The tension in the air was suffocating as Rigel and I finally reached the safety of our makeshift hideout after I carried him. The small cabin, nestled deep in the woods, was barely more than four walls and a roof, but it was better than nothing. Rigel leaned heavily on me as we entered, his steps faltering. “You’re bleeding,” I said, helping him to the worn-out couch in the corner. “I’ll heal,” he muttered, brushing me off. His glow, once vibrant and protective, was now faint and erratic. I wasn’t convinced. “You need rest. Or help. Or—I don’t know—something!” as much as I tried to control myself, I just could not sit and watch him in pains, it made my heart ache probably because I was the reason why he was in that situation. He shot me a sharp look. “What I need is for you to stop questioning me. I handled it.” “Handled it?” My voice rose, anger bubbling to the surface. “You nearly got yourself killed back there! And for what? To drag me back here so we can wait for the next am
The journal sat heavy in my lap like it carried the weight of the world—or at least mine. Rigel was asleep on the couch, his head tipped back, exhaustion softening the sharp lines of his face. The faint glow that usually surrounded him had dimmed to a mere flicker. I couldn’t stop myself from opening the journal again, even though every instinct screamed at me to leave it alone. Each page felt like peeling back a layer of Rigel’s soul, exposing truths I wasn’t sure I was ready for. The early entries were familiar, echoing the same cryptic warnings he’d given me. But the further I read, the darker the words became. “Human bonds have always been fragile. They’re drawn to us like moths to flame, unaware that the fire will consume them. I’ve seen it happen—time and time again.” I swallowed hard, my chest tightening. “The bond amplifies them, yes, but it also destroys them. Their bodies, their minds—they’re not meant to hold this much power. And yet they always try. Always fail.” T
I groaned and twinkled my eyes as I quickly jerked up and realized that it was all a dream unfolded like a trap, the edges of reality slipping away until I found myself standing in a space that felt both familiar and foreign. It was the cabin—Rigel’s cabin—but the air was heavy, crackling with an unseen energy and sweet dripping all over my face. Shadows danced along the walls, their movements unnatural, almost alive. “Feeling lost?” The voice was silk and steel, drawing my attention to the figure leaning against the doorway. My eyes went wide as I realized that it was Lucian that stood there, his presence commanding yet unnervingly casual. He wore a smirk that didn’t quite reach his cold, calculating eyes. “This isn’t real,” I said, stepping back instinctively,shut my eyes tight and opened it again hoping to wake up from the dream which actually my reality. He tilted his head, his smirk widening. “Isn’t it?” “You’re in my head,” I snapped, my voice steady despite the fear coilin
The ambush came without warning. One moment we were trudging through the dense woods, Rigel scanning the surroundings with his usual vigilance. The next, shadows burst from every direction, their guttural growls slicing through the eerie stillness. “Stay behind me!” Rigel barked, his blade flashing as he leapt into action. But there were too many of them. Dark, sinewy figures swarmed us, their eyes glowing with a malevolent light. Rigel moved like a force of nature, slashing and dodging with precision, but even he was starting to falter under the sheer number of attackers. They were way too much and fast for him to handle alone. I felt some type of bitterness in my stomach as I saw him struggling with everything he had just to save me.A creature lunged at me, its claws outstretched. Panic surged through my veins as I stumbled back, my heart hammering in my chest. My mind screamed for me to run, but my body refused to obey. “No!” I shouted, throwing my hands up in a desperate attem
I woke to the soft crackle of a fire and the faint smell of pine. My body ached, every muscle screaming in protest, but the warmth of the flames soothed some of the chill that lingered from the battle. I groaned so deeply as the sting of pain banged just right under my arms. Rigel sat across from me, his face shadowed in the flickering light.“Finally awake,” he said, his voice low, almost tentative.I pushed myself upright, groaning as a sharp pain shot through my side. “What happened?”“You passed out after the fight,” he said, his eyes meeting mine briefly before flickering away. “Your body couldn’t handle the strain.”I studied him, noting the tightness in his jaw, the tension in his shoulders. He looked... tired. More than that—haunted.“Rigel,” I said carefully, “what aren’t you telling me?” I asked looking deeply into his beautiful eyes.He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he reached for a small, battered flask at his side, taking a long sip before finally speaking. “You’re s
The peace of the refuge shattered in an instant. One moment, the air hummed with quiet conversations and the rustling of leaves; the next, a deafening explosion ripped through the clearing. I was thrown backward, landing hard against the packed dirt. My ears rang as the acrid scent of smoke and magic filled the air. “Daniel!” Rigel’s voice cut through the chaos, sharp and commanding. I scrambled to my feet, my heart racing as figures emerged from the smoke—familiar faces twisted with fury and determination. The rival faction. “Stay close to me,” Rigel barked, unsheathing his blade in one fluid motion. I barely had time to nod before the first attacker lunged at us. Rigel moved with a lethal grace, cutting through the enemy with brutal efficiency. But they just kept coming, their movements coordinated, their eyes locked on me. “This isn’t random,” Rigel growled, his back pressed against mine as we fended off the relentless onslaught. “They’re here for you.” What Rigel had been s
