"You've already destroyed him, Princess. Do you even know what you're fighting for anymore?"
The words sliced through the thick silence like a blade. Seraphina's heart lurched, her gaze fixed on the figure before her—Caelan's golden eyes glowed like molten fire, but the voice was tainted, cruel, and wrong.
"What are you talking about?" she demanded, her voice trembling.
The shadowy figure wearing Caelan's form tilted its head, a sinister smile curling its lips. "You think love will save him? You think you're special? Every bride thought the same, and now they are nothing but whispers in the dark."
Seraphina's knees weakened, but she forced herself to stand tall. "You're lying. I've made it further than anyone before me. I will finish this. I will save him!"
The figure laughed, a low, bone-chilling sound. "Save him? You're not even close. Look at yourself."
In an instant, the darkness around her shimmered, and a mirror materialized before her. Seraphina's breath caught as her reflection stared back at her—not the Princess she recognized, but a version cloaked in shadow. Her golden hair was streaked with black, her vibrant green eyes clouded by an eerie darkness.
"No," she whispered, stepping back. "This isn't real."
"Oh, it's very real," the figure purred, circling her like a predator. "The curse isn't just his, Seraphina. It's creeping into you, consuming you, just like it did to them."
Her reflection twisted, the dark version of herself smiling wickedly. "You'll never save him. You'll become him."
"No!" Seraphina screamed, slamming her fists against the mirror. Cracks spiderwebbed across the glass, but the image remained, mocking her.
The figure leaned closer, its breath cold against her ear. "You've already made your choice. You just don't know it yet."
Seraphina spun to face it, her fury igniting a golden light in her hands. "Enough! I'm not afraid of you. Whatever game this is, I won't lose."
The figure chuckled, its form flickering like a dying flame. "We'll see."
Suddenly, the ground beneath her feet began to shift. The darkness receded, replaced by a blinding light that forced her to shield her eyes. When she opened them, she was no longer in the void.
She stood in a vast hall, its walls lined with towering stained-glass windows. Each pane depicted a scene—brides standing before a shadowy figure, their faces filled with hope and fear.
In the center of the hall stood Caelan.
But this time, he wasn't just a shadowy silhouette. His form was solid, his features clear—a sharp jawline, dark hair that fell across his forehead, and eyes that burned with an intensity that made her chest ache.
"Caelan," she breathed, taking a hesitant step toward him.
He didn't move, his gaze fixed on her with a strange mixture of longing and sorrow.
"You shouldn't be here," he said, his voice soft but firm.
"I had to find you," she replied, her hands trembling as she reached for him. "I won't let this curse take you."
He shook his head, his expression pained. "You don't understand. This curse isn't just mine to bear. It's tied to the kingdom, to the balance of light and dark. If you fail, it won't just take me. It will take you too."
"I won't fail," she said fiercely. "I've come this far. I've faced my fears. I've seen what this curse can do, and I won't let it win."
Caelan's eyes softened, a flicker of hope breaking through his sorrow. "You're stronger than I thought," he murmured.
Before she could respond, the hall began to quake. The stained-glass windows shattered, their fragments swirling into a whirlwind of light and shadow.
A voice echoed through the chaos, deep and otherworldly. "The final trial awaits. Sacrifice or salvation—choose wisely, or be consumed."
The ground split beneath them, and Seraphina stumbled, her hand instinctively reaching for Caelan. Their fingers brushed, and a surge of warmth shot through her, grounding her amidst the chaos.
"Seraphina!" Caelan shouted, his voice cutting through the storm. "No matter what happens, don't let the shadows take you!"
Her grip on his hand tightened as the whirlwind intensified, the light and shadow merging into a single, blinding force.
And then it spoke again, louder, more insistent.
"Choose: Your life... or his."