A story about a place that neither exists in maps or history books, this place was called Athame.

•••

"The root of every fear is the unknown, yet how can one fear what they cannot grasp? Tch... how misleading." His voice, deep and rough, sent an involuntary shiver through her as he closed the distance between them with deliberate steps, his presence suffocating in its intensity.

With a slow, predatory grace, his fingers brushed along her jaw, settling on a strand of her scarlet hair, his touch deceptively tender. "Knowing me will matter little," he whispered darkly, his breath warm against her skin. "For even in the shadows of uncertainty, you will come to fear... and desire me all the same."

•••

Aricia, born with extraordinary abilities in a world that fears anything out of the ordinary, was destined for a marriage alliance to secure peace between kingdoms. 

But on the day of her engagement, her entire family is slaughtered—by the very family she was meant to marry into. 

Grief-stricken and consumed by vengeance, Aricia swore to destroy those who betrayed her. She would wield the very power they had feared against them, seeking justice with no mercy. After years on the run, she found shelter within an elemental clan, hiding her abilities and keeping to the shadows.

But her carefully constructed peace shattered in a single moment. A burning touch, a chance encounter with his haunting gray eyes—an unknown force within her stirred, threatening to unravel her carefully guarded secrets and the fragile balance of magic, madness, and vengeance she had built....

Vengeance Through Passion

The dusty, dimly lit chamber of Cethrin exuded an ancient ambiance. The scent of parchment, mingled with the faint aroma of long-dried herbs and the stale air of neglect, hinted at its storied past as both a sanctuary of knowledge and a prison of secrets. Time had clearly forgotten this place, and for Aricia, it was perfect. 


Here, surrounded by towering shelves of brittle tomes and relics that hummed with dormant energy, she could avoid Caelric's relentless questioning. She could disappear, hidden by the weight of history. But for Caelric, her sudden fascination with such a place only deepened his suspicions. Why had she chosen now, of all times, to immerse herself in these forgotten halls? 


Chapter 36| Emergency Lockdown