Aria was happy that Frederick finally got to be with someone, his mate. Atleast good things were finally happening.Everything was going back to normal, Magnus and Elia had a beautiful baby girl now. The couples joy knew no bounds.She was equally happy for them most especially Elia, she finally got the life she deserves.A peaceful and happy life with the person she loved.Aria stared at Frederick again and this time he turned his head and stared back at her and she smiled at him.Frederick gave her a small smile before he turned his head away. He stared at Astrid who was busy annoying Angus.Angus would occasionally glared at her because he was still carrying baby Elizabeth who was now sucking her thumb.The baby stared around as if trying to be familiar with her surroundings. Soon the baby started crying again and Elia took the baby into her embrace. Everyone dismissed apart from Aria and Magnus so Elia could feed her baby.Everyone went their separate ways while Frederick decided
Derek blinked, his mind struggling to comprehend her words. For a moment, he just stared at her, his lips parted as if the words she spoke had not quite reached his brain. “You’re… pregnant?” His voice was a mixture of disbelief and awe. Aria nodded, a soft smile curling her lips as she watched him process the news. “Yes,” she whispered. “I wanted to tell you tonight, because… because this feels like the right moment. I didn’t know how to say it, but… I wanted you to know.” Derek’s expression softened, and then—almost as if he couldn’t help it—he laughed. It wasn’t a laugh of amusement, but of joy, relief, and something deeper—something primal. He pulled her closer, burying his face in the crook of her neck, inhaling the scent of her skin. “I thought I was going to be the one surprising you tonight, not the other way around,” he muttered, his voice thick with emotion. “But this… this is the best surprise of my life.” Aria could feel the warmth of his breath against her skin,
The cool night air rushed through the open windows of the castle, carrying with it a distant, eerie howling of the wind. The tension between Frederick, Alan, and Ron hadn’t dissipated; it lingered like a storm about to break. As Frederick made his way out of the dungeon with Astrid at his side, his mind raced. He was so close to ending it all with Alan. Yet, in that moment, something inside him had stopped him. Was it the weight of Astrid’s gaze, her silent plea, or was it something more—something that had shifted in him since he’d returned to life? The air around them seemed to crackle with electricity, and it wasn’t just the storm outside. Something was changing, and Frederick could feel it deep in his bones. He stopped walking and turned to face Astrid. “You don’t regret it, do you?” he asked, his voice quiet but heavy. She blinked, clearly caught off guard. “Regret what?” “Not letting me kill Alan,” Frederick clarified. “You were right there. You saw what he did to me. Wh
Elia stirred awake to the sound of uneasy breathing. Her eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the dim glow of the lantern beside the bed. She reached out instinctively, expecting to feel Magnus beside her. But the space was cold. Her stomach twisted. She turned her head—and froze. Magnus stood over Elizabeth’s crib, his posture rigid, his breathing slow but heavy, like he was struggling to contain something inside himself. His fingers gripped the edge of the crib so tightly his knuckles had gone white. “Magnus?” Elia’s voice was barely above a whisper. He didn’t react. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears as she carefully sat up. The air in the room felt… wrong. Stifling. Like a storm was about to break. “Magnus,” she tried again, firmer this time. Slowly, he turned his head toward her. His eyes weren’t his own. They were hollow, shadowed, with the faintest flicker of unnatural darkness swirling in their depths. Elia’s breath hitched. For a moment, neither of them moved.
The castle walls trembled as Magnus’s dark energy crackled through the air, twisting the space around them. Shadows stretched unnaturally, pulsing as if alive, feeding off the corrupted magic that now consumed him. Frederick could barely hear his own breath over the storm of power filling the chamber.Ron’s words still echoed in his mind. You need to kill him.Not Magnus. Alan. The source of this spreading darkness.Frederick pushed himself to his feet, his ribs aching from the impact against the stone wall. Elia groaned beside him, struggling to rise, her own energy flickering with strain. Astrid gripped her dagger tightly, ready to fight if needed—but against what? Magnus wasn’t their enemy. Not truly.“Magnus, listen to me!” Frederick shouted, stepping forward despite the sheer force pressing against him. “You can still fight this! You have to fight this!”Magnus’s blackened eyes flickered, just for a moment, as if something deep inside was still resisting. But then his body tensed
Magnus’ breathing turned ragged, his entire body trembling as he dug his fingers into his temples. His chest rose and fell in sharp, erratic movements, as though he was fighting something—something clawing to break free.“Magnus?” Frederick stepped closer, cautious but firm. “Talk to me.”Magnus’ head snapped up. His eyes—dark, unfocused—locked onto Frederick, and for a split second, there was no recognition. No warmth. Just something wrong.Then he lunged.Frederick barely had time to react before Magnus crashed into him, shoving him back with unnatural force. The air cracked around them, thick with magic. Shadows flickered along Magnus’ arms, his veins darkening like ink was spilling beneath his skin.“Magnus, stop!” Elia’s voice was sharp with fear. She clutched Elizabeth, stepping back as Ron moved to shield them.Frederick gritted his teeth as he struggled against Magnus’ strength. “Fight it!” he shouted. “You’re stronger than this!”But Magnus wasn’t listening. His face twisted,
The moment Magnus left the room, the air turned ice cold. Elia stood frozen, her breath shallow as she clutched Elizabeth, trying to calm her wailing cries. The baby—so small, so fragile—sensed it before any of them did.Frederick wiped at his bruised throat, exchanging a look with Ron. “We need to go after him.”Ron hesitated, his grip tight on his sword hilt. “Frederick, I don’t think he even knows who we are anymore.”Frederick didn’t care. He couldn’t. Not when he had just seen Magnus’ eyes—black as void, stripped of humanity.Not when he had felt that magic, so much darker than anything Alan had ever wielded.He turned to Elia. “Stay here. No matter what you hear, don’t come after us.”Elia’s lip trembled, but she nodded. She didn’t trust her voice.Then Frederick and Ron rushed after Magnus.They found him in the courtyard.The moonlight bathed the stone in silver, but where Magnus stood, the ground withered beneath him. His breaths came in ragged gasps, his fingers twitching as
The silence stretched, thick and heavy. Magnus lay sprawled on the broken stone, his body motionless save for the faint, erratic rise and fall of his chest.Frederick’s hands were still trembling, the golden glow of his magic flickering before vanishing completely. His ribs ached with every breath, but the pain was nothing compared to the sick feeling growing in his gut.Magnus wasn’t free.Ron moved first, dragging himself toward Magnus, but hesitated just short of touching him. “Is it… gone?”Frederick shook his head. “No.” His voice was hoarse, weighed down by exhaustion. “I only forced it back. It’s still inside him.”Ron cursed under his breath.Then—Magnus stirred.A sharp gasp tore from his lips as his eyes snapped open. He sucked in air like a drowning man breaking the surface, his fingers clawing at the fractured stone beneath him.For a moment, there was nothing but raw confusion in his expression. Then the pain hit.Magnus screamed.His back arched violently, his hands flyi
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