The silence after Cedric's fall was suffocating. Seraphine stood motionless, staring at his lifeless body. The orb, now shattered, had released a blinding light, but the shadows it left behind were far darker than before. Her heart was still racing, her mind struggling to process what had just happened. Cedric's final words echoed in her thoughts, unsettling her deeply: The Void is already here.
Lucien, his chest heaving from the battle, knelt beside Cedric's body. His sword was still in his hand, the blade trembling slightly as if even he couldn't believe what had transpired. His eyes were shadowed with anger and disbelief.
"This isn't over," Seraphine whispered, her voice barely audible.
Lucien looked up at her, his expression hard. "What do you mean? He's dead. It's finished."
Seraphine shook her head slowly, dread curling in her stomach. "Cedric was just a piece of it. The Void… it's something far more ancient, more powerful. He was right—this kingdom is already under its influence."
Lucien clenched his jaw, his fingers tightening around his sword's hilt. "No," he growled, rising to his feet. "We've stopped him. The rebellion will crumble without his influence."
"You don't understand," Seraphine insisted, stepping toward him, her voice urgent. "The Void isn't a rebellion or a kingdom. It's a force, a corruption that seeps into everything. Cedric was a vessel, yes, but there are others. The darkness is still out there."
Arin, still catching her breath, moved to Seraphine's side. "She's right. I felt it too. That orb—it wasn't just some weapon. It was part of something much bigger. Destroying it only delayed the inevitable."
Lucien's gaze shifted between them, his frustration palpable. "Then tell me what we're facing, Seraphine. What is this Void, and how do we stop it?"
Seraphine's lips parted, but no words came at first. She wasn't even sure she knew the full answer. Her memories of ancient texts and forgotten prophecies stirred in her mind, fragmentary warnings of the Void and its catastrophic power.
"The Void is a primordial force," she finally said. "It devours life, light, everything. Once it takes root, it spreads like a disease, corrupting all that it touches. If it's truly here, we're dealing with something far worse than a simple war for the throne."
Lucien's face darkened, the weight of her words settling over him like a shadow. "If what you're saying is true, then Cedric's death was just the beginning. How do we fight something like that?"
Seraphine shook her head, her thoughts racing. "We need to find out more. There are ancient texts, hidden knowledge about the Void that's been kept secret for centuries. If we can find it, we might have a chance to stop it before it consumes everything."
Lucien paced the length of the room, his anger simmering just below the surface. "And where exactly do we find this hidden knowledge?"
Seraphine hesitated, knowing the answer wouldn't be one Lucien would like. "The archives… beneath the castle. They've been sealed for centuries."
Lucien stopped in his tracks, his eyes narrowing. "You're talking about the forbidden wing. No one's been down there in generations."
"I know," Seraphine replied, her voice firm. "But if there's anything that can tell us how to fight the Void, it's in those archives."
Arin glanced between them, her face tense. "And if we go down there… what else might we find?"
Seraphine didn't answer. The truth was, she didn't know. The forbidden wing had always been a place of mystery, sealed off for reasons long forgotten by most. But if the Void was already here, there was no time for fear or hesitation.
Lucien's expression shifted, the fire of his anger giving way to cold determination. "Fine. We'll go to the archives. But if what you're saying is true, we don't have much time. The Void won't wait."
Seraphine nodded, a mixture of relief and anxiety flooding her veins. They were stepping into unknown territory, facing a force beyond their understanding. But there was no other choice.
---
Hours later, the three of them descended into the castle's lower depths. The air grew colder as they approached the sealed wing, a thick door of iron and stone looming before them. Dust covered every surface, and the faintest hint of rot lingered in the stale air.
Lucien pushed open the heavy door, his strength barely enough to move the ancient mechanism. The hinges groaned in protest, but slowly, the door creaked open, revealing a passage that had not seen light in generations.
Torches in hand, they stepped into the forgotten halls, the walls lined with crumbling tomes and relics from ages past. The silence here was oppressive, as though the very air was waiting for something to stir.
Arin shivered beside Seraphine. "I don't like this."
"You don't have to," Lucien muttered, his eyes scanning the room. "Just keep moving."
As they ventured deeper, Seraphine's eyes flickered over the ancient texts. There had to be something here—some clue, some key to stopping the Void before it swallowed them all.
And then, in the center of the room, she saw it. A massive stone tablet, etched with symbols and words in a language so old, it had been lost to time. Her heart quickened.
"This is it," she whispered, stepping forward. "This tells the story of the Void."
Lucien and Arin moved closer, their eyes fixed on the tablet as Seraphine ran her fingers over the ancient symbols. As she began to read, the weight of the truth became clear.
The Void was not just a force of destruction—it was a living entity, one that could possess and corrupt. It sought vessels, feeding on their greed and ambition, turning them into monsters. And worst of all, once it had chosen its target, it was nearly impossible to stop.
"We're not dealing with a myth," Seraphine murmured, her voice trembling. "We're dealing with something far more dangerous. The Void… it's alive."
Lucien's face hardened. "Then we need to stop it before it finds its next vessel."
But deep in her soul, Seraphine felt a flicker of dread. Cedric's warning echoed in her mind, louder than before.
The Void was already here.
And its hunger had only just begun.