"You are not the first, Seraphina. You are the last."
The voice rang out in the blazing white void, startling Seraphina. She floated in an endless sea of light, weightless and disoriented. The air smelled sharp and metallic, and her skin felt raw, as if burned by the intensity of the glow.
"Who are you?" she called, her voice breaking with fear and frustration. "Show yourself!"
The light shifted, condensing into a form before her. A woman emerged—tall, elegant, and cloaked in robes of shimmering silver. Her face was both beautiful and unnerving, her features flawless yet devoid of warmth. But her eyes—black as the Abyss—bore into Seraphina with an intensity that made her breath catch.
"I am Lythra," the woman said, her voice a blend of authority and disdain. "Guardian of the Pact. Judge of the trials. And the voice of truth."
"The Pact?" Seraphina echoed, her mind racing. "Then you're the one who created all of this—the curse, the trials, the Abyss?"
Lythra's lips curved into a cold smile. "No, child. I am merely its keeper. The curse belongs to Caelan—and to those who came before you."
The words struck Seraphina like a blow. "What do you mean, 'those who came before me'? Are you saying there were other brides?"
Lythra's expression darkened, and she gestured with a sweep of her arm. The light around them warped, and images began to form in the air. Seraphina watched, horrified, as the faces of women appeared—dozens of them, their features etched with sorrow and despair.
"Each one of these women vowed to marry the Shadow Lord," Lythra said, her tone sharp. "And each one failed to see him for what he truly is. They fell to fear, to doubt, to hatred. And so, they were claimed by the shadows."
"No," Seraphina whispered, shaking her head. "That can't be true."
"Believe what you will," Lythra said, her voice indifferent. "But know this—if you fail as they did, you will join them. You will become nothing more than another lost soul, bound to the Abyss for all eternity."
Seraphina's heart pounded in her chest. The images of the women flickered and faded, leaving her alone once more with Lythra. "Why are you telling me this?" she demanded. "Why not let me figure it out on my own?"
"Because," Lythra said, stepping closer, "your trial begins now."
Before Seraphina could respond, the light around her dimmed, shifting into something darker, colder. The ground reappeared beneath her feet, solid and jagged, and the air grew heavy with the scent of decay. She stood in a barren wasteland, the sky above her a swirling mass of gray and black.
Caelan stood a few feet away, his shadowy form barely visible in the gloom. His back was to her, his posture tense, as if he were bracing himself for an attack.
"Caelan!" she called, running toward him.
He turned at the sound of her voice, his eyes meeting hers. For the first time, she saw something flicker across his face—relief, quickly replaced by fear.
"You shouldn't be here," he said, his voice low and urgent. "This place is not meant for you."
"I didn't have a choice," she said, frustration bubbling to the surface. "I was pulled here—by her."
"Her?" Caelan's expression hardened. "Lythra. Of course."
"She said this is my trial," Seraphina continued, her voice trembling. "That if I fail, I'll end up like the others—lost to the Abyss."
Caelan's jaw tightened, and he looked away. "She's not wrong."
"Then tell me what to do!" Seraphina said, grabbing his arm. "Help me pass the trial!"
He shook his head, his shadowy form flickering. "I can't. The trials are yours alone to face. I can only watch."
"Watch?" she repeated, her voice rising. "You expect me to fight this on my own? After everything you've put me through?"
"I didn't want this for you," he said, his tone heavy with guilt. "But the curse... it doesn't care what I want. It never has."
Before she could press him further, the ground beneath them trembled. The air grew colder, and a low, guttural growl echoed around them.
Seraphina's stomach churned as she turned to see a massive figure emerging from the shadows. It was a beast—twisted and monstrous, with eyes that burned like molten gold. Its body was covered in black scales that shimmered with an unnatural light, and its claws were long enough to carve through stone.
"What is that?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.
"The Guardian of the Trial," Caelan said, his voice grim. "It will test your heart. Your courage. Your will to survive."
The beast let out a deafening roar, shaking the ground beneath their feet. Seraphina stumbled, her hands flying to her ears as the sound reverberated through her skull.
"Run!" Caelan shouted, but she couldn't move. Her legs felt like they were rooted to the ground, her body frozen in terror.
The beast charged, its massive claws tearing through the earth as it barreled toward her.
"Seraphina, move!" Caelan's voice snapped her out of her stupor, and she dove to the side just as the beast's claws slammed into the ground where she had been standing.
Her heart raced as she scrambled to her feet, her mind racing. She couldn't fight this thing—not with weapons, not with strength. But maybe, just maybe, there was another way.
You must see him for what he truly is.
Lythra's words echoed in her mind, and Seraphina's gaze flicked to Caelan. He stood at the edge of the battlefield, his shadowy form tense and watchful.
"Caelan!" she called, her voice steady despite the fear clawing at her. "Tell me what to do!"
"I can't," he said, his voice strained. "This is your trial, Seraphina. Your choice."
She clenched her fists, her mind racing. The beast roared again, and she turned to face it, her heart pounding.
"I'm not afraid of you," she said, her voice firm. "Do your worst."
The beast snarled, its golden eyes narrowing. It lunged toward her, its claws slicing through the air—and Seraphina stood her ground.
The world seemed to slow as the beast's claws came within inches of her chest. And then, just as it seemed she would be torn apart, the beast stopped.
Its golden eyes locked onto hers, and for a moment, the darkness around them seemed to fade.
"You are brave," it rumbled, its voice deep and resonant. "But bravery alone will not save you."
Seraphina swallowed hard, her gaze unwavering. "Then tell me what will."
The beast tilted its head, its molten eyes flickering. "The truth," it said. "But beware—once you see it, you cannot unsee it."
"I'm ready," she said, though her voice wavered. "Show me."
The beast let out a low growl, and the air around them shimmered. Seraphina felt a surge of energy, and then—
She saw him.
Not the shadowy figure she had come to know, but the man beneath.
And what she saw made her blood run cold.
Seraphina staggered back, her breath catching in her throat. "No," she whispered, her voice trembling. "It can't be."
Caelan stepped toward her, his eyes filled with sorrow. "Now you understand," he said quietly.
But before she could respond, the ground beneath her feet gave way, and she was falling—falling into the Abyss once more.