The moon was high, bathing the burned country in an ethereal glory. Not only had the last conflict affected the terrain, but it had also affected the survivors' hearts. Perched on the brink of his throne chamber, Alaric gazed out over the huge, dark plains that resembled an ocean of hopelessness. As he held Celine's frail body in his arms, the weight of decades weighed down on his chest, heavier than before.
Her vital force, her blood, was pulsating through his veins like fire. It was a perilous, seductive, and undeserved redemption. The force that erupted within him seemed almost alien at this point, as though years of suppression had rendered him unfamiliar with his former self—a cruel monarch constrained by the gloom. It seemed different, though, with Celine. His hands quivered as he stroked her face; they had previously been smeared with the blood of many victims. Her body was chilly, her pulse feeble, and she was going away. Still she grinned. She was still smiling at him now, in the liminal space between life and death.
His voice broke as he begged, "Don't leave me," sounding more frightened than he had ever uttered in his eternal existence.
Her mouth trembled, unable to form words. "Alaric... I was supposed to discover you all along. and you were supposed to save me all along.
She was unaware, though, that he was unable to help her. Not without eternally condemning her soul.
Recollections encircled him as to a whirlwind.
Many centuries ago, Alaric had thought that his soul had perished along with Elara's when she had offered herself up. He had made a vow to never fall in love again and to never let the unbearable anguish of loss get to him. However, destiny had been unkind to him, bringing Celine into his life—an additional soul intertwined with his, whose very existence made him relive the agony of his past. And now the pages of history threatened to turn again.
He had an option, but just this once.
The murmurs of the shadows were menacing as they moved about him. He had been told about the Final Choice for a long time by the Elder Council, those ancient creatures who had overseen the rules of the dark. It was stated that all creatures of the dark will eventually have to decide whether to stay in the darkness or go into the light; whatever path they choose, they will lose their abilities but gain the tranquility that only humans could experience. A soul freed.
Such traditions had never appealed to Alaric. But now, as he was gazing at Celine, her spirit hanging precariously on the edge of the abyss, her lifeblood appealing to him, he realized that the decision was genuine.
The air became thicker and the room got darker. Time appeared to be dragging, and Celine's pulse wavered. He had the power to save her and keep her in his care forever. A portion of him, nay, the majority of him, begged for it. To do what he had always fantasized of doing with Elara—bind her to his side and establish her as his queen in the shadows. Together, they would rule as impenetrable, ageless, and unstoppable.
However, deep Alaric recognized the truth deep within. If she did this, she would be doomed to an unending night devoid of warmth and real freedom. Yes, she would be strong, but beneath the weight of perpetual darkness, the Celine he had grown to love—the human woman with her gentle heart and her ferocious spirit—would wither away.
With a whispery voice, he leaned over her and said, "I cannot take your light away from you." His lips lightly touched her forehead.
For a split second, her eyes flickered open, brimming with both agony and comprehension. She said, "Then let me go."
Hissing at her words, Alaric could feel the darkness coil inside him, pushing him to do what he desired. A strong leader was required in his realm. His adversaries remained hidden in the shadows, anticipating his stumble. He would be exposed without his abilities and without the blood that kept him alive. The merciless ruler of the shadows could never last in the daylight. Still, though...
Celine's cool yet steady fingers met his as they made contact. Alaric, you no longer have to be by yourself. You don't have to endure a life of darkness.
He had to choose between two options that would have quite different outcomes.
He would save his throne, safeguard his country, and make sure he never had to experience the pain of mortality again if he chose the darkness. But Celine would live as a hollow mirror of herself, and it would cost him his soul.
Should he opt for the light, he would relinquish his might, his eternal life, and the realm he had spent generations ruling. He was about to venture into the unknown, a place where suffering and death were certain to befall him.
But he would be free in the light. Celine would also survive. genuinely alive.
The darkness tugged at him, their murmurs becoming frantic cries. You rule like a king! You are unable to give up your reign! "You are eternal, and she is just one soul!"
But the answer was evident in the stillness of his heart. Everything was worth it for Celine. Greater than his realm, greater than his abilities, and greater than the eternity that had consigned him to an eternal night.
With his decision decided, Alaric raised his head.
His lips found Celine's, and he poured his essence into her, not as a guy deciding to save the lady he loved while being a creature of the dark. The light started to peek through, and the shadows retreated, writhing in rage. After a protracted, never-ending night, Alaric's abilities vanished from him and flowed into Celine like the first rays of day.
Centuries of darkness slowly and painfully peeled away from his own existence throughout the change. His body grew weaker, and his immortality was gradually taken away until he was reduced to the status of a common man. A living person.
In his arms, Celine stirred, her skin heated to the touch again. She gasped in weak but regular breaths. Her eyes sprung wide, and as she looked up at him, there was just love, pure and unadulterated.
"You... She muttered, "You saved me," her eyes welling with tears.
With a smirk on his face, Alaric revealed the fatigue of a warrior who has engaged in a thousand wars. "No, Celine. I was spared by you.
Alaric felt the last of his strength evaporate as the sun rose beyond the horizon, illuminating the country in a way not seen in generations.
The ruler of the dark had vanished from him. But he was free for the first time in his long and troubled existence. And he would face whatever came next together, with Celine at his side.
destined for forever, but not in the dark—in love.