CHAPTER 16 The Battle of the North I

The wind howled through the frozen corridors of the North, rattling the frost-kissed panes of Evelyne's chamber. Snow clung to the sill, painting the world in white silence. But amidst the quiet, a sound cut through the distinct rustle of wings.

The raven had come.

It perched solemnly on the arched window, feathers darker than night itself, eyes glinting with a strange sentience.

Evelyne met its gaze, heart pounding but unflinching. Her thoughts echoed with one resolute truth: No more deaths. No more sacrifices. If blood must be spilled, let it be mine.

As if summoned by that vow, the air warped.

The temperature dropped sharply, frost crawling across the stone floor like living veins. The shadows in her chamber deepened, lengthened, until one no, the shadow pulled itself free from the others.

The shadow had arrived.

It did not slither or crawl, nor did it emerge with fury or sound. It simply was, standing tall at the far end of the room like an ancient specter awakening from a slumber. Slowly, the darkness shaped into form, unveiling itself to Evelyne's eyes for the first time.

He—no, it—had the form of a man draped in robes woven from void itself. Ethereal, and yet substantial. Every fold of its cloak shimmered like the night sky; stars blinked faintly in the fabric of its being.

Its face was a pale, moonlit mask smooth, ageless, and devoid of features, save for two crescent-shaped hollows where eyes should have been, burning with a sorrow too vast to name. Horns like crescent moons spiraled back from its head, curling through strands of shadowy hair that flowed like black silk in a wind that wasn't there.

Behind it, enormous wings stretched wide feathers iridescent and shifting, like oil on water. One wing was flawless. The other, torn and bloodied, as if ravaged by battle or betrayal.

Evelyne stepped forward, trembling but sure. Her eyes did not waver.

"You protect me," she whispered,

"but you bring death to those I love. I won't let it happen again."

The shadow did not speak, yet the room trembled with its presence ancient and immense. Its gaze pierced through her, not with malice, but with sorrow. It mourned. But not for her for itself.

With trembling fingers, Evelyne unsheathed the ceremonial dagger from her desk drawer. The same blade used in royal oaths, in offerings to gods long abandoned.

"I offer you my blood," she said. "Not theirs. Mine."

Without hesitation, she dragged the blade across her palm. Crimson bloomed against pale skin, the scent of iron filling the air. She stepped closer to the shadowed being, letting the blood drip onto the icy floor between them.

The shadow shuddered.

The shadow moved at last gliding forward, silent as breath. It knelt before her, impossibly graceful. Its wings lowered in reverence. The air vibrated as it extended one of its shadowy hands toward her bleeding palm but stopped just short of touching her.

And then Evelyne saw it.

A vision. Flashes. Memories that weren't hers.

A woman with hair like fire and a crown of tears Queen Lysandra kneeling before the shadow, her hands also bleeding. A pact made under a blood moon.

Chains forged of grief, wrapped around the shadow's wings. A betrayal. A stolen memory. A name once spoken in reverence, now forgotten.And her. Evelyne. Bound to that ancient pain.

The shadow did not want to kill. It was not a harbinger of death by choice. It was cursed, just as she was. And now, perhaps for the first time in centuries, it was being given a choice.

Evelyne's blood glowed faintly in the shadow's presence, threads of silver weaving through crimson. Her voice, firm and unwavering, rang clear in the still chamber:

"I give you this blood not as a command, but as a pact. Let me be your vessel. Spare the ones I love. Let me carry the curse, if curse it must be."

He didn't speak. One hand, formed of glistening dusk and smoke, reached out and gently touched her cheek. Cold. Ancient. Yet careful like a sorrowful apology spoken in silence.

Evelyne's throat tightened, but she did not flinch.

The shadow turned his head toward the broken window. The air stirred violently. Snow swept in.

He raised one long finger, pointing outward, toward the chaos unraveling beyond the manor walls.

Kaelen.

He was outside.

