeless body in the quiet hush that followed. Unshed tears caused his eyesight to become blurry, and his heart broke in ways he never would have imagined. He stammered, "Why?" his voice rough with sorrow. "What made you do this?"
Celine's gaze opened, a meek grin pulling at her mouth. "Because I cherish you." And on occasion, the only force strong enough to save us is love.
The last of her power and her dying breath escaped her lips. Alaric's soul broke again as he hugged her tight. However, something profound and potent shifted in him at that same instant. For decades, he had fled from his history, the hurt of bereavement, and the dread of love.
Now that Celine had made the ultimate sacrifice, he realized.
Love was more than just helping one another out. It was about putting one another's needs ahead of your own.
Alaric stood up as the storm started to pass and the shadows disappeared, his body radiating a scary new strength. The monarch who had lost his love to the darkness was no longer him. With the might of two souls pulsing in his heart, he was the king reborn from that darkness.
Furthermore, he would guarantee that Celine's offering was not in vain.
Alaric cursed as the night engulfed him. Not only would he guard the country she had rescued, but he would always carry her memories with him.
Because love could never fully die, even after it was created in the dark.