The golden light swallowed him whole.
Ambrose felt his body stretch beyond the confines of reality, an unearthly force dragging him through a space unknown. His skin burned, his veins felt like they would shatter under the pressure, but just as the agony threatened to consume him—he landed.
The air was unlike anything he had ever breathed. It shimmered with an intoxicating purity, the scent of ancient magic woven into every particle. Around him, a vast expanse stretched infinitely—a place neither heaven nor hell, but something far more ethereal. Towering crystal formations pierced the sky, their surfaces reflecting illusions of memories that weren't his. The ground was smooth as glass, yet it shifted beneath his feet like rippling water. A deep hum pulsed through the air, as if the place itself was alive.
Ambrose's crimson eyes darted across the surreal landscape. He had never seen a place like this, never read of it in the forbidden texts. Where was he?
But then he remembered.
The locket.
He forced himself to move, his body already aching from the imbalance of power surging within him. He had to find it—for Pearl.
The moment he took a step forward, the illusion of serenity shattered.
A shriek echoed through the realm, a sound so sharp it rattled his bones. The ground cracked beneath him, and from the shadows of the crystal formations, figures emerged. Twisted beings, their forms shifting like smoke and shadow, their eyes burning with unnatural light. Guardians.
They lunged.
Ambrose barely dodged the first attack, but the second came too fast. Claws slashed across his arm, drawing a line of searing pain. He gritted his teeth, summoning his energy, but as he raised his hand, nothing came.
His power—it was resisting him.
A fist collided with his ribs, sending him sprawling across the glass-like ground. Blood filled his mouth as he staggered up, his vision swimming. The creatures surrounded him, their distorted whispers clawing at his mind. He knew this wasn't just a test of strength. This place was built to strip him bare.
But he had fought worse. He had survived worse.
With every ounce of willpower, he pushed himself forward. He dodged, he fought, he endured—every strike, every wound, every moment that his unstable energy betrayed him. He had one purpose, one name anchoring him to reality: Pearl.
After what felt like eternity, the ground beneath him shifted, revealing an altar in the distance. And there, suspended in the air, was the locket.
Ambrose didn't hesitate. With a final burst of desperation, he lunged, his fingers brushing against the golden chain—
The world around him collapsed.
The palace trembled with power.
Queen Veliean rushed through the grand halls, her heart pounding. The air had turned thick with darkness, the kind that suffocated and consumed. She could feel it crawling under her skin, wrapping around her like unseen chains.
When she reached the ritual chamber, the sight before her stole her breath.
King Blaze stood at the center, his hands raised high, dark energy swirling around him like an unholy storm. Beneath him, Pearl lay motionless, her body engulfed in the sickening red glow of the ritual's power.
"No," Veliean whispered, dread sinking into her bones.
She stepped forward, unleashing a burst of her own magic to disrupt the energy, but Blaze didn't even flinch. His golden eyes burned with cold determination.
"You cannot stop this, Veliean," he said, his voice devoid of mercy. "He is my son. And she carries his second life."
Veliean clenched her fists. "You'll kill her."
Blaze's gaze did not waver. "Better her than him."
The shadows twisted violently, the energy intensifying. Pearl's breath grew fainter.
Veliean's heart clenched. "Blaze, listen to me—"
A roar of power exploded behind them.
Ambrose.
He stood at the entrance, drained, broken, but alive. His dark attire was tattered, his body covered in bruises and fresh wounds. His crimson eyes, however, burned with nothing but fury.
He didn't speak. He didn't need to.
With a mere flick of his wrist, the entire room convulsed. The air crackled with raw, unstable energy as the force of his power crashed into his father, sending Blaze hurtling across the chamber.
Veliean gasped, barely shielding herself from the sheer impact. Ambrose was still unbalanced—his energy was reckless, consuming, dangerous even to himself.
But he did not stop.
He stumbled toward Pearl, each step more agonizing than the last. His vision blurred, his strength was failing—but he would not let her die.
With the last of his power, he pulled the locket from his pocket and placed it around her neck.
Nothing.
No light. No surge of energy. Nothing changed.
His vision darkened, his limbs giving out. He collapsed beside her, his breathing ragged, the world tilting violently. He had given everything—and still, it wasn't enough.
The last thing he saw before everything faded was Veliean dragging Blaze away, disappearing into the shadows.
A deafening silence fell upon the room.
Ambrose opened his eyes slowly, feeling the cold floor beneath him. The pain was unbearable, his body heavy with exhaustion. But then—
A warmth.
Soft. Familiar. Alive.
He barely managed to lift his head, but when he did—his breath caught.
Pearl.
Her eyes fluttered open, their usual brilliance dim but present. Her lips parted, a whisper of breath escaping her as she slowly turned to him.
Then, something unbelievable happened.
The locket around her neck pulsed with a soft, golden glow. And then—his did too.
The two lockets, once separate, connected.
A surge of power rushed through them, intertwining, pulling, merging. The air grew heavy, the walls trembled, the very foundation of the palace quaked beneath them.
And for the first time, Ambrose felt whole.
But before he could even comprehend what was happening—
A crack split through the sky outside, and the very fabric of Damsel trembled.
Something ancient had awakened.
Something that should never have been disturbed.
And at that moment, a voice whispered through the void—one that sent a chill down Ambrose's spine.
"They were never meant to be together."
Then the palace plunged into darkness.