Chapter XXXII

But there was something else—an ancient wall opposite the entrance to the docks. Its stones were weathered, etched with symbols that defied translation. Alec pressed against it, and to our astonishment, it shifted—a hidden door, seamlessly blending into the stone.

"Here," Alec whispered. "A trapdoor."

We descended, our torches flickering. The air grew colder and colder now my teeth started clattering, the walls seemed to pulse with energy. The trapdoor led to a subterranean chamber—a labyrinth of secrets. Shelves lined the walls, each holding a compartment—small drawers, hidden alcoves, and locked boxes. Their contents were tantalizing vials of starlight, maps to forgotten realms, and scrolls inscribed with forbidden incantations.

"This is where the ghosts guard their truths," Alec said. "Each compartment a piece of the puzzle."

"How do you know all such things."

"I've heard from my elders about these hidden chambers of castles." He said determinedly and I was overwhelmed with all mysterious hidden knowledge. "OfCourse" I said absentmindedly.

And so, we began our search—the ancient texts guiding us, the hidden compartments promising revelations. But as we opened each one, we felt the castle's breath—the weight of centuries—closing in. 

In one drawer, we found a crimson gemstone—its facets reflecting memories long buried. In another, a silver key that whispered promises of freedom. And deeper still, a scroll bound in spider silk, its words dancing like trapped fireflies. I sensed someone's presence other than Alec, I looked at Alec he was busy with scrolls.

In the dimly lit alley, someone emerged from the shadows, his eyes gleaming like polished obsidian. His smirk cut through the darkness, a dangerous invitation that sent shivers down Oxyvi's spine. 

I stumbled backward and looked behind in the distant darkness, my breath catching in my throat. The air thickened around me, suffused with an otherworldly energy. There was a manly figure stood. His gaze bore into mine from the distance, unyielding and possessive. His voice, a mere whisper, echoed in my mind: "You belong to me."

The intricate patterns etched in his skin—the similar symbols that was engraved on Nyx's and Kier's in my dream, I remembered the ancient engraves in the hand of him clearly and it was glowing in green hues, the legend that bound them to darkness. But nothing could have prepared me for this encounter. My heart raced; I was drawn to him, inexplicably linked by fate? 

"Who are you?" I managed to ask in my mind.

He stepped closer, the darkness enveloping them both. His gaze was ice and fire—a paradox that ignited my senses. "I am the shadow that haunts your dreams," he murmured. "The curse that binds us together."

My pulse quickened. I had always been drawn to the mysterious, the forbidden. But this—this was beyond anything I had imagined.

"Why?" I whispered, the crimson gemstone emitted intense heat, my fingers trembling as they reached for Alec to gather his attention. 

The ghost of his lips brushed against my ear, and the words resonated through my bones. "Because you carry the essence of someone I admire from distance." he confessed. "And I hunger for the taste." My breath hitched.

The green fireflies flickering as if sensing the impending storm. The crimson gemstone pulsed in my palm,

And then—the rumble. The castle trembled, stones shifting, as if awakening. I fell on the ground and finally gathering Alec attention, his hand found mine, and together, we faced the hidden alcove—the heart of it all. The mirror beckoned, its surface rippling like water. Beyond it, a vast expanse—stars colliding, galaxies birthing, and truths waiting to be rewritten. We do not know what was happening.

But the darkness—the years of hatred—emanated from the energies themselves. The curse, brooding and angry, threatened to swallow us alive. We were no longer seekers; we were prey.

And then—a shift. A jolt. We woke up, disoriented, in a dimly lit room. The air smelled of dust and memories. Alec was above me, his eyes wide, his lips dangerously close. 

The castle faded—a distant memory. The gemstone, the scroll—all vanished. Only us—two souls bound by ancient secrets—remained.

In that room, where Alec had kept me, we forged our own destiny—a love story whispered across time, etched into the very fabric of existence. 

"Alec?" I was perplexed. We were so close to find the truth. Alec gaze held mine and his face darken as he looked the surroundings.

"Fuck it!"