The aftermath of the battle left me feeling like I was walking on a razor's edge. The hideout was supposed to feel safe, but the air was heavy with tension, I could not stop looking around to be sure that we were not under another attack. The rival faction had been relentless in their assault, and even though we managed to drive them back, it was clear their attacks were growing bolder—and more coordinated and I was sure that at some point, we would not be able to hold them back.Rigel was silent as we returned, his jaw tight and his eyes stormy. The way he avoided meeting my gaze made my stomach churn. He was hiding something, and it was becoming harder to ignore.Once we reached the hideout, Rigel issued orders in his usual clipped tone, sending the other allies scattering. His voice carried an edge I wasn’t used to hearing from him, as if the battle had rattled him in a way he didn’t want anyone to see. Then, without so much as a glance in my direction, he disappeared into his priv
The tension between Rigel and me had reached an all-time high since Lucian’s fiery visit. His cryptic words echoed in my mind, and though Rigel insisted he was doing everything to protect me, I couldn’t shake the feeling that he was keeping something vital from me.We didn’t speak much as we traveled through the dense forest that surrounded our hideout. Rigel led the way, his shoulders rigid and his hand never far from the hilt of his blade. I trudged behind him, trying to keep up while my thoughts raced.“Where are we going?” I finally asked, breaking the silence.“To someone who might help,” Rigel said curtly, not bothering to look back at me.“Someone you trust?”His hesitation was answer enough.After what felt like hours, we arrived at a dilapidated manor hidden deep in the woods. The once-grand building was now overrun with ivy and moss, its windows shattered and its doors hanging crooked on their hinges. It didn’t look like the kind of place where allies lived.“Are you sure abo
The world had tried to destroy them.It had thrown them into the depths of despair, shackled them with impossible choices, and tested the very limits of their souls. They had lost, they had bled, and they had broken—only to rise again, stronger than before.Daniel and Rigel had faced the darkness itself.They had fought for each other when all logic said to let go.They had defied fate, rewritten prophecies, and forged their own destiny.And now, as they stood at the precipice of yet another war, another battle that threatened to take everything from them, they did not waver.Because in the end, love had endured.Not because of fate.Not because of destiny.But because they had chosen each other.Again. And again.A Rare Moment of PeaceThe battlefield stretched endlessly before them, littered with the wreckage of all they had fought for. Ash and embers still danced in the wind, painting the air with the remnants of destruction. The past lay behind them, heavy but unforgotten.Ahead,
A Love That Refuses to BreakDaniel had once believed that fate was inescapable. That no matter how hard he fought, no matter how much he resisted, destiny would always drag him back into the darkness.He had been a pawn before.A vessel. A tool. A means to an end.And for the longest time, he had believed that was all he would ever be.Until Rigel.Rigel had shattered every lie Daniel had told himself. He had stood beside him when no one else dared to. He had fought for him when even Daniel believed he wasn’t worth fighting for.Rigel had been his light. His salvation.His home.Now, as they stood on the precipice of another war—one that threatened not only their lives but the very existence of their world—Daniel realized something with absolute certainty.He would fight.Not because he was destined to.Not because he had no other choice.But because Rigel was worth fighting for.And love was stronger than fate.The Weight of the FutureThe ruins around them stood as a reminder of th
A Silence That ScreamedThe world had changed.Daniel felt it before he could even put it into words. It was in the way the wind no longer carried warmth, in the way the sun felt dim even in the height of the afternoon. The way shadows stretched just a little too far, whispering secrets no one could decipher.There had been peace—a fragile thing, barely held together by the sacrifices they had made. By the lives lost, by the pain endured. But peace was an illusion, and illusions never lasted long.Something was coming.And it was nothing like the darkness they had fought before.The first sign came in the form of silence. A kind of silence that didn’t belong to the natural world. Birds did not sing. Insects did not hum. Even the rustling of leaves had ceased. The very air around them had stilled, as if the earth itself was holding its breath.Rigel noticed it too. His shoulders were tense, his body coiled with unspoken unease. His fingers twitched at his sides, longing for a weapon ev
