The moment Kaelith's eyes locked onto Aurelia, the world seemed to dissolve around her. The forest, the academy, the battle royale—none of it mattered. All that existed was Aurelia. Her fiery red hair, her emerald green eyes, the way she stood with a quiet strength that had always drawn Kaelith in. She was here. After eight years of searching, of training, of enduring, Aurelia was here.
Kaelith's chest tightened, a strange, overwhelming warmth spreading through her despite the cold void where her emotions once resided. It wasn't just happiness or relief—it was something deeper, something darker. An obsession that had been simmering beneath the surface for years, growing stronger with every passing day. Aurelia was hers. She had always been hers. And now, finally, she was within reach.
Aurelia turned, her eyes widening as they met Kaelith's glowing red gaze. For a moment, they just stared at each other, the world around them fading into insignificance. And then, Aurelia smiled, her eyes filling with tears.
"Kaelith," she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion. "You found me."
Kaelith stepped forward, her claws retracting as the blackened skin of her right arm returned to normal. The glamour she had worked so hard to maintain slipped away, revealing the truth of what she was—a being of eldritch power, a creature of darkness. But she didn't care. Not now. Not with Aurelia standing before her.
"I promised," Kaelith said, her voice low and filled with a raw intensity that made Aurelia's breath catch. "I'll always find you."
Aurelia's smile widened, her tears spilling over as she took a step closer. "I knew you would," she said, her voice soft but filled with a fierce determination. "I never stopped believing in you."
Kaelith's glowing red eye flickered, the warmth in her chest growing stronger, more consuming. She had spent eight years thinking about this moment, about what she would say, what she would do. But now that it was here, words felt inadequate. There was only one thing she wanted—one thing she needed.
She closed the distance between them in a few quick strides, her hands reaching out to grasp Aurelia's shoulders. Her touch was firm, almost possessive, as if she was afraid Aurelia would disappear if she let go. Aurelia didn't pull away. Instead, she leaned into the touch, her hands coming up to rest on Kaelith's arms.
"You're here," Aurelia whispered, her voice filled with awe. "You're really here."
Kaelith didn't respond. She couldn't. The emotions swirling inside her were too overwhelming, too intense. Instead, she pulled Aurelia into a tight embrace, her arms wrapping around her like a vice. Aurelia melted into the embrace, her head resting against Kaelith's chest as she let out a soft, contented sigh.
For a moment, they just stood there, holding each other as if the rest of the world didn't exist. Kaelith's glowing red eye flickered, the warmth in her chest spreading through her entire body. It was a feeling she hadn't experienced in years—a feeling she had thought was lost to her forever. But now, with Aurelia in her arms, it was all she could feel.
"I missed you," Aurelia whispered, her voice trembling with emotion. "Every day, I thought about you. I waited for you."
Kaelith's grip tightened, her claws twitching at Aurelia's back as the darkness inside her stirred. "I thought about you too," she said, her voice low and filled with a raw intensity that made Aurelia shiver. "Every day. Every night. You were all I could think about."
Aurelia pulled back slightly, her emerald green eyes searching Kaelith's face. "You're different," she said, her voice soft but filled with understanding. "But you're still you. You're still my Kaelith."
Kaelith's glowing red eye flickered, the warmth in her chest growing stronger, more consuming. She didn't know how to respond. She didn't know how to put into words the depth of her feelings, the intensity of her obsession. All she knew was that Aurelia was here, in her arms, and she would never let her go again.
"You're mine," Kaelith said, her voice low and filled with a possessiveness that made Aurelia's breath catch. "No one will ever take you from me again."
Aurelia's eyes widened, but she didn't pull away. Instead, she leaned closer, her lips brushing against Kaelith's ear as she whispered, "I've always been yours."
The words sent a shiver down Kaelith's spine, the darkness inside her stirring with a fierce, almost primal satisfaction. She had waited eight years for this moment, had fought and suffered and survived. And now, finally, Aurelia was hers.
But even as the warmth spread through her chest, Kaelith couldn't shake the feeling of unease that lingered at the edges of her mind. The academy, the battle royale, the other students—they were still out there, still a threat. And Kaelith knew that she would do whatever it took to protect Aurelia, to keep her safe.
"We need to go," Kaelith said, her voice low and urgent. "It's not safe here."
Aurelia nodded, her eyes filled with trust and determination. "Wherever you go, I'll follow."
