Arrival in Shadow City

The carriage moved slowly through the dark, desolate streets of the so-called cursed land of the Shadow City. The wooden wheels creaked ominously in the oppressive silence.

The dim light of a waning moon cast eerie shadows on the crumbling facades of abandoned buildings, their windows shattered and gaping like hollow eyes. Thick, creeping fog rolled across the cobblestones, muffling the sound of the horse's hooves and lending an otherworldly feel to the scene.

Seraphina felt her heart, her soul's heart, dropping with every passing second as she finally got to see just how haunted and dark the place was that she needed to revive with the help of some system she was offered by the Council of Afterlife. If not for the outside view she was seeing through the carraige's window, she would have considered everything bizzare she just went through as a dream.

She peered at the lifeless trees, twisted and barren, lining the avenue with their skeletal branches clawing at the sky. The air was thick with the scent of decay and a faint, acrid tang, remnants of an ancient, forgotten catastrophe. There wasn't a single soul seen throughout the city.

As the carriage advanced, the only sound apart from its own groaning was the occasional rustle of unseen creatures scurrying in the darkness.

Shadows danced grotesquely on the walls as lantern light flickered within, casting a fleeting glow on the cobwebbed corners. The driver, one of those cloaked creatures she met at the Council of Afterlife, urged the horse forward with soft, urgent commands, as if wary of attracting attention.

Each turn of the wheel seemed to echo with a sense of impending doom, a reminder of the city's cursed past. The once grand avenues, now overgrown with weeds and littered with debris, told tales of lost glory and relentless despair. The carriage continued its journey through the spectral streets.

After traveling for a while, the carriage finally came to a stop. With a pounding heart, Seraphina watched as the door of the carriage was pulled open. It was a signal for her to climb down and face the future that awaited her.

Taking in a deep breath, she gathered her bouquet of black roses and made her way down the carriage. Her long black gown flew behind her as the cold wind hit her. The gown's bodice was intricately embroidered with golden thread, forming delicate patterns reminiscent of ivy and night-blooming flowers, which glinted subtly with her every breath.

Her veil, a sheer cascade of midnight silk, flowed down her back, framing her face with a soft, ethereal glow. It was fastened with a simple yet elegant tiara of black pearls and onyx, glistening like dark stars against her dark hair that had deep purple mixed in them. Her long hair was styled in soft waves that tumbled over her shoulders.

The gown's skirt, a masterpiece of layered tulle and silk, swirled around her as she moved, creating the illusion of floating. Its hem was adorned with subtle lace inlays, depicting scenes of moonlit forests and shadowy landscapes.

If she found her wedding gown odd, she was utterly speechless when she finally got a view of the towering castle before her. The surroundings were enveloped in darkness, nearly as black as night. The sky was blanketed with ominous clouds, the air was frigid, and the ancient walls encircling the castle were draped in withered ivy. The massive iron gate was rusting and secured with heavy chains. On either side of the gate, broken lanterns perched atop the walls.

With her heart thumping crazily inside her chest, she watched the coachman opening the gate for her before it returned to the carriage and drove it away, leaving her standing there all alone.

Never in her mortal life did Seraphina felt this scared, not even at the time of her death. Who would have thought that she would get a real taste of fear after her death when she would get to see such a place. As she finally stepped past the gate, she was met with a dead garden. Everything was broken, in ruins, dead, and... dark.

The castle itself was no better than its surroundings. The walls were covered with the same withered ivy that could be seen all around the castle. There were several stone statues and lanterns located all around the garden, but each one was broken and in ruins.

Forcing herself to keep moving, Seraphina finally appeared in front of the entrance of the building which was left wide open as if the castle was awaiting her arrival. Stepping inside, she was once again met with darkness, this one more scarier as she was barely able to see anything.

She was supposed to be getting married to her future husbands at the moment, but looking at the area and situation, she felt like she was about to die a second time.

In that moment, she was a bride unlike any other, and she had no idea who her groom was, or more specifically... grooms.