Elia gasped, tears spilling as Magnus’s eyes—now their normal stormy gray—blinked sluggishly up at her. His breathing was labored, his body trembling from exhaustion. “Magnus!” Elia sobbed, cupping his face in her hands. “Can you hear me?” His gaze focused on her, recognition flickering through the fog of pain. His lips parted, but no sound came. His throat worked as if struggling to find his voice. “Elia…” he finally rasped, barely above a whisper. She let out a broken laugh, pressing her forehead to his, her relief overwhelming. “You’re back.” But Derek wasn’t convinced yet. He could still feel it—the lingering darkness, the residue of corruption coiling beneath Magnus’s skin. This wasn’t over. Frederick took a cautious step forward, his dagger still in hand, his expression grim. “Is it really him?” he asked, his voice heavy with uncertainty. Magnus flinched, squeezing his eyes shut as if fighting something deep inside. “It’s… still there,” he admitted hoarsely. “I ca
The castle was eerily quiet as they carried Magnus back inside, his weight heavy between Derek and Frederick. Every step felt like a countdown to something worse.Elia never let go of Magnus’s hand, her knuckles white from how tightly she clung to him. She kept whispering his name, as if afraid that if she stopped, he’d slip away again.Derek’s body still tingled with remnants of the golden power that had surged through him. He wasn’t sure what had triggered it—was it instinct? Desperation? Or something else entirely? Either way, it was the only thing that had worked, even if only temporarily.But as they reached Magnus’s chambers, a sick feeling twisted in Derek’s stomach.Something was wrong.He didn’t know what it was yet, but the air felt thicker, charged with something unseen. He knew corruption when he felt it—he had seen enough of Alan’s influence to recognize the signs.Magnus’s condition hadn’t stabilized.It was waiting.Lurking beneath the surface.Frederick must have sense
A shockwave of golden light erupted from Derek’s hands, colliding with the darkness inside Magnus. The air crackled, raw energy tearing through the room, sending furniture splintering and books flying from shelves.For a moment, everything froze—light and darkness locked in battle, neither yielding.Then—Magnus screamed.The sound wasn’t human. It was something ancient, something wrong—as if two souls were ripping apart inside him.Frederick shielded Elia as black veins pulsed across Magnus’s skin, the corruption fighting back.“Derek!” Frederick shouted, his voice barely audible over the roaring energy. “Whatever you’re doing—DO IT FASTER!”Derek gritted his teeth, pouring everything he had into the light. His hands burned—his entire body burned—but he pushed harder.“Magnus!” he yelled. “*You are stronger than this! Fight it—fight for them!”For a flicker of a second—Magnus’s face changed.His eyes cleared. His body trembled, caught between two forces.He turned his head—saw Elia.“
Silence stretched through the room, thick and suffocating. The weight of Ron’s words pressed down on them all, chilling to the bone.Frederick’s mind spun, his pulse hammering against his skull. Alan and Magnus were connected. Killing Alan would mean condemning Magnus to death.Magnus, who had just fought to hold on, who had a wife and a daughter waiting for him.Frederick’s stomach turned.He had been so sure—so ready—to kill Alan and end this. Now that certainty was shattered.“There has to be another way,” Elia said, her voice tight with desperation. She gripped Magnus’s cold, clammy hand, as if she could keep him tethered to her by will alone. “There has to be!”Ron hesitated. “There might be.”Frederick’s head snapped toward him. “Then say it!”“Alan’s magic is still inside him,” Ron explained, looking at Magnus. “Right now, Magnus is unstable because Derek burned away the corruption—but he also severed the balance that was keeping Magnus tied to this world.”Derek clenched his f
The moment Ron plunged the dagger into the center of the rune circle, the dungeon shuddered, as if the very walls were resisting what was about to happen.A low, guttural sound escaped Alan’s throat—not pain, not fear, but something else. Something that made the air feel heavier, like a storm on the verge of breaking.“You really don’t know what you’re doing,” Alan rasped, his voice strained but laced with dark amusement. “You think you can just rip my magic away?”Derek ignored him, his fingers pressing into the ground as he channeled his power into the runes. Flames flared brighter, twisting into serpentine patterns, dancing along the stones.“Hold him!” Ron commanded, and Frederick tightened his grip, the chains of energy constricting, forcing Alan down onto his knees.Alan’s body convulsed, his breathing ragged. The magic inside him—twisted, corrupted—was being pulled, and even he could feel it slipping from his grasp.“It’s working,” Ron said through gritted teeth. “But it’s not
Derek barely rolled aside as Magnus’s claws ripped through the ground, sending shards of stone flying in every direction. The sheer force of the attack left deep cracks in the floor, and Frederick knew— They couldn’t keep this up. Magnus wasn’t fighting like a man anymore. He was fighting like a creature driven by pure instinct. “Derek!” Elia’s voice cut through the chaos, desperate, pleading. Derek gritted his teeth and launched himself at Magnus again, locking him into a brutal grapple, trying to hold him down. “You’re stronger than this!” Derek shouted, his muscles straining as he tried to contain him. “Magnus, don’t let it take you!” For a fraction of a second—Magnus hesitated. A flicker of something—recognition—flashed in his darkened eyes. And then—the shadows surged. Magnus roared, his body convulsing as tendrils of darkness exploded outward, knocking Derek off him and sending him skidding across the floor. The dungeon shook under the weight of the dark magic
