The Crimson Awakening

Thunder cracked across the skies as Selena and Dante emerged from the collapsing temple, the scent of scorched stone clinging to their clothes. The air still vibrated with the lingering echoes of ancient magic, and the weight of what they'd unleashed—or bound—settled heavily on their shoulders.

Selena's steps faltered. She leaned against Dante, her body trembling from the aftershock of channeling the Core's energy. The glyphs burned faintly on her skin, etched like molten tattoos from a forgotten language.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Dante asked, voice low but urgent.

"I don't know," she admitted, wincing. "It still feels like it's inside me. Waiting."

He placed a hand on her cheek. "You held it back. That counts for something."

"But at what cost?" she whispered. "What if I'm no better than Lorenzo?"

Dante shook his head. "You're nothing like him. He gave himself to the darkness. You resisted it."

She wanted to believe that, but the image in the mirror—the version of herself with wings of shadow—haunted her. "What if one day, I stop resisting?"

He didn't answer. Instead, he wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly as the mountain wind howled around them.

They made their way down the winding path, leaving the Temple of Ashes behind. Waiting for them at the base of the mountain was a black SUV—one of Dante's men, Enzo, at the wheel.

"Get in," Enzo called, eyes scanning their surroundings. "We need to get you two off the radar."

They drove through the night, winding down through dead forests and forgotten roads. Selena leaned against the window, watching the blur of trees pass by. Her thoughts swirled like the storm clouds overhead.

"Where are we going?" she finally asked.

"There's a safehouse on the coast," Dante replied. "No one knows about it. Not even Lorenzo—if he's still alive."

Selena turned to him. "You don't think he's really gone."

"No," Dante admitted. "That kind of power doesn't die easily. You wounded him, maybe even sent him back into the Core. But he'll claw his way out."

"Then we need a plan."

He gave a grim nod. "We'll find one. But first, you need rest."

They reached the safehouse by dawn. It was a stone manor perched on a cliff, waves crashing violently below. Inside, the scent of salt and aged wood greeted them.

Selena collapsed onto the bed in one of the guest rooms, exhaustion overtaking her. Dante watched her for a moment, as if debating whether to leave.

"Stay," she murmured, eyes already closing.

He slipped into the bed beside her, and for a few hours, the world was silent.

---

When Selena awoke, the sun was high. For once, it warmed her skin instead of chilling it.

She stepped outside onto the balcony, the ocean stretching endlessly before her. Waves thundered against the rocks—wild and untamed. Like the thing inside her.

Dante joined her, two mugs in hand. He handed her one. "Coffee. Strong."

She sipped, savoring the heat. "Thanks."

"I called a contact in Greece. There's a monastery that claims to have knowledge about the Core."

She arched a brow. "Let me guess. Another cursed ruin filled with traps and riddles?"

His lips twitched into a rare smile. "Most likely."

She set the mug down. "Then let's go."

"Selena—"

"I'm not going to sit around waiting for Lorenzo to strike again. We need answers. We need to understand what this bond between us really means."

He nodded slowly. "Then we move at sunset."

---

That evening, they took a private jet to Athens, then a helicopter to the cliffs of Meteora. The monastery loomed ahead, perched impossibly high atop stone pillars. They climbed in silence, Selena's thoughts racing.

Inside, they were greeted by a weathered monk named Elias. His eyes lingered on the glyphs on her arms.

"You carry the mark," he said softly.

Selena nodded. "Can you help us understand it?"

He led them into a candlelit chamber filled with ancient scrolls and relics. "The Core is older than language. It's not just a source of power—it's a living force. It binds. It feeds. It remembers."

Dante asked, "How do we destroy it?"

"You don't," Elias replied. "You contain it. With balance. One soul cannot hold it without losing themselves. But two..." He looked at them. "Two who are bound might share the burden."

Selena frowned. "So our bond... it's not just a curse. It's a safeguard."

"In a way. But it must be strengthened. Tested."

"How?"

"There is a trial," Elias said. "An ancient rite in the caves below. You must enter together. Face what the Core shows you. If you emerge... your bond will be sealed. If not..."

He didn't finish.

Selena looked at Dante. "Are you ready for this?"

He took her hand. "With you? Always."

Together, they descended into the dark.

Whatever waited for them in the depths—they would face it not as cursed souls, but as warriors.

As one.