Saraphine lounged in her grand chamber, surrounded by the opulent trappings of her dark magic. The walls were adorned with tapestries that seemed to shift and writhe in the flickering candlelight, like living shadows. Her onyx throne, carved with intricate symbols of power, seemed to absorb the light around it, giving it an aura of malevolent intent.
Saraphine's eyes sparkled with malevolent intent as she observed the fractured group through her scrying mirror. The image reflected the exact moment Aria walked away, the weight of betrayal pressing against her spine, anger in her voice barely masking the hurt. Lyric stood unmoving, her jaw clenched, guilt flickering in her stormy eyes. Quinn, too, was still, though his brows were drawn in something closer to regret.
Saraphine tapped her fingers against the armrest of her throne, a slow, deliberate rhythm. "And just like that…" she murmured, her voice laced with amusement. "The threads begin to unravel." A flick of her wrist distorted the image in the mirror, shifting the scene to Ashar, who was already on the hunt.
His golden eyes burned with intent, his crimson cloak billowing as he moved through the trees like a phantom. His steps were silent, his purpose unwavering. Saraphine tilted her head slightly, as if considering her options. "Ashar should be on his way by now," she mused. "But perhaps a little delay would make things more… interesting."
A low chuckle escaped her lips, echoing in the darkened chamber. Shadows coiled around her, pulsing in rhythm with her delight. "Oh, Aria," she sighed, watching the girl push forward into the unknown, oblivious to how perfectly she played into Saraphine's hands. "Let's see how far you'll go before you finally break."
Her laughter lingered long after the vision faded into darkness.
Lyric and Quinn navigated the rugged mountain path in tense silence, the air thick with words unspoken. The narrow trail wound between jagged cliffs and towering trees, moonlight barely cutting through the dense foliage. Quinn kicked at a loose stone, his movements stiff with frustration.
"We should have stayed," he said finally, his voice sharp.
Lyric sighed, rubbing her temple. "We made the right choice."
"Did we?" Quinn's words hit their mark. Lyric flinched, her hands curling into fists. She knew that. Of course, she knew that. But that was precisely why she had to walk away.
"Aria's your best friend," Quinn continued, his tone unyielding.
Lyric's jaw clenched. "She's too reckless," she muttered. "If we kept going, someone was going to die."
Quinn exhaled sharply. "And now? You think turning our backs on her makes her safer?"
Lyric hesitated. Then—
A low, unnatural sound rumbled through the trees. Quinn's posture stiffened. "That didn't sound like the wind."
The air thickened, pressing against them like an invisible weight. A shadow flickered between the trees. Then—
A gust of wind whipped around them, scattering leaves and dust. A figure stepped forward, emerging from the darkness as if he had always been part of it. A crimson cloak billowed behind him. Golden eyes gleamed in the dim light.
Ashar.
Lyric's stomach twisted. Quinn immediately moved in front of her, muscles tensed. "Stay back."
Ashar chuckled, the sound almost pleasant. "Or what? You'll fight me?"
Before Quinn could react, shadows coiled around them like living chains. The darkness swallowed them whole.
Lyric woke to the scent of burning wood. Her head throbbed, and her wrists ached from the tight ropes binding them. The flickering glow of a fire illuminated their surroundings. The camp was rough—temporary.
Ashar sat a few feet away, his back to them, tending to the flames with an air of complete disinterest. The fire cast eerie shadows against his face, giving him the look of a man perfectly at ease in the presence of captives.
Quinn groaned beside her, jerking at his restraints. "You have to be kidding me."
Lyric swallowed hard. They weren't at Saraphine's lair. Why?
She forced herself to sit up. "Why are we still here?"
Ashar didn't even glance at them. "Because I needed rest."
Quinn scoffed. "You kidnapped us and then stopped to take a nap?"
Ashar smirked, tossing another stick into the fire. "You should be grateful. It means you get to enjoy a few more hours of freedom before I turn you in."
Lyric's stomach tightened. A few more hours. They were running out of time. They needed to escape. Fast.
Aria, Kael, and Finn navigated the dense forest in silence, each lost in their thoughts. The only sounds were the crunch of leaves beneath their boots and the occasional rustle of unseen creatures in the underbrush. The night was heavy with tension.
Aria's mind circled back to the fight. Had she been too harsh? Or had Lyric been the one unwilling to listen?
Kael's voice broke the silence. "We should stop for the night."
Finn groaned. "Finally. My legs are going to detach from my body."
Aria forced a small smile, but something felt off. A presence. Then—
A rustle in the trees. Kael immediately drew his weapon. A shadow stepped into the clearing. Tall. Smirking.
Dorian.
Finn stiffened. "Oh, great. Just what we needed."
Dorian tilted his head, amusement flickering in his gaze. "Relax. I'm not here to fight."
Aria narrowed her eyes. "Then why are you here?"
His smirk faded slightly. "Your friends have been taken."
Silence.
Finn straightened. "What?"
"Ashar has them," Dorian continued, his voice unreadable. "Saraphine would have...taken care of them by now, but Ashar stopped somewhere. You still have a chance to reach them before it's too late."
Kael's grip tightened on his sword. "Where?"
Dorian shrugged. "That, I don't know. But if you don't hurry, Saraphine will have them soon enough."
Aria clenched her fists. They had just left them. And now—
"We have to go after them," she said, determination burning in her chest.
Finn exhaled sharply. "Guess that means no rest, huh?"
Kael nodded. "Lead the way."
Aria turned back to Dorian, suspicion flickering in her eyes. "Why are you telling us this?"
Dorian smirked, but something strange lingered in his gaze. "Maybe you're finally ready."
Then, as quickly as he had appeared, he was gone.
Aria swallowed hard. There wasn't time to question it. They had to move. Now.
As they ventured deeper into the forest, the trees seemed to close in around them, casting long, ominous shadows on the ground. The air grew colder, the silence more oppressive.
Aria's heart pounded in her chest. They were running out of time. Lyric and Quinn were counting on them.
She quickened her pace, her senses on high alert. They couldn't afford to make any mistakes. Not now.
The forest seemed to stretch on forever, the darkness deepening with every step. Aria's determination never wavered. She would find Lyric and Quinn, no matter what dangers lay ahead.
And then, just as suddenly as it had begun, everything went black.