Vem stood before the palace gates, his heart a tempest of determination and dread. The gates loomed high above, a fortress of dark iron twisted into intricate knots, echoing the ancient magic that guarded this place. He flexed his wings, feeling the strain of his wound, but his resolve was iron-clad.
The memory of Yulia's warning tugged at him, something that had haunted him since he left her in the dim warmth of the kitchen. He glanced over his shoulder, as if to catch a glimpse of Pilor, but the faithful bird was still nestled somewhere in the infirmary, leaving him alone. He sighed, feeling the pang of absence deep in his chest.
He inhaled, taking in the earthy scent of the palace grounds, and leaped into the air. With a powerful thrust of his wings, he ascended, the cold night air rushing past him, a sting against his skin as he soared higher. Below him, the palace receded, a stone citadel draped in the shadows of night, its towers barely glinting under the moon's watchful eye.
As he flew over the fields and darkened forests, the world fell silent. Only the whisper of wind accompanied him, a chill settling deep within his bones as he thought of Yulia's words, her warnings about the Black Sea.
The void she had described had struck him with terror, the way her voice trembled with the weight of ancient knowledge, of souls lost and minds twisted beyond repair. He remembered the fear that had clouded her gaze, a warning that left him feeling raw. Her kiss had left something else too, though—an ache, a promise, something he couldn't yet name.
The air grew colder, heavier. The forests thinned below him, giving way to jagged cliffs and barren rocks, the ground shifting from familiar to sinister. And then, on the horizon, the Black Sea appeared—a vast abyss stretching endlessly before him, its edges disappearing into the night like ink poured over the world. It was unlike any sea he had seen, not shimmering with waves but lying still, ominously silent and dark.
No water met his eyes; instead, the void shifted and swirled, an endless, churning mass of shadows and energy, radiating a force that made his skin prickle.
He hovered above the Black Sea, an electric sense of danger heightening his senses. The emptiness seemed to pull at him, tugging at his wings, whispering in his mind with a voice that made his heart hammer. Yulia's words echoed in his thoughts: "It changes them, Vem. It warps their very souls…" He shuddered, keeping his wings steady, careful not to drift too close to the edge of that forbidding chasm.
"Where are you?" he whispered, searching the shadows for any sign of the fallen angel from his vision. He scanned the blackened landscape, his gaze piercing every corner, every twisting shadow, yet he found nothing but the swirling void stretching below.
Then, a flicker—a movement within the darkness. He squinted, his heart leaping, but what he saw was not the face of a fallen angel. Instead, a towering figure emerged from the shadows, a twisted form with an unsettling grace. She was part woman, her upper half statuesque with sleek, dark hair cascading down her shoulders. But her lower half was monstrous—a churning mass of shadow and scales, dozens of dark legs protruding and retreating like living tendrils of smoke that crawled across the void.
The Succubus's eyes gleamed with dark amusement as she slinked forward, her voice a taunting whisper that sliced through the silence. "Oh, Vem… Did you really think it would be that easy?" she sneered, her lips curling into a wicked smile.
Vem's grip tightened on Seraphina as he recognized her—the memory of her slash across his chest burned fresh. She moved closer, her laughter a chilling melody that grated at his senses, resonating in the pit of his stomach.
"You fell for it so completely," she continued, her voice dripping with mockery. "Did you think your visions were a message? How sweet."
"Enough," Vem growled, leveling his sword at her. He braced himself, his muscles coiled as he watched her, but she lunged before he could react. Her lower body slithered forward, and in an instant, she was upon him.
The clash was brutal, her strikes swift and vicious. Vem barely managed to deflect the blows, Seraphina flashing in his hands as he blocked each brutal swipe. Her claws raked across his shoulder, tearing into flesh and sending a jolt of pain through him. He staggered back, gritting his teeth against the agony that burned through him. She cackled, relishing the pain she inflicted, her eyes dancing with a dark delight.
"Poor, poor you," she cooed, circling him with slow, menacing steps. "So noble. So tragically naive." Her laughter echoed through the void, a sound that made his blood run cold.
He swung Seraphina, aiming for her torso, but she darted back with inhuman speed, her monstrous legs shifting and twisting as she evaded his strikes. With each attempt, she seemed to grow more confident, her movements fluid and unpredictable, her laughter never ceasing. Vem's breaths came fast and shallow, his body aching as he tried to match her relentless speed, but every blow he landed seemed to slide off her, as if she were made of smoke.
Just as his strength began to wane, a blinding light cut through the darkness, a brilliant, searing beam that pierced the Succubus's chest. She staggered, her face twisting with shock as she let out a howl of pain. Vem looked up, his vision swimming, and saw a figure floating above—Aislin, her hood pulled low over her face, a dark cloak billowing around her. Her arm was extended, hand glowing with a celestial energy that seemed to pulse in time with her heartbeat.
The Succubus let out a shriek of fury, twisting toward Aislin, her monstrous limbs lashing out with an unnatural speed. She lunged, clawed hands slicing through the air, but Aislin twisted and dodged, her movements fluid as water, her cloak swirling as she evaded each deadly strike.
Vem struggled to his feet, his body throbbing with exhaustion, and grabbed Seraphina, which glowed with a fierce, renewed energy. He took a deep breath, steeling himself, and charged at the Succubus. His sword swung through the air, a streak of silver as he aimed for her, but she twisted, evading his strike. Again, he tried, his frustration mounting as she dodged effortlessly.
With a burst of energy, he lunged once more, managing to graze her side. A streak of darkness oozed from the wound, but she only laughed, her eyes gleaming with malevolent amusement.
"Is that all you've got, princess?" she taunted, her voice dripping with disdain.
Aislin struggled to her feet, her face pale but her eyes blazing with determination. "Vem!" she called out, her voice cutting through the chaos. "Aim for the belly!"
The Succubus's expression shifted, a flicker of rage flashing across her features. With a flick of her hand, she summoned creatures from the depths of the Black Sea, figures that emerged not as shadows but as strange, shimmering beings with haunting, featureless faces. They moved like liquid, their forms shifting and twisting, dozens of them closing in on Vem and Aislin.
Vem's grip on Seraphina tightened as the creatures advanced, their hollow, unseeing eyes fixed on him. His heart thundered, but he raised his sword, bracing himself for the onslaught.
He charged forward, his blade slicing through the air as he cut down one creature, then another, but they kept coming, an endless stream that swarmed around him and Aislin, their numbers overwhelming. In a final, desperate move, he raised Seraphina, aiming for the Succubus's exposed belly.
But before he could strike, a clawed hand clamped around his neck, lifting him off the ground. He struggled, his vision darkening as the Succubus's grip tightened, her lips curling into a twisted smile.
Aislin took to the air, her hand dipping into her cloak and pulling out a small vial. With a swift motion, she shattered it against her hand, the liquid within spilling over her skin and glowing with a fierce, golden light. She extended her hand toward Vem, the light flowing from her fingers like liquid fire, wrapping around him and igniting with a powerful force. The Succubus hissed, her hand recoiling as the energy seared her, forcing her to release him.
Vem fell, gasping for breath, as the Succubus let out a final, ear-splitting shriek before retreating into the shadows, her form dissipating like smoke. The creatures around them faded, their twisted bodies melting back into the Black Sea until only silence remained.
Vem staggered to his feet, his chest heaving as he looked at Aislin, her hood lowered, her face etched with exhaustion but her gaze unwavering.
"Thank you," he managed, his voice hoarse.
She nodded, her expression softening as she looked at him. "We're not done yet, Vem. Not even close."