The Internal Storm

The grand hall of Elandor felt more vast and empty than Elysiel remembered. The shadows on the walls danced restlessly, as if they had a life of their own, reflecting the whirlwind of thoughts swirling inside her. Since discovering the truth about the pact and the price of immortality, her heart had been in constant conflict. She knew what needed to be done, but the idea of betraying Seraphis, the being who had given her so much, felt unbearable.

The absence of her parents, King Alistair and Queen Elara, made everything harder. They had always been an anchor for Elysiel, a strong and stable presence in her life. However, after years of relentless fighting against the plague that had threatened Elandor, they decided they needed rest. They placed themselves in a deep sleep, an ancient fairy spell to preserve their vital energy and recover their strength. They left the kingdom in Elysiel's hands, trusting that she would lead with wisdom and strength.

But now, everything was falling apart. The kingdom was no longer what it had been, and Elysiel felt adrift, without her parents' support to guide her. She was alone.

Elysiel slowly walked through the castle corridors, her wings lightly dragging on the ground, weighed down by the burden she carried. Her thoughts were interrupted by flashes of disturbing visions. As she passed an ancient mirror, the reflection stopped her in her tracks. It wasn't her. Or, at least, it wasn't the Elysiel she knew.

In the mirror, a dark version of herself stared back. Her eyes, once a vibrant green, were now completely black, consumed by darkness. Her wings, once majestic and luminous, were torn, covered by a dark mist that seemed to consume everything around her. This other Elysiel smiled cruelly, as if satisfied with what she saw.

"You think you can save yourself, don't you?" The voice of the dark version of Elysiel echoed through the corridor, cold and cutting. "But you're already lost. There's no turning back."

Elysiel instinctively stepped back, her heart racing. She blinked, and the vision vanished. The mirror showed only her normal reflection, but the feeling that something within her was changing remained.

Each day, the hallucinations worsened. She saw images of Elandor in ruins, fairies withered and dead, the once lush gardens turned into shadowy wastelands. In her visions, she walked among the wreckage, always alone, always surrounded by shadows. It was as if the future was unfolding before her—a dark and inescapable future.

Upon returning to the main hall, Seraphis was waiting for her, as if he had foreseen the moment of her arrival. He stood by the window, watching the darkened sky of Elandor. His presence, as always, was dominating, but there was something different in his posture. He seemed more aware, as if he sensed Elysiel's growing fragility.

— You're troubled. — he said without turning around, his voice low and soft, like a whisper cutting through the silence of the hall.

Elysiel stopped, feeling his presence like an invisible weight on her shoulders. There was something in his tone, something that felt like an omen. Ever since the mark had appeared on her arm, she sensed that Seraphis was even more connected to her, but also more controlling, more… demanding.

— I… I've been having visions. — she began, her voice wavering. — I see the kingdom in ruins, Seraphis. I see what I'm becoming.

Seraphis finally turned, his red eyes glowing with an intensity that made Elysiel's heart race. He took a step toward her, his presence overwhelming.

— These visions are the result of your weakness, Elysiel. — he said, approaching slowly, his voice dripping with persuasion. — They come from the doubt you still carry. You fight against the power inside you, but if you surrender completely, there will be no more pain, no more fear. You will be invincible.

Elysiel felt a shiver run down her spine. His words were tempting, even seductive. But deep down, she knew something was wrong. Seraphis wasn't just offering power—he was demanding total submission, something she wasn't sure she could give.

— I feel like I'm losing my humanity. — she said, her voice a little stronger now, trying to hold on to the little that remained of her identity. — Elandor is changing. I am changing. And I don't know if this is what I truly want.

Seraphis stopped in front of her, his eyes locked on hers, intense and impenetrable.

— What you want no longer matters, Elysiel. — he said, his voice growing colder, more controlling. — What matters is what we are. The pact is sealed. Now, you must embrace this destiny, or you will be destroyed.

Elysiel felt the pressure of his words, the force of his power over her. It was as if the shadows around the hall were closing in on her, tightening from all directions. But something inside her struggled to resist.

— You want me to give myself completely… — she murmured, looking at him with a mix of sadness and distrust. — But what about you, Seraphis? Tell me… do you love me? Or am I just a tool for your power?

The question hung in the air like a storm about to break. Seraphis had not expected this, and for the first time, he hesitated. His gaze hardened for a brief moment, but he quickly regained his usual control. He stepped closer, now inches from Elysiel, and held her face in his hands, cold as ice.

— What we are is more than love, Elysiel. — he whispered, his lips close to her ear. — Its power. Love is fleeting. What we have, power, is eternal. If you continue to resist, you will destroy yourself. Don't fight what we are.

Seraphis' words cut deep into Elysiel's heart, but they didn't bring the comfort he intended. What she wanted to hear was something different—something that would prove that beyond all the power and darkness, there was something real between them. But now, she wasn't sure.

Elysiel stepped back, breaking the physical contact with him, her emotions in turmoil. She looked at Seraphis, and for the first time since meeting him, she felt fear. Not of his power, but of what he was turning her into. The doubt that had been gnawing at her was growing, and the visions of a dark future were becoming more vivid.

She moved away from Seraphis, leaving the hall in silence, but the shadows didn't leave her. The internal storm within her was only beginning, and Elysiel knew that soon, she would have to make a choice.