"You were never meant to survive."
The words froze Seraphina in place, her breath catching in her throat. Caelan—no, the version of herself standing before her—spoke with a chilling finality. His golden eyes glimmered like dying embers, yet they bore the weight of truths she couldn't yet grasp.
"What did you say?" she whispered, the tremor in her voice betraying her growing fear.
Caelan's form shifted slightly, the golden light casting eerie shadows across his face—a face that was hers, but twisted with grief and anger. "The prophecy wasn't meant to bring balance. It was meant to end everything. You, me, the kingdom... None of us were meant to escape."
Seraphina's heart pounded. She clenched her fists, willing herself to stay calm. "You're lying," she said, though doubt curled in her chest like a coiled snake.
Caelan—or whatever this being was—stepped closer, his footsteps echoing like whispers in the golden-lit room. "Why do you think no one ever returned from this union? Why do you think the Shadow Lord's brides disappear, one by one?"
She shook her head, refusing to believe it. "No," she said firmly. "You're trying to scare me. I won't fall for your tricks."
The being stopped, tilting its head in a way that was unnervingly familiar. "Is it a trick, Seraphina? Or have you simply been blind to the truth? You've seen the shadows. You've felt the curse. Do you truly think love is enough to save him?"
His words struck a nerve. She thought of Caelan's shadowy figure, the fleeting moments when he seemed almost human, and the sadness in his voice when he had spoken of his curse. Could she really save him?
"I don't know," she admitted, her voice breaking. "But I won't stop trying."
The being laughed, a sound that was both bitter and sorrowful. "Then you are a fool. And fools do not survive the trials."
Before she could respond, the room around them began to change. The golden light dimmed, replaced by a suffocating darkness that swallowed everything in its path. The walls disappeared, and Seraphina found herself standing on a narrow bridge that stretched into an endless void.
The figure that wore her face now stood at the other end of the bridge, its eyes glowing like fireflies in the dark.
"Your second trial begins now," it said, its voice echoing like thunder. "Face the shadows of your past, or be consumed by them."
Seraphina's pulse quickened as the bridge beneath her feet began to tremble. Shadows rose from the void like serpents, slithering across the bridge toward her. They whispered as they came, their voices cold and filled with malice.
"You will fail, just like the others."
"She will never love you."
"You cannot save him."
The whispers grew louder, each word slicing through her resolve like a blade. Seraphina clenched her jaw, forcing herself to focus. She stepped forward, her bare feet steady despite the shaking bridge.
"Is this all you've got?" she shouted into the void, her voice ringing with defiance.
The shadows paused, their forms flickering as if unsure. Then they surged forward, their dark tendrils reaching for her.
Seraphina raised her hands, instinct taking over. A soft, golden light began to glow from her palms, pushing back the shadows. They recoiled, hissing like wounded animals.
"You think light will save you?" the figure called from the other end of the bridge. "Light only blinds you to the truth!"
Seraphina ignored him, her focus unwavering. She took another step, then another, the light from her hands growing brighter with each movement. The shadows writhed and twisted, their whispers turning into anguished screams.
But just as she thought she was winning, the bridge beneath her feet cracked.
Seraphina gasped as the ground gave way, her body plummeting into the darkness below. She tried to scream, but the air was ripped from her lungs as she fell.
When she finally hit solid ground, the impact knocked the breath out of her. She groaned, pushing herself up on trembling arms.
The darkness around her was suffocating, yet she could hear the faint sound of footsteps approaching.
"Caelan?" she called, her voice weak.
"No," a voice replied, cold and filled with malice. "Not Caelan."
Seraphina's blood ran cold as the figure from the bridge emerged from the shadows. But this time, it was no longer wearing her face. It was wearing Caelan's.
"You've reached the end, Princess," it said, its golden eyes glowing with a predatory light. "Now, choose: will you save him, or will you destroy him?"