Kaelith's glowing red eye flickered, the warmth in her chest growing stronger, more consuming. She didn't know what the future held, but she knew one thing for certain: as long as Aurelia was by her side, she could face anything.
Aurelia's POV
Aurelia's heart was pounding in her chest as she stood in the clearing, her eyes scanning the forest for any sign of Kaelith. She had been waiting for this moment for eight years, had held onto the promise Kaelith had made with a fierce determination that had kept her going through the darkest times.
And now, finally, Kaelith was here.
Aurelia's breath caught in her throat as she saw Kaelith step into the clearing, her glowing red eye flickering with an intensity that made Aurelia's heart skip a beat. She looked different—older, stronger, more dangerous—but she was still Kaelith. Still the girl who had saved her, who had promised to find her.
"Kaelith," Aurelia whispered, her voice trembling with emotion. "You found me."
Kaelith stepped forward, her claws retracting as the blackened skin of her right arm returned to normal. The glamour she had worked so hard to maintain slipped away, revealing the truth of what she was—a being of eldritch power, a creature of darkness. But Aurelia didn't care. Not now. Not with Kaelith standing before her.
"I promised," Kaelith said, her voice low and filled with a raw intensity that made Aurelia's breath catch. "I'll always find you."
Aurelia's smile widened, her tears spilling over as she took a step closer. "I knew you would," she said, her voice soft but filled with a fierce determination. "I never stopped believing in you."
Kaelith's glowing red eye flickered, the warmth in her chest growing stronger, more consuming. She had spent eight years thinking about this moment, about what she would say, what she would do. But now that it was here, words felt inadequate. There was only one thing she wanted—one thing she needed.
She closed the distance between them in a few quick strides, her hands reaching out to grasp Aurelia's shoulders. Her touch was firm, almost possessive, as if she was afraid Aurelia would disappear if she let go. Aurelia didn't pull away. Instead, she leaned into the touch, her hands coming up to rest on Kaelith's arms.
"You're here," Aurelia whispered, her voice filled with awe. "You're really here."
Kaelith didn't respond. She couldn't. The emotions swirling inside her were too overwhelming, too intense. Instead, she pulled Aurelia into a tight embrace, her arms wrapping around her like a vice. Aurelia melted into the embrace, her head resting against Kaelith's chest as she let out a soft, contented sigh.
For a moment, they just stood there, holding each other as if the rest of the world didn't exist. Kaelith's glowing red eye flickered, the warmth in her chest spreading through her entire body. It was a feeling she hadn't experienced in years—a feeling she had thought was lost to her forever. But now, with Aurelia in her arms, it was all she could feel.
"I missed you," Aurelia whispered, her voice trembling with emotion. "Every day, I thought about you. I waited for you."
Kaelith's grip tightened, her claws twitching at Aurelia's back as the darkness inside her stirred. "I thought about you too," she said, her voice low and filled with a raw intensity that made Aurelia shiver. "Every day. Every night. You were all I could think about."
Aurelia pulled back slightly, her emerald green eyes searching Kaelith's face. "You're different," she said, her voice soft but filled with understanding. "But you're still you. You're still my Kaelith."
Kaelith's glowing red eye flickered, the warmth in her chest growing stronger, more consuming. She didn't know how to respond. She didn't know how to put into words the depth of her feelings, the intensity of her obsession. All she knew was that Aurelia was here, in her arms, and she would never let her go again.
"You're mine," Kaelith said, her voice low and filled with a possessiveness that made Aurelia's breath catch. "No one will ever take you from me again."
Aurelia's eyes widened, but she didn't pull away. Instead, she leaned closer, her lips brushing against Kaelith's ear as she whispered, "I've always been yours."
The words sent a shiver down Kaelith's spine, the darkness inside her stirring with a fierce, almost primal satisfaction. She had waited eight years for this moment, had fought and suffered and survived. And now, finally, Aurelia was hers.
But even as the warmth spread through her chest, Kaelith couldn't shake the feeling of unease that lingered at the edges of her mind. The academy, the battle royale, the other students—they were still out there, still a threat. And Kaelith knew that she would do whatever it took to protect Aurelia, to keep her safe.
"We need to go," Kaelith said, her voice low and urgent. "It's not safe here."
Aurelia nodded, her eyes filled with trust and determination. "Wherever you go, I'll follow."
Kaelith's glowing red eye flickered, the warmth in her chest growing stronger, more consuming. She didn't know what the future held, but she knew one thing for certain: as long as Aurelia was by her side, she could face anything.