A Moment Borrowed from TimeThe world was quiet.For the first time in what felt like forever, there was no battle, no bloodshed, no desperate fight for survival. No whispers of darkness in Daniel’s mind, no looming council orders, no factions warring over his existence.Just silence.Just them.Daniel and Rigel lay side by side in the dim glow of their bedroom, their fingers lazily entwined between them. The air smelled faintly of lavender and rain—Rigel had opened the window earlier, claiming the night breeze felt nice against his skin.Daniel had said nothing, only watching as the wind ruffled the edges of Rigel’s hair, as the moonlight painted silver streaks across his face.He looked peaceful.It was an illusion, of course.They both knew the truth.This wasn’t real peace. It was just a pause between storms, a brief inhale before the world tore itself apart again.But for now, it was enough.Holding On, Even When It HurtsRigel shifted, propping himself on one elbow, his eyes tra
A Fragile Peace ShatteredThe café was quiet, filled with the soft hum of conversation and the scent of freshly brewed coffee. Daniel and Rigel sat at a corner table, their hands loosely entwined on the surface between them.For the first time in weeks, they had managed to carve out a moment of peace.It wouldn’t last.Daniel felt it before he saw it—a shift in the air, a ripple in the fabric of reality itself. The hairs on the back of his neck rose as the café door creaked open, and a cold wind swept through the space, chilling the warmth around them.A stranger stepped inside.Tall, cloaked, his presence heavy with something ancient and unreadable. He moved like a shadow, soundless, his gaze locked directly onto Daniel.Every instinct in Daniel’s body screamed danger.Rigel tensed beside him, his grip tightening ever so slightly. “You feel that?” he whispered.Daniel nodded, already rising from his seat as the stranger approached.The café patrons continued on as if nothing was wron
A Fragile PeaceDaniel had always imagined that if he ever made it out of the darkness alive, he would finally get his chance at a normal life.No more wars. No more nightmares. No more fighting to survive.But now, as he stood in the quiet stillness of the morning, feeling the weight of the supernatural world pressing down on him, he realized—That had been a lie.There was no going back to normal. Not for him. Not for Rigel. Not after everything they had endured.The world had changed. And so had they.A Life That No Longer FitsRigel was still asleep, his body curled into the sheets, exhaustion weighing him down after weeks of endless chaos.Daniel sat at the edge of the bed, watching the slow rise and fall of his lover’s chest, trying to take comfort in the rhythmic breathing that had once soothed him.But even now, with Rigel beside him, Daniel felt unsettled.His fingers twitched against the fabric of the blanket, still feeling the strange sensation from the night before—the whi
A Hollow VictoryThe battle was over. The darkness was gone.Yet Daniel felt empty.He should have been relieved. Grateful. Overwhelmed with joy that he had somehow survived when every force in the universe had tried to claim him.But as he sat in the dim glow of the morning light, staring at his own trembling hands, all he could feel was loss.For the first time in a long time, he felt human.Too human.The once-familiar energy that had coursed through his veins—the power that had defined him, tormented him, shaped him into what he had become—was gone.No flicker of magic at his fingertips. No heightened awareness. No lingering shadows whispering in his mind.He was just… Daniel.And that terrified him.The Weight of Mortality“You’re quiet.”Rigel’s voice was soft, careful, as if one wrong word might break him.Daniel glanced up from where he sat on the edge of their bed, his gaze meeting Rigel’s. The man looked exhausted. Dark circles framed his eyes, his usually steady hands gripp
Awakening from the AbyssAt first, there was only darkness.A quiet, weightless void where time didn’t exist—where there was no pain, no fear, no past or future. Just an empty nothingness.Then came a voice.Soft, broken, full of so much love and desperation that it shattered through the silence like a lightning strike.“Daniel…”It called to him. Anchored him.The void trembled. The weightless abyss cracked, and suddenly—he felt warmth.A heartbeat.His own.And then, he opened his eyes.A Love That Never Let GoThe first thing Daniel saw was Rigel.Tears streaked his face, his lips trembling as he hovered over him, his hands cupping Daniel’s face like he was afraid to let go—as if he feared that at any second, he would disappear again.Daniel felt weak.His body was drained, his limbs aching as if he had been ripped apart and stitched back together. But despite the exhaustion, despite the lingering traces of something unfamiliar inside him, he could feel one thing with absolute cert
The Cost of VictoryThe battle was over.The ancient darkness—the force that had plagued them for centuries, that had threatened to consume everything Daniel was—was finally gone. The abyss had collapsed in on itself, erased from existence. The supernatural world, once caught in the storm of war and fear, had finally found peace.But at what cost?Daniel’s lifeless body lay still in Rigel’s arms.The very man who had saved them all, who had sacrificed everything to stop the darkness, was gone.The air around them was eerily silent, as if the world itself was holding its breath. The supernatural council, the warriors, the allies who had fought beside them—all stood frozen, watching the heartbreaking scene unfold before them.No cheers of victory. No relief. Just the crushing weight of loss.Rigel couldn’t breathe.He clutched Daniel against his chest, his fingers digging into the fabric of his torn, bloodstained clothes. “Daniel,” he whispered, his voice hoarse, desperate. “Come back t