Evelyne rushed to the window, heart pounding.

There, under a fractured sky, Kaelen stood amid burning trees and shattered stone. His robes, once pristine, now hung in tatters. In his hands, a pulsing relic of onyx and blue fire the Dominion of Echoes radiated corruption.

A twisted aura flickered around him as Eastern soldiers poured into the estate, wielding the strange symbols of awakened magic. The protective seal Acheron once summoned was cracking breaking.

"No," Evelyne breathed, her hand trembling on the sill. "Why are you showing me this? Why Kaelen?"

Behind her, the shadow pointed again.

At Kaelen.

Then at the stone.

Then back again.

A voice not spoken, but pressed into her mind like wind between leaves brushed her thoughts:

"It belongs to me."

Evelyne turned sharply. "What…?"

But The shadow only looked back toward Kaelen, his expression unreadable beneath the shadows.

His final gesture was simple he pointed to Kaelen again, just as the Dominion of Echoes flared in Kaelen's hand and lashed out like a blade of searing light, cutting through a battalion of Northern soldiers.

He was using it unleashing it.

The seal protecting the manor finally shattered.

The Eastern army surged.

Evelyne's breath caught.

"Kaelen… "

The voice came again, soft and ancient, whispering like leaves caught in mourning wind:

"He awakened it… but it was never meant for him."

And Evelyne, blood still dripping from her hand, realized the truth

The Dominion of Echoes wasn't Kaelen's weapon.

It was the shadow's memory. His pact. His prison.

And now, its stolen power was being used to destroy everything it once protected.

The manor screamed beneath the strain of shattered seals. Ancient sigils flickered and died like dying stars, and blood-soaked snow painted the once-holy grounds in crimson swirls. Screams echoed beyond the walls soldiers of the North falling to the onslaught of Eastern magic.

Evelyne ran through the splintered corridors, her hand still bleeding, the scent of iron thick on her skin. The Dominion's pull echoed through her bones, a pulse of dread calling her forward.

She found him in the ruin of the eastern courtyard.

Kaelen stood at the heart of it all cloaked in flame and ruin. The Dominion of Echoes pulsed in his grip, its glow no longer blue but a deep, violent violet. Tendrils of shadow licked his arms like serpents, threading up his neck and into his eyes. And those eyes… they were no longer his.

"Kaelen!" Evelyne's voice was sharp with disbelief.

"Stop this! You're destroying everything!"

He turned slowly, as if the world around him were beneath notice.

A cruel smile curled his lips. "Finally. I was hoping you'd come."

She took a cautious step forward, heart pounding. "You need to let go of the stone. It doesn't belong to you. It's corrupting you."

"No." His voice dropped into something darker.

"It's showing me clarity. For the first time, I see the truth. You're the curse, Evelyne. You always have been."

Her breath caught. "What…?"

"You're a blight draped in roses," Kaelen hissed.

"Men die around you. Kingdoms rot. Everyone loves you and they all fall. Why should I be any different?"

Pain slashed through her chest, sharper than any blade.

"You think I wanted this curse? That I wanted any of them to die?"

"I think you liked being their tragedy. Their broken angel. But I won't be your next martyr."

Kaelen raised the Dominion of Echoes.

"I won't be another corpse at your feet, Evelyne."

She barely had time to throw herself behind a ruined pillar as a blast of corrupted magic ripped through the air, splitting stone like parchment. The ground shook beneath her as a second wave slammed into the earth, scattering embers and snow.

Kaelen's voice echoed across the courtyard, dripping venom.

"You were never meant to rule. You were never meant to live. The East will rise from your ashes."

stone at the heart of the courtyard pulsed with eerie light, its ancient sigils glowing as it summoned monstrous beasts from the earth twisted creatures of rock and shadow that began to encircle the manor.

Inside, chaos erupted.

"Everyone hide!"

the headmistress shouted, her voice sharp as she ushered the staff and