9. Galen

I wandered the cobblestone streets of the city, store windows sparkling with elegant gowns and vibrant colors. The task was clear: find the perfect outfit for the wedding. My footsteps echoed in the stillness of the morning, an echo competing with the hurried beating of my heart.

Each store was a maze of possibilities, a melting pot of styles and colors unfolding before my eyes. I plunged into that sea of options, evaluating each outfit with meticulous attention. The choice was not just aesthetic; it was a reflection of the occasion, of my desire to present myself impeccably before Alex, no matter what.

As the hangers paraded in front of me, my mind wandered to a memory steeped in contradictions. I remembered the kiss, a stolen instant in the midst of chaos. A kiss that defied logic, for I should hate it, but my heart, stubborn and disobedient, refused to follow the expected script. The softness of that encounter defied the hostility I should harbor towards him.

Confusion settled in my thoughts, like a dense fog that clouded my judgment. How could I harbor feelings that contradicted reason? The duality of my heart plunged me into an abyss of uncertainty. Each step between hangers and mirrors multiplied the shadows of my own introspection.

Among the suits lay the unspoken questions. Should I have avoided this event, fearing it was a trap woven with invisible threads? My mind played with the idea of conspiracies and deceptions, a whirlwind of suspicions that threatened to obscure even my choice of attire.

In my search for the perfect outfit, I not only evaluated fabrics and cuts, but unraveled the mysteries of my own heart. The options stretched out before me, but none seemed to offer a clear answer to the crossroads I was at.

Thus, amidst the shadows of decisions and the echoes of a kiss in the past, I continued my pilgrimage through the tents, oblivious to the destiny that was woven with every choice and every memory.

The sun was hiding behind the buildings as I returned to my apartment. The bags with the suits hung on my arm, but the weight inside me was deeper. As I opened the door, an unexpected shadow loomed in the gloom of my home.

The turtle demon emerged from the darkness, its shell glowing with a strange luminescence. In its claws it held a medallion, a mysterious object that reflected glimmers of hidden power. Its presence was intriguing and disturbing.

"What you are destined to wear," the turtle demon said in a guttural voice, handing me the medallion. "Save your questions, just follow the instructions. Wear it to the wedding."

The instructions were as cryptic as the shadows dancing in my apartment. Although every fiber of my being vibrated with curiosity, I decided to remain silent and accept the fate that was being woven around me.

With utmost care, I placed the medallion under my clothes, as if it carried a dangerous secret. I felt its coolness against my skin, a subtle connection to something beyond my comprehension. The decision was made, and my heart echoed with a mixture of fear and excitement.

The turtle demon watched with twinkling eyes, as if he could read my darkest thoughts. "This medallion is not just an ornament. It is your path to vengeance, Galen. Make the most of it."

His statement echoed in the silence of my apartment, leaving a trace of uncertainty. Revenge loomed over me like an elongated shadow, tempting and dangerous. Could I resist the call of that dark desire?

With the medallion hidden, I headed for the door, aware that my fate was intertwined with forces beyond my comprehension. The wedding loomed on the horizon, a stage where masks would fall and truths, hidden within whispers of demons, would finally be revealed.

The echoing footsteps echoed in my mind as I prepared for the wedding. Between the folds of the suit, the medallion lay as a reminder of a dark pact. However, my thoughts strayed back to my childhood, to the days when demons guarded me with protective shadows.

I remembered the nights when nightmares were chased away by their comforting whispers. They taught me to understand and control the powers that flowed out of me like invisible currents. Yet those gifts, once mine, were snatched away by Alex in a dance of betrayal.

Despite the bitterness that should have nestled in my heart, a wry smile curved my lips. For, at that moment, as I fastened my vest, I knew that the day of vengeance was at hand. The hunters, those who dared to snatch my skills, would meet their fate at this wedding. The circle would close with an outcome that only fate could orchestrate.

Nervousness gripped me as I advanced toward the Gem mansion. Each step echoed like an anxious throbbing in my ears. Caution mingled with anticipation, a fragile dance on the tightrope of my emotions.

As I approached the entrance, the echo of my own promises echoed in my head. I couldn't afford to let my guard down like the last time I saw Alex. Confidence had vanished in an instant, leaving me vulnerable. This time, I vowed to be cunning, to be alert to every gesture, every word laden with secrets.

The Gem mansion loomed imposingly before me, a scene that portended revelations and confrontations. My heart, wrapped in a mixture of emotion and tension, throbbed with the certainty that this day would seal intertwined destinies, where the threads of vengeance and redemption would be braided in an inevitable dance.

The reflections in the windows of stores and houses seemed to be more than mere shadows. In them, I glimpsed the gazes of demons that had accompanied me since childhood. Their incandescent eyes expressed a silent complicity, as if they were waiting with me for the precise moment to unleash vengeance against the demon hunters. In those reflections, the complicity of darkness became tangible, an alliance forged in the shadows.

Each step towards the mansion echoed with a mysterious echo, as if the whispers of demons were intertwined with the wind. Anticipation became a constant companion, the promise of justice hung in the air.

As I reached the entrance to the Gem mansion, a flash of silver caught my attention. Alex, magnificent in a resplendent suit, waited with an elegance that defied description. His presence, his beauty, left me momentarily breathless. White hair fell gracefully over his shoulders, a natural crown that enhanced his enigmatic aura.

Surprise flashed in my eyes, but also something else. A glimmer of recognition crept into the darkest corner of my being. Despite everything, a part of me could not ignore the fascination Alex had aroused from the beginning. The duality of attraction and aversion danced within me, creating a storm of emotions that threatened to boil over.

The mansion stood as a silent witness to this encounter, a stage where destinies intertwined in an unpredictable dance. The eyes of the demons in the glass seemed to watch expectantly, as if this moment marked the beginning of redemption, or perhaps, doom.

The intensity of the visual connection with Alex ignited my heart, its beating resonating in harmony with the melody of anticipation. In that moment, the world around us seemed to fade away, and only the two of us existed, caught in a dance of emotions that defied any logic.

The touch of her hand, warm and sure, pulled me into the mansion. Each step we took between the corridors echoed like an echo of crucial decisions. I watched the fleeting glimpses of celebration in the main courtyard, but my trepidation grew as Alex led me along less traveled routes, through shadows and secrets.

The rustle of the guests' dresses and the murmur of music in the courtyard were left behind as we ventured deeper into the mansion. My nervousness grew with the distance separating us from the crowd. What plans did Alex harbor in those hidden corridors?

Fear settled in my chest, although the beauty of the mansion remained intact, its walls echoed with an unfathomable mystery. My eyes searched for signs, trying to decipher the enigma of what lay ahead. Each hallway seemed like a labyrinth, ghostly whispers intertwining with the shadows around us.

Alex's hand tugged on mine firmly, but my mind was filled with unanswered questions. Was this a path to the truth or a detour into darkness? The Gem mansion revealed itself to be a setting where secrets were interwoven with opulence, and I, swept along by uncertain fate, stepped into the unknown with a mixture of anticipation and fear.