Chapter 14

Kael awoke to the sound of silence, a deafening stillness that pressed in on him from all sides. His body ached, every muscle screaming in protest as he forced himself to sit up. The air was thick with the scent of charred earth and ozone, and the ground beneath him was cold and unyielding.

For a moment, he couldn't remember where he was, or what had happened. But then, like a dam breaking, the memories came flooding back—the Wraithwood, the ritual, Seraphina's sacrifice, and the darkness that had consumed them all.

"Seraphina..." he whispered, his voice hoarse and cracked. He struggled to his feet, his legs unsteady as he scanned the area around him.

The clearing was unrecognizable. The ancient stones were shattered, their runes dark and lifeless. The trees that had surrounded the clearing were twisted and blackened, their branches hanging limply as if drained of all life. The air was heavy with the weight of magic gone awry, a lingering presence that made Kael's skin crawl.

But the most jarring absence was Seraphina.

She was gone.

Kael's heart pounded in his chest as he stumbled forward, his eyes frantically searching for any sign of her. The last thing he remembered was the explosion of darkness, the ritual spiraling out of control as the power within Seraphina had overwhelmed the seal. He had tried to reach her, to pull her back from the brink, but the darkness had been too strong, too fast.

And now she was gone.

"Seraphina!" Kael shouted, his voice echoing through the desolate forest. He didn't care if the wraiths heard him, didn't care if the Shadowborn were still lurking in the shadows. All that mattered was finding her.

But there was no response. No movement, no sign of life.

Kael fell to his knees, his breath coming in ragged gasps as the weight of what had happened crushed down on him. He had failed. He had failed to protect her, failed to stop the darkness. The ritual had gone horribly wrong, and now the world was teetering on the edge of destruction.

Tears burned in his eyes, but he blinked them back, refusing to let them fall. He couldn't afford to break down, not now. There had to be something he could do, some way to fix this. Seraphina couldn't be gone. She was too strong, too determined to just... disappear.

But as the minutes dragged on and the silence remained unbroken, Kael's hope began to wither. He had seen the darkness consume her, had felt the surge of power that had torn through the clearing. There was no way she could have survived that.

"Seraphina..." he whispered again, his voice choked with grief. "I'm sorry..."

His mind raced, searching for any explanation, any possibility that he had overlooked. But all he could see was the darkness, the overwhelming force that had devoured everything in its path.

And then, as if in response to his desperation, he felt it—a faint, flickering presence at the edge of his consciousness. It was weak, barely more than a whisper, but it was there.

Seraphina.

Kael's head snapped up, his heart pounding with renewed hope. He focused on the presence, reaching out with his mind, trying to grasp onto it before it could slip away.

"Seraphina! Where are you?"

There was no answer, but the presence grew stronger, more distinct. It was as if she were calling out to him, trying to guide him to her. Kael didn't hesitate. He forced himself to his feet, his body protesting with every movement, and began to follow the pull of her presence.

The Wraithwood had changed. The trees were twisted and gnarled, their branches reaching out like skeletal fingers. The ground was cracked and blackened, as if the earth itself had been scorched by the dark magic that had been unleashed. But Kael didn't stop, didn't let the oppressive atmosphere slow him down. He had to find her. He had to save her.

The presence led him deeper into the forest, through winding paths and dense thickets. The air grew colder, the shadows deeper, but Kael pressed on, driven by the faint hope that Seraphina was still alive.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he reached a small clearing. The trees here were taller, their branches interwoven to form a natural canopy that blocked out the sky. In the center of the clearing was a pool of water, its surface smooth and glassy, reflecting the darkened forest around it.

And there, at the edge of the pool, lay Seraphina.

Kael's breath caught in his throat as he rushed forward, dropping to his knees beside her. She was unconscious, her skin pale and cold, her breathing shallow. But she was alive.

"Seraphina..." Kael whispered, his voice filled with a mix of relief and fear. He gently lifted her into his arms, cradling her against his chest. "Please... please wake up..."

But she didn't stir. Her body was limp, unresponsive, as if the life had been drained out of her. Kael's heart ached with the sight of her like this, so still, so vulnerable.

He looked around, his mind racing for a solution. The pool of water at his feet shimmered with an unnatural light, and he felt a strange energy emanating from it. It was as if the water was connected to the forest, to the magic that had been unleashed.

Without thinking, Kael dipped his hand into the water, hoping to find some sign, some indication of what he should do. The water was cold, almost painfully so, and as his fingers brushed against its surface, he felt a surge of energy course through him.

The pool wasn't just water—it was a conduit, a link to the ancient magic of the Wraithwood.

Kael looked down at Seraphina, his mind racing. If the pool was connected to the magic of the forest, then perhaps it could heal her, restore the life that had been drained from her during the ritual.

But it was a risk—a dangerous one. The Wraithwood was unpredictable, its magic dark and volatile. There was no way of knowing what would happen if he submerged Seraphina in the pool.

But he didn't have a choice.

Taking a deep breath, Kael gently lowered Seraphina into the pool, cradling her head above the water as her body floated in the shimmering depths. The water rippled around her, the light growing brighter, more intense.

Kael held his breath, watching as the energy of the pool seemed to wrap around Seraphina, infusing her with its power. The darkness that had clung to her began to dissipate, the shadows retreating as the light grew stronger.

"Please..." Kael whispered, his voice trembling. "Please let this work..."

For a moment, nothing happened. Seraphina remained still, her breathing shallow, her body unresponsive. But then, slowly, she began to stir. Her fingers twitched, her chest rising and falling with deeper breaths. The color began to return to her cheeks, her skin warming under Kael's touch.

And then, with a soft gasp, Seraphina's eyes fluttered open.

Kael's heart leaped in his chest as he pulled her from the water, cradling her in his arms. "Seraphina! You're alive..."

Seraphina blinked, her eyes unfocused as she tried to make sense of her surroundings. "Kael... what happened?"

Kael swallowed hard, his voice thick with emotion. "The ritual... it went wrong. The darkness... it nearly consumed you. But you're safe now. You're safe."

Seraphina's eyes widened as the memories came rushing back—the altar, the seal, the darkness that had threatened to swallow her whole. She shuddered, the weight of what had happened pressing down on her like a physical force.

"The seal..." she whispered, her voice trembling. "It broke, didn't it?"

Kael nodded, his expression grim. "It did. But you're alive, Seraphina. You're here. We'll find another way. We'll stop the Shadowborn."

Seraphina's heart ached with the knowledge of what had happened, of the darkness that had been unleashed because of her. But as she looked up at Kael, saw the determination in his eyes, she felt a spark of hope.

She had survived. The darkness hadn't consumed her. And as long as she was alive, there was still a chance to set things right.

"We need to leave the Wraithwood," Seraphina said, her voice stronger now. "We need to return to Verran and Draven. We need to prepare for what's coming."

Kael nodded, though there was a weariness in his eyes that spoke of the burden they now carried. "We will. But first... we need to get you out of here. You've been through enough."

Seraphina managed a small, grateful smile. "Thank you, Kael. For saving me."

Kael's expression softened, and for a moment, he allowed himself to show the depth of his emotions. "You would have done the same for me."

As they prepared to leave the clearing, Seraphina cast one last glance at the pool, at the darkened forest that surrounded them.