Chapter 21: Blood, Poison & Betrayal

The night was still, unnaturally quiet. The only sound was the soft rustling of the trees as a cold wind whispered through the camp. The moon hung high, casting a pale glow over everything, making the shadows stretch long and creepy. Evelyn slept soundly, her body exhausted from the day's battle. Her mother Seraphina, however, had never let her guard down.

Something wasn't right.

A sharp,sour scent filled the air, faint at first, but growing stronger. Seraphina's eyes snapped open. She shot up from her bed, her heart pounding.

Poison.

She recognized it immediately. A deadly, ancient toxin, one designed to kill both vampires and humans alike. It spread like mist, thick and invisible, creeping into every nook of the camp, seeping into the lungs of the unaware.

Seraphina didn't hesitate. She threw her hands forward, whispering an incantation. A protective barrier erupted around Evelyn and the others, shielding them from the poison before it could reach them. But she was already too late for some. Choking sounds filled the air, horrible, strangled gasps as warriors fell to the ground, convulsing, their veins turning black.

A painful scream tore through the night.

Seraphina turned just in time to see Orion collapse, his body twitching in agony. Blood trickled from his mouth, his eyes wide and… darkening.

"No!" Evelyn screamed, bolting from her tent. She reached him just as he coughed violently, more blood spilling onto the dirt. His veins pulsed beneath his skin, turning black as the poison sank deeper into his body.

Seraphina knelt beside him, her hands glowing as she chanted healing spells. But it wasn't enough. The poison was ancient, designed to destroy from within.

"He's dying," Orion choked out, his grip tightening around Evelyn's wrist. "Don't….don't waste time on me."

Evelyn shook her head, her heart pounding. "I won't let you die!"

She tightened her teeth, ignoring the way her magic vibrated violently inside her, begging to be released.

She closed her eyes.

And this time, she didn't hold back.

Power surged through her veins, raw and untamed. Her hands glowed with a blinding light as she pressed them against Orion's chest. The energy poured into him, fighting the poison with an overwhelming force. Orion gasped, his back arching as his veins pulsed, the blackness retreating. His body jerked, his eyes rotating between life and death.

Then….silence.

Orion coughed, his eyes clearing. The blackness was gone. He was alive.

Evelyn swayed, her body trembling from the amount of power she had just used. But there was no time to rest.

 Damien's Unthinkable Choice

Far from the battlefield, in the depths of the forest, Damien stood before the Elders. He wasn't restrained, wasn't beaten. This time, they didn't come as enemies.

They came with an offer.

"You wish to save your brother, do you not?" one of the Elders asked, stepping forward, his dark eyes gleaming with something harsh.

Damien said nothing, but his fists clenched.

The Elder smiled. "The Keep has Ronan's soul. We can free him. We can bring him back."

Damien's breath fastened.

"But," the Elder continued, "there is a price."

Damien's stomach turned to stone. He already knew what they were going to say.

"Kill Evelyn."

The words cut through the air like a blade.

Damien's jaw tightened. "And if I refuse?"

The Elder's smile never wavered. "Then your brother is lost forever. You will never see him again. And when the Keep is finished, Evelyn will be dead anyway."

Silence fell between them.

Damien felt his heartbeat in his ears. Kill Evelyn? The girl he had sworn to protect? The one who had saved him, again and again? But if he refused… Ronan would be gone.

Forever.

"You have until sunrise to decide," the Elder said, before they all vanished into the darkness, leaving Damien alone with the impossible choice.

 The Battle for Ronan's Soul

The wind howled, carrying the scent of blood and death. Evelyn stood in the center of the battlefield, her chest rising and falling in steady, measured breaths.

Then, the darkness shifted, a shadow swirled into existence, forming a shape, a body…him.

Ronan.

No, not Ronan.

The Keep.

His black eyes locked onto hers, a cruel smile curling on his lips. "You're looking stronger, Evelyn."

She didn't respond. She lifted her hand, power buzzing beneath her skin. She was done talking.

The Keep bent his head. "Finally, no more words."

Then he attacked.

The force of the collision shook the ground beneath them. Evelyn met his assault head-on, her power surging through her like a storm. They fought with a fierceness that sent shockwaves across the battlefield. Every strike, every clash of power sent tremors through the earth.

But this time, Evelyn didn't hold back.

She fought like a monster.

The sky darkened, the wind screamed, and the very air burned with the energy between them. Evelyn's power coiled, sharpened ready to end him. She no longer cared if Ronan got hurt. She was going to destroy the Keep.

Blow after blow, she pushed him back. For the first time, the Keep delayed. He stumbled, his expression twisting in pain.

Evelyn pressed forward. She was winning.

Then….it happened.

 The Shocking Betrayal

A sharp pain erupted in Evelyn's side. She gasped, staggering backward. A blade slick with her blood was buried deep in her ribs.

She turned, her vision blurring.

And there he was.

Damien.

His hands trembled around the handle of the dagger, his face a mask of horror.

Evelyn's breath caught in her throat. "Damien…?"

He stepped back, eyes wide, as if he couldn't believe what he had done. "I—I had no choice."

Pain exploded through Evelyn's body, her strength draining. The Keep's laughter echoed around them, dark and victorious.

She fell to her knees, blood pooling beneath her.

Was this how it ended?

Everything blurred. The battlefield, the screams, the fight…it all faded. The last thing Evelyn saw was the cold, triumphant smile of the Keep.

And then…darkness.

 ….Continue….