The celestial realm had turned its back on him.
Leon knelt before the elders, their piercing gazes cold and unyielding. He had been summoned to stand judgment for defying their commands, yet he already knew what their decision would be.
"You have failed in your mission," one of the elders declared, his voice echoing through the hall like a distant thunderclap. "Your emotions have clouded your judgment, and now the girl is lost."
Leon's fists clenched at his sides. "You don't understand," he said, his voice tight with frustration. "Victor manipulated everything. He had this planned from the start—he's using dark magic to influence her and her family."
"The heavens do not interfere with mortal choices," another elder said firmly. "Eleana is making her own decision. If she chooses Victor, you must accept the consequences."
Leon gritted his teeth. They were playing right into Victor's hands. The celestial realm had stripped him of his role, reassigned him to meaningless duties, and left Eleana defenseless. Everything had gone exactly as Victor had planned.
But Leon wasn't going to let it end like this.
He inhaled sharply, steadying his emotions. If the heavens would not intervene, he would.
"Release me," he said, his voice firm.
The elders exchanged glances. "You are no longer her protector. You have no authority to—"
Leon's wings flared, glowing with celestial light. "Then I will fight without your authority."
With a sudden burst of power, the chains binding him shattered, sending a shockwave through the chamber. Before the elders could react, Leon vanished in a flash of light.
He was going back to Eleana.
And he was going to stop that wedding.
The Night Before the Wedding
The estate was alive with excitement. Servants moved swiftly, preparing for the grand ceremony. Eleana sat quietly by her window, watching the flickering lanterns sway in the evening breeze.
Her parents had been ecstatic ever since the engagement was finalized. To them, Victor was the perfect husband—wealthy, powerful, and completely devoted to her.
And yet, something felt... wrong.
Eleana couldn't explain it, but deep inside, an uneasiness had settled in her chest. It wasn't just nerves—it was something else, something unspoken. She had tried to ignore it, telling herself that this was the right path, that her parents knew best.
But a voice deep inside whispered otherwise.
She closed her eyes, breathing slowly. Why did it feel like she was losing something important?
Victor's Confidence Wavers
Victor stood in the grand hall, his hands clasped behind his back as he admired the elaborate decorations. Gold and ivory adorned every surface, and the scent of fresh roses filled the air.
Everything was perfect.
Tomorrow, Eleana would be his, and Leon's failure would be complete.
A slow smirk played at his lips as he took a sip from his glass. "It's over," he murmured to himself.
But then, something changed.
The air around him shifted—just slightly, but enough for him to notice. A flicker of light danced in the farthest corner of the hall, faint yet undeniably there.
Victor froze.
A cold sensation crawled up his spine. He turned sharply, scanning the room, but there was nothing—only the dim glow of the candles flickering along the walls.
And yet... the unease didn't fade.
His grip on the glass tightened. He had planned everything perfectly. Leon was out of the way. The celestial realm had abandoned the girl. Nothing should be interfering.
So why did it suddenly feel like something was?
Victor exhaled slowly, shaking off the thought. He was overthinking. Everything was going according to plan.
But deep down, for the first time in years, a sliver of doubt crept into his heart.
And he didn't like it.
Eleana's Restless Dreams
That night, Eleana tossed and turned in her bed, sleep slipping away from her grasp.
Then, it came.
A dream—no, a memory.
She was standing in a field of golden light. The sky above her shimmered like liquid gold, and a soft breeze brushed against her skin.
And then she heard it.
A voice—distant yet familiar.
"Eleana..."
Her breath hitched. The voice was warm, comforting, and yet... it carried an ache, like a sorrow buried deep within.
She turned, searching for the source, but there was nothing. Only the endless golden horizon stretching before her.
Then, in the distance, a figure appeared.
It was blurry, almost shifting between light and shadow. She couldn't make out his face, but she felt something—recognition.
Like she had known him before.
Like she had loved him before.
Her heart pounded as the figure lifted a hand toward her, but just as she was about to reach out—
She woke up.
Eleana gasped, sitting up in bed. Her heart was racing, her skin damp with sweat. The dream had felt too real, too vivid to ignore.
And as she pressed a hand to her chest, she realized something unsettling.
The ache in her heart was still there.
Page 7