The air in the forest carried an unusual stillness, thick and oppressive. Maeva stumbled over a gnarled root, her hand flying to her chest as the sharp pulse of the curse clawed at her ribcage. The vibrant greens of the surrounding woods seemed dulled, as though the curse was leeching the life from everything it touched.
"Maeva, stop!" Magnus's voice cut through the unnatural quiet, heavy with both frustration and concern. He caught up to her, his grip firm as he steadied her shoulders. "You can't keep running like this."
She wrenched free, eyes blazing, though her body trembled under the strain. "What do you expect me to do, Magnus? Sit and wait while this… thing eats me alive?" Her voice cracked, her vulnerability slipping through the cracks of her defiance.
"I expect you to let me help." His tone softened, but the intensity in his gaze didn't waver. "Whatever this curse is, you don't have to face it alone."
The words stung as much as they soothed. She wanted to believe him, to let herself lean on his strength. But the curse was already burrowing into her, its tendrils coiling tighter with each passing second. It was her burden to bear wasn't it?
Maeva swayed, her vision blurring as her knees buckled. Magnus caught her just before she hit the ground, his arms wrapping around her with a tenderness that betrayed his rugged demeanor. The warmth of his touch was both a comfort and a curse of its own, sparking something in her that she hadn't allowed herself to feel in years.
"Maeva," he murmured, his voice close to her ear, "you're burning up."
Her fingers curled weakly into his shirt. "It's the curse," she whispered. "It's feeding off me... and you."
His jaw tightened, but he didn't let go. "Then it's going to starve," he said firmly, as though sheer willpower could defy the ancient magic unraveling her from within.
The ground beneath them shifted suddenly, the forest quaking as if in response to her unraveling control. Branches snapped, and a low growl rumbled through the air, not from any animal but from the curse itself.
"Maeva," Magnus said, his voice edged with urgency, "whatever's happening, you have to focus. You're the only one who can stop it."
But she couldn't. Her powers, once so vibrant and steady, were slipping through her fingers like sand. The curse had not only tethered itself to her but had begun to corrupt her very essence.
Her voice was faint as she choked out, "I'm losing it, Magnus. I can't"
"You can," he interrupted sharply, gripping her shoulders again. "Listen to me. You *can.*"
A sharp crack split the air, and the ground opened beneath them. Maeva's scream was cut off as they both plunged into the darkness below.
Maeva hit the ground hard, the impact knocking the wind from her lungs. Pain radiated through her, but it was nothing compared to the fire of the curse coursing through her veins. She forced herself to sit up, wincing at the jagged rocks pressing into her palms.
"Magnus!" she called out, her voice echoing through the cavern.
"I'm here," he groaned, a few feet away. He sat up slowly, rubbing the back of his head. "Are you hurt?"
"Define hurt," she muttered, clutching her side. Her body felt like it was being pulled in two directions at once one by the curse, the other by her faltering willpower.
Magnus crawled to her side, his movements careful. The dim light filtering through the cracks above barely illuminated the space, but it was enough to see the worry etched into his features. "We need to find a way out of here."
She nodded, though every movement felt like dragging lead. "What was that up there? The ground"
"It wasn't natural," he said grimly. "Neither is this place. It's the curse, Maeva. It's trying to isolate you."
A shiver ran through her, not just from his words but from the truth she felt deep within her bones. The curse was sentient, and it wanted to consume her entirely.
They stood slowly, leaning on each other for support as they surveyed their surroundings. The cavern walls glistened with a strange, pulsing light, as though the curse had left its mark even here.
"Do you feel that?" Magnus asked, his voice low.
She did. A presence cold and menacing lurking in the shadows.
Before she could respond, a figure stepped into the faint light. Its eyes gleamed with malice, and its smile was razor-sharp.
"Well, well," it purred, its voice echoing unnaturally. "The cursed one and her protector. How quaint."
Maeva instinctively stepped back, but the figure raised a hand, and an invisible force froze her in place.
"You're stronger than I expected," it continued, circling them like a predator stalking its prey. "But strength won't save you. Not from this."
Magnus moved to shield her, his stance defiant. "Stay away from her."
The figure laughed, a chilling sound that made Maeva's blood run cold. "Oh, I'm not here for her," it said, its gaze locking onto Magnus. "I'm here for *you.*"
Magnus tensed as the figure's focus shifted to him, its eyes glowing with a sinister light. Maeva struggled against the invisible force holding her in place, her breath shallow and erratic. The curse twisted inside her like a living thing, feeding off her fear.
"What do you want from him?" Maeva demanded, her voice hoarse but laced with fury.
The figure tilted its head, a cruel smile curling on its lips. "Oh, you haven't told her, have you, Magnus? How delicious."
"Told me what?" Maeva's gaze darted to Magnus, searching his face for answers, but his expression was a storm of emotions she couldn't decipher.
"Don't listen to it," Magnus said, his voice steady despite the tension in his frame. He took a cautious step forward, placing himself firmly between Maeva and the figure. "Whatever game you're playing, it ends now."
The figure let out a low chuckle, the sound echoing ominously in the cavern. "You think you're in control here, Magnus? Let me show you just how wrong you are."
With a flick of its wrist, the ground beneath Magnus's feet shifted, and he staggered. Dark tendrils shot out from the shadows, wrapping around his arms and legs, pulling him to his knees.
"Magnus!" Maeva screamed, her panic surging. She fought against the force holding her, but it was like trying to break through iron chains.
Magnus gritted his teeth, his muscles straining as he fought the tendrils. "Maeva, don't"
"Shh," the figure interrupted, its tone mockingly sweet. "Let's not ruin the moment. You see, Maeva, your precious Magnus isn't who you think he is. He carries a curse of his own one that makes yours look like child's play."
Maeva's heart pounded in her chest. "What are you talking about?"
The figure crouched in front of Magnus, its glowing eyes boring into his. "Tell her, Magnus. Tell her about the blood you spilled. The lives you destroyed."
Magnus's jaw clenched, but he said nothing.
The figure smirked. "Ah, the silent martyr. Allow me, then." It turned to Maeva, its voice dripping with malice. "Your dear protector was once a destroyer, a harbinger of death. The curse on you is tied to him born of the sins he thought he could bury."
Maeva's breath hitched, her mind reeling. "That's not true. It can't be."
Magnus finally spoke, his voice low and filled with regret. "Maeva… it's complicated."
She stared at him, her chest tightening as the weight of the figure's words settled over her. "Complicated? You've been lying to me this whole time?"
"It wasn't like that," he said urgently. "I didn't know the curse would find you. I was trying to protect you."
"Protect me?" Her voice rose, trembling with emotion. "You've been hiding the truth, Magnus. How can I trust anything you say now?"
The figure clapped its hands, delighted by the turmoil. "Ah, how delightful. Such delicious chaos."
Maeva's fury burned through her fear, igniting a spark of power deep within her. She focused on the force holding her and pushed against it with all her might. The strain was immense, but the curse's fire fueled her, giving her the strength to break free.
With a burst of light, the invisible bonds shattered, and she stumbled forward. The figure hissed, recoiling slightly.
"You won't control me," Maeva said, her voice steady despite the tremor in her limbs.
The figure's eyes narrowed. "Brave words for someone so broken. Let's see how long you last."
It raised its hand again, and the cavern began to quake, the walls closing in as shadows surged toward them.
Maeva threw herself toward Magnus, her hands gripping the tendrils binding him. The dark energy burned her palms, but she didn't stop, her desperation overriding the pain.
"Maeva, don't" Magnus started, but she cut him off.
"Shut up and let me help you for once!" she snapped, her voice fierce.
Her power flared, surging through her veins like liquid fire. The tendrils writhed and hissed under her touch, retreating as if burned. Within moments, Magnus was free, though the effort left Maeva gasping for breath.
Magnus caught her as she swayed, his arms steadying her once again. "You're reckless," he muttered, but there was a softness in his tone that belied the words.
"Reckless works," she replied weakly, managing a faint smile.
Their moment was cut short as the figure rose, its form shifting and expanding into something monstrous. Its glowing eyes burned brighter, and its voice echoed with a terrifying resonance.
"You think you've won?" it roared. "This is only the beginning!"
The cavern began to collapse, chunks of rock falling from the ceiling as the shadows coalesced into a massive, writhing entity.
"We need to move," Magnus said urgently, pulling Maeva to her feet.
"No," she said, her voice firm despite her exhaustion. "We end this. Here. Now."
"Maeva, you're not strong enough," Magnus protested.
"I don't have a choice," she said, her gaze locking with his. "This thing won't stop until it destroys us both. I won't let that happen."
Magnus hesitated, then nodded, his expression grim. "Then we fight. Together."
They turned to face the creature, its monstrous form looming over them. Maeva reached for the power within her, even as the curse fought to consume it. Beside her, Magnus drew a blade from his belt, its edge glinting with an otherworldly light.
The creature let out a deafening roar, and the cavern shook violently. Maeva and Magnus exchanged a determined glance, then charged forward as one.