The dungeon was eerily silent, save for the heavy breathing of those who had fought to bring Magnus back. The golden runes still flickered around them, keeping the remnants of the dark magic at bay before they finally dimmed and vanished. Frederick exhaled slowly, his body aching from the sheer effort of restraining Magnus. He turned to Derek, who was kneeling beside their fallen friend, his chest rising and falling heavily as he caught his breath. Elia held Magnus close, her fingers trembling as she brushed his damp hair back from his forehead. He was still, his face slack with exhaustion. “Is it gone?” Astrid’s voice broke the quiet. Ron wiped the sweat from his brow. “The dark magic is no longer controlling him.” His gaze flickered toward Magnus’s unconscious form. “But it’s left its mark.” Frederick clenched his jaw. Magnus was alive. But how much of him had truly survived? Derek finally lifted his head, his expression dark. “We should get him out of here. He needs re
The dungeon was deathly quiet, save for the heavy footsteps that echoed off the cold stone walls. Frederick led the way, his expression hardened, his mind set. Behind him, Astrid, Derek, Ron, and Magnus followed, each carrying their own burdens, their own reasons for seeing this through. The door to Alan’s cell loomed ahead, its iron bars a final barrier between life and death. Frederick hesitated. For all his resolve, standing here, knowing what he was about to do—what he had to do—made it real in a way it hadn’t been before. Alan was waiting for him. Chained and weakened, yet still holding that same mocking smirk. “So… you’ve finally found your courage,” Alan rasped, his voice rough from exhaustion. “Come to kill me at last, Frederick?” Frederick stepped inside, gripping the dagger in his hand. “This ends now, Alan.”* Alan chuckled weakly, lifting his bloodied face. “Go on, then. But let’s be honest, Frederick. You’re not killing me out of duty. You’re doing it becaus
The shadows exploded outward, swallowing the room in a suffocating wave of cold. The torches flickered wildly before snuffing out, plunging them into near darkness.Elia clutched Elizabeth tightly to her chest, backing away as Magnus’s body convulsed, his form twisting unnaturally. His once-familiar features contorted with something inhuman, veins pulsing like blackened roots under his skin.Derek gritted his teeth and moved between Magnus and the others, summoning his power in an instant. His hands glowed with crackling energy, ready to strike if needed. “Magnus, listen to me! You can fight this—”But the voice that came from Magnus was not his own.“Fight?” the distorted voice mocked, echoing through the chamber. “There is no fight. There is only surrender.”Then, the shadows moved.They lashed out like living tendrils, striking at Derek first. He barely had time to react before he was thrown backward, crashing into the stone wall with a brutal force.“Derek!” Aria’s voice rang out
The weight of Magnus’s confession settled over them like a thick fog. Alan’s power wasn’t gone—it had shifted, latched onto Magnus like a parasite waiting to consume him. They couldn’t afford to keep this to themselves.Derek was the first to move. He helped Magnus to his feet, his grip firm. “We need to tell the others. Now.”Magnus flinched at the thought. His body still trembled, his skin clammy with sweat. “Elia…” His voice cracked. “How am I supposed to tell her?”Aria’s chest tightened. Elia had already suffered enough—first with Alan’s magic corrupting Magnus, and then watching her husband struggle to control himself. Now this?“She deserves to know,” Aria said gently. “All of them do.”Magnus ran a hand through his hair, exhaling shakily. “What if I lose control in front of them?”Derek shook his head. “Then we make sure you don’t.” His tone was absolute. “Let’s go.”Aria hesitated, her hand drifting instinctively to her stomach. Something about all of this felt… wrong. The da
The weight of their decision settled over them like a storm cloud, thick with unspoken fears. Aria’s fingers remained pressed against her stomach, as if seeking reassurance from the life growing inside her. She could feel her magic humming beneath her skin, stronger than ever—but also unpredictable.Derek crossed his arms, his gaze sharp. “If we’re going to do this, we need to be careful. Alan’s magic didn’t just disappear. It’s somewhere, lingering. And if we go looking for it, we need to be prepared for whatever we find.”Magnus leaned against the stone wall, his expression unreadable. “You don’t think I know that?” His voice was rough with frustration. “It’s inside me. I feel it every second. And every second, it’s getting harder to fight.”Aria studied him closely. The way his hands trembled, the slight flicker of shadow clinging to his form—he was holding himself together by sheer force of will.“We can’t wait any longer,” she said. “We need to find a way to trace the remnants of
Magnus took a step back, shaking his head. “No.” His voice was low, strained. “You’re wrong.”Aria felt a cold weight settle in her stomach. “I want to be wrong, Magnus. But I’m not.”He clenched his fists, his breathing heavy. The air around them shifted—charged with an unseen force.Derek reached for his sword instinctively. “Magnus, stay with us.”“I am with you!” Magnus snapped, but the darkness in his veins pulsed. His pupils dilated, and Aria saw it again—that flicker of something inhuman in his eyes.Derek moved between them. “Aria, if he loses control again—”“I won’t,” Magnus ground out, but even he didn’t sound convinced.Aria reached for him. “Magnus, listen to me—”He flinched at her touch, and suddenly, a force erupted from him, slamming into the walls with enough power to shake the room.Books flew from their shelves. Candles flickered and died. The air turned suffocating.Magnus gasped, doubling over as if in pain. His fingers dug into the stone floor, his breathing rag
Morning came too quickly. The tension that had settled over them the night before hadn’t lifted, and as they prepared to leave for the archives, Aria couldn’t shake the feeling that they were walking into something they weren’t ready for.The journey was quiet, save for the sound of their footsteps against the cold stone halls. Aria kept a hand on her stomach, a subconscious habit she had developed since realizing she was pregnant. She hadn’t told the others—not yet. Not until she understood what was happening to her.Magnus walked beside her, his movements more controlled than before, but there was still a weight to them, as if he were forcing himself to keep the corruption at bay. Derek led the way, his grip tight on the hilt of his sword. He was always prepared for a fight, but this time, Aria knew his concern was for her.They arrived at the archives, an ancient chamber buried deep beneath the castle. Dust clung to the air, illuminated by the soft glow of enchanted lanterns. Rows
Aria sat beside Magnus, exhausted but determined. The session had drained her, and yet, she knew this was only the beginning.Magnus exhaled heavily, his fingers twitching as he clenched and unclenched his fists. “I almost lost control again.”“But you didn’t,” Aria reminded him, her voice gentle but firm. “That’s what matters.”His jaw tightened. “What if next time I do?”Aria hesitated. There was a next time. There always would be.But she wouldn’t let him fall into doubt.“You won’t,” she said, gripping his wrist. “Because I’ll be here. We all will.”Magnus looked at her, eyes clouded with uncertainty—but there was something else there, too. A flicker of belief.Before he could respond, the chamber doors swung open.Derek stepped in, his expression grim. “We need to talk.”Aria turned to him, immediately sensing his unease. “What is it?”Derek’s gaze flickered to Magnus, then back to her. “It’s about you.”Aria frowned. “Me?”Derek nodded, stepping closer. “I’ve been watching, Aria
The next morning, as the first light of dawn painted the sky in hues of gold and crimson, Magnus and Aria stood in the clearing beyond the castle walls. The air was still charged with tension from the previous night, but this was the first step toward reclaiming control.Magnus flexed his hands, feeling the restless power still writhing within him. He was afraid. Afraid of losing himself again. Afraid of hurting someone. Afraid that no matter how hard he tried, he would never be the same again.But then he looked at Aria.She stood before him, steady, unshaken. There was a quiet strength in her now, something deeper than before. Her presence alone was grounding.“Alright,” Aria said, drawing a slow breath. “First, I need you to close your eyes.”Magnus frowned but obeyed.“Feel the magic inside you,” she continued. “Don’t fight it. Just listen.”He tried. At first, all he could sense was chaos—wild energy rushing through his veins, sharp, erratic, unpredictable. It was like a storm he
Magnus collapsed to his knees, gasping as the remnants of darkness flickered around him like dying embers. The magic inside him had not vanished—it still pulsed within his veins—but it was no longer in control. The corruption had been tempered, its hunger subdued by Aria’s power. He trembled as he lifted his head, his once-shadowed eyes now holding a glimmer of clarity. Aria stepped back, her breathing unsteady. Her body swayed slightly, exhaustion weighing her down. Derek was by her side in an instant, his strong arms steadying her before she could collapse. He gazed at her in awe, then concern. “Aria, that was incredible,” he murmured. “But you shouldn’t have pushed yourself so hard.” She shook her head, pressing a hand to her belly. “I had to. It was the only way to reach him.” Frederick took a cautious step toward Magnus, his fists clenched at his sides. “Is it over?” Magnus let out a shuddering breath. “No,” he admitted, his voice hoarse. “I can still feel it inside me…
Amid the chaos and the crumbling stone, a deep, resolute calm began to emanate from Aria. Her eyes, wide with determination, fixed on the writhing, tormented form of Magnus. The dark energy that had taken root in him pulsed like a malignant heartbeat, threatening to consume everything in its path. But in that moment, something within Aria stirred—a power she had never fully acknowledged before. Her hand pressed against her belly, and for a moment, the world seemed to hold its breath. A soft, luminous glow began to spread from her, as if her unborn child were a beacon of hope amid the encroaching darkness. The golden light was warm and steady, contrasting sharply with the inky shadows and her she thought of Magnus and decided it time to step in, at the same time she’s scared of the dark power surrounding magnus and not wanting anything to harm her unborn child. She left her room for the dungeon upon seeing magnus in this state her heart sank and she couldn’t take it. She saw how exhau