After navigating her unfamiliar surroundings, Arabella realized she was not as alone in the room as she had thought. She clutched one of the pillars, taking cover behind it as she heard voices."Sandro," Arabella murmured, a frown creasing her face. It sounded remarkably like him, but she couldn't be certain. Besides, she wondered if her sudden transportation here was anything like what had happened to Her, Blaze, Sandro, and Alessia back at Ascotan."No, it's different," she muttered, shaking her head. Clarisse had mentioned that they were experiencing events from a hundred years ago firsthand.Arabella let out a breath, her eyes narrowing as she waited for the approaching figures to reveal themselves. As the footsteps drew nearer, she felt a tap on her shoulder. Instinctively, her hand shot to cover her mouth. She gasped into her hands, her eyes widening as she turned to see who it was."Clarisse," she hissed, glaring. "You scared me.""I'm sorry," Clarisse muttered.Arabella glance
Sandro winced, rubbing the back of his head after colliding with a tall tree. Standing up, he took a deep breath and surveyed the forest surroundings. He was certain he was in some kind of forest, thanks to Clarisse's questionable idea.Arabella was nowhere in sight, and Sandro wondered about her whereabouts. Dusting his hand on the leather jacket he wore, he approached the forest opening, muttering, "What the hell?" His eyes widened as he halted, observing a surreal scene before him – a gathering of a thousand phoenixes as if stumbling upon a slumber party.Their colorful wings concealed their features, giving an impression of deliberate hiding.A cool voice interrupted Sandro, explaining, "It's the Phoenix Rising Ceremony, happening once every 100 years."He turned to see Clarisse."What the hell?" Sandro growled. "Why bring me to a costume party, and where's Arabella?"Not finding Arabella behind Clarisse, he expressed his concern."She's where she should be," Clarisse replied. "A
Arabella had passed the third room, still uncertain about the ghost's intentions. Despite her confusion, she couldn't halt her steps.Each successive room she passed seemed even more sorrowful than the last."Where are you taking me?" Arabella queried as they entered the fourth room."This is where you were executed. You let him fucked you, and he still killed you," the woman disclosed, causing Arabella to frown."I don't understand. I genuinely think you've got the wrong person," Arabella insisted."No, it's you," said the woman, gripping Arabella's hand. Before she could pull away, Arabella's eyes widened, witnessing flashes of Allesandro the first, a woman resembling her, lying in a pool of blood, staining Allesandro the first face."Did you see that?" the woman inquired, releasing Arabella's hand."I still don't understand what's going on," Arabella murmured, caressing her hand."You will soon," the woman assured.As they continued walking, the ghost began recounting their history
Arabella, Sandro, and Clarisse reached the entrance of the Phoenix's sacred ground. Lady Arabella stood at the center of a pentagram, and close to her was an elevated platform with a golden cup and an open book next to it.Turning to address the gathering, Arabella gasped softly. "Is that me?" she murmured, looking from Sandro to Clarisse and back at the woman."You go about looking like everyone, Cara. Not that I blame you for that," Sandro grunted."You're one to talk," Arabella glared at him, recalling her confusion between Alessandro the first and Sandro earlier. Now, she was faced with her own lookalike."Like I mentioned, the sin began a century ago, stemming from your ancestors. The figures you see here are your forebears," Clarisse explained."What about Alessia, then?" Arabella inquired, considering their twin connection. "If there's a first doppelganger, it would make sense for her to be present too.""She was absorbed by the first, but that's a tale for another time," Clari
Arabella struggled against the chains that bound her, wincing as her skin burned – a sensation reminiscent of when Alessia had bound her.Now, facing Sandro, she observed him being restrained, not by Astralys herself, but by skeletal beings emerging from the ground, conjured by Astralys."What do you want?" Arabella inquired as Astralys approached a presumed spell book.Astralys flipped through its pages, wrinkling her nose, then tossed it toward Sandro, who narrowly dodged the incoming book."Stupid witch!" Astralys growled, advancing toward Arabella. "I will end her bloodline.""What do you want with me?" Arabella asked again."Be cautious, or I'll be forced to eradicate those little demons within you. But I need them; I need you." Astralys loosened Arabella's restraints, dragging her toward a podium, then turned to Sandro."Bring him."The skeletal beings that held Sandro maneuvered him like a ragdoll. Though he struggled to break free, their grip remained firm as they brought him
Blaze groaned as he woke up. The ringing in his ears persisted, showing no signs of stopping anytime soon. He remained confined in the dungeon, and it was no surprise. Sandro wouldn't release him easily, especially after what had transpired.Now, Sandro was aware of Arabella's location, and Blaze couldn't help but feel responsible.The truth had been extracted from him through torture, yet he believed it was his fault for not resisting.But then again, resisting would be tough when your weakness was exploited against you.He scowled at the several marks lining his skin and the unyielding chain that kept him restrained. Trying to break free only resulted in discomfort- burning sensations that sent a jolt of electricity through him as well as a brain freeze."Fucking bastard," Blaze snarled, kicking a pebble and wincing.The chain not only hindered his escape but also suppressed his abilities. Now that Sandro knew his identity, escaping would be an uphill battle.Glancing at the hay-cov
Sandro growled loudly, slamming into an undead, grabbing it by the neck, and snapping it completely. He leaped onto another, heading for Arabella, who seemed momentarily stunned, and tore out its heart."Would you stare all day or get down to business?" Sandro snapped."Sorry!" Arabella squealed, patting the jeans she wore and fumbling for her knife. Blaze had given her this small knife back at the Phoenix cave, an alternative to using her powers in a fight.She had rarely used it since Alessia, as battling Alessia with a knife could have been risky."Astralys!" Arabella snarled, deflecting an attack and driving her blade into an undead jugular. It sizzled, and he screeched, vibrating nonstop. Arabella eyed the knife; it had never sizzled before. It was strange that it was happening now."That is a silver blade coated with wolfsbane," Sandro commented, eyeing her. "Blaze gave it to you, I presume," he added dryly.Blaze never explained the knife's usefulness; he only told her never t
"How do you know about this?" Sandro asked Blaze, glancing aside as he spotted an attacker rushing toward him."A call from Janice," Blaze replied, landing a punch on the approaching assailant's face. He swiftly snapped the neck and tossed the body toward another, causing a stumble.Wrinkling his nose at their scent, Blaze noted they were werewolves, but much more powerful than the ordinary werewolf. Thalia and Sandro might handle a few, but he doubted he or Arabella could last much longer, especially him.The lingering wolfsbane in his system weakened him, and he wondered how he remained standing."Your whore," Sandro sneered, "How did she get the information?""Janice isn't my whore, and I don't know. Let's be grateful she's helping us escape," Blaze said."I am grateful," Sandro rolled his eyes, snarling as he tackled three approaching attackers."We can discuss any issues later; for now, let's focus on surviving," Blaze urged, hearing grunts not from Sandro, Arabella, or Thalia.