"Do you hear that scream, Princess? It's your soul calling for help."
Seraphina's eyes flew open, her heart pounding as she struggled to breathe. She was no longer in the grand, shadowy hall where she had last seen Caelan. The darkness around her was suffocating, so dense it felt alive, pressing against her skin like cold, wet hands. A high-pitched wail echoed around her, filling her ears with a sound so terrible it made her knees buckle.
The voice—deep, smooth, and laced with menace—spoke again, this time closer, almost in her ear. "What will you do, Seraphina? Run? Cry? Or will you finally embrace the truth?"
"Who's there?" she gasped, spinning in place, her arms flailing in the void. Her voice cracked with desperation. She could see nothing, feel nothing except the chilling press of shadows. "Caelan! Where are you?"
"You think the Shadow Lord can save you?" The voice laughed, mocking and hollow. "No one escapes the Abyss, little princess. Not even him."
The Abyss. The name sent a shiver down her spine, dredging up whispers she'd overheard from the palace seers. A realm of torment, where lost souls wandered endlessly. A place not meant for the living. But how had she ended up here? And why?
"Answer me!" she demanded, her voice trembling but resolute. "Where am I? What is this place?"
"You're in my domain now," the voice replied, low and venomous. "The Shadow Lord brought you here, but he won't come for you. He cannot."
"That's a lie!" Seraphina shouted, clinging to the spark of defiance burning inside her. "He—he wouldn't just leave me here. He needs me!"
A dry chuckle rippled through the air, chilling her to her core. "Needs you? Oh, little princess, you are nothing but a pawn in his game. He'll use you, as he has used others before you. Tell me, do you think you're the first bride brought to his cursed lands?"
The words hit her like a slap, stealing the breath from her lungs. Her mind raced, images of the Shadow Lord's mysterious form swirling in her head. Could it be true? Had there been others?
"Show yourself!" Seraphina demanded, forcing herself to stand tall, though her legs quaked beneath her. "Stop hiding in the shadows!"
The voice fell silent, and for a moment, an oppressive stillness filled the void. Then, the darkness stirred. Slowly, a figure emerged, its form twisting and writhing like smoke. It had no defined shape, no face, yet its presence was overwhelming—a nightmare given form.
"I am the keeper of this place," it said, its voice reverberating like thunder. "And you are trespassing, little princess."
Seraphina swallowed hard, her fists clenching at her sides. "I didn't come here by choice," she said, her voice firm despite the terror clawing at her chest. "But I'll find a way out."
The shadowy figure tilted as if amused. "A way out? There is no escape from the Abyss. Not for you. Not for anyone."
As if to prove its point, the darkness around her began to shift and pulse. From the void, shapes emerged—twisted, wailing forms that looked like they were made of shadow and despair. They crawled and slithered toward her, their hollow eyes glowing faintly, their mouths stretching wide in silent screams.
Seraphina stumbled back, her breath catching as the shadow-creatures closed in. Panic surged through her veins, but she refused to let it take over. I am not powerless, she reminded herself. I've faced spirits before. I can face this.
Raising her trembling hands, she closed her eyes and focused. She summoned the energy deep within her—the gift she had kept hidden for so long. A soft glow began to radiate from her palms, faint but growing stronger with each passing second.
The creatures hesitated, their movements faltering as the light touched them. They hissed and recoiled, their forms flickering like candles in the wind.
"Stay back!" Seraphina shouted, her voice gaining strength as her confidence grew. "I'm not afraid of you!"
The figure laughed again, its voice a deep rumble that made the shadows tremble. "Such bravery for one so small. But your light won't last forever, princess. The Abyss will consume you, as it has consumed so many before you."
The glow in her hands faltered, the weight of his words sinking in. How long could she hold on? And where was Caelan? Was he truly the reason she was here? Or had she walked willingly into a trap?
Suddenly, a new voice cut through the darkness—a voice she recognized.
"Seraphina! Hold on!"
Her heart leaped. "Caelan!" she cried, spinning toward the sound. She saw nothing but blackness, yet his presence was unmistakable. "I'm here! Help me!"
The shadows around her surged violently, as if enraged by his arrival. The creatures lunged toward her, their clawed hands reaching for her, but a burst of energy exploded from the void, sending them scattering.
"Get away from her," Caelan growled, his voice sharp and commanding. His shadowy form appeared before her, more solid than before, though still cloaked in darkness. "She is under my protection."
The figure of the Abyss chuckled darkly. "Your protection? You cannot even protect yourself, Shadow Lord. Do you truly think you can save her?"
Caelan ignored him, his attention focused solely on Seraphina. "Are you hurt?" he asked, his voice softer now, laced with concern.
She shook her head, tears pricking her eyes. "I'm fine," she said, though her voice wavered. "But what is this place? Why am I here?"
"I didn't bring you here," Caelan said, his tone grim. "Something... pulled you in. The Abyss is alive, and it has its own will."
"Then how do we get out?" she asked, her voice rising with urgency. "We can't stay here!"
Before Caelan could answer, the figure of the Abyss surged forward, its form towering over them like a wave of darkness. "You will not leave," it hissed. "You belong to me now."
"Run!" Caelan shouted, grabbing Seraphina's hand. The moment their skin touched, a jolt of warmth shot through her, cutting through the cold darkness like a ray of sunlight.
Together, they ran, the shadows twisting and writhing around them, trying to pull them back. Seraphina's heart pounded in her chest, her breath coming in ragged gasps as they sprinted through the void. She didn't know where they were going—there was no path, no light to guide them—but she trusted Caelan to lead her.
Behind them, the wails of the shadow-creatures grew louder, closer. The Abyss itself seemed to be closing in, its darkness thicker, heavier, suffocating.
And then, up ahead, Seraphina saw it—a faint glimmer of light, so small it was almost imperceptible. It called to her, a beacon of hope in the endless dark.
"There!" she shouted, pointing. "Do you see it?"
Caelan glanced back, his eyes narrowing. "I see it," he said. "But it's not what you think."
Before she could ask what he meant, the ground beneath their feet began to tremble. The light ahead grew brighter, but it was no longer warm or inviting. It was cold, harsh, and unrelenting, and it cast long, jagged shadows that danced wildly around them.
The Abyss roared, its voice shaking the very air. "You cannot escape me!"
Seraphina stumbled, her grip on Caelan's hand tightening. "What is it?" she asked, panic rising in her chest. "What's happening?"
Caelan's expression darkened, his jaw set in determination. "It's a trap," he said. "The light isn't freedom. It's another test."
Before Seraphina could respond, the light exploded, engulfing them both in blinding brilliance.
Seraphina felt the ground vanish beneath her feet. She was falling again, but this time, there was no darkness—only an endless, searing light that burned her skin and filled her lungs with fire.
And then, just as the pain became unbearable, a voice whispered in her ear: "Do you truly wish to see the truth, Princess? Then open your eyes."
Her eyes flew open, and what she saw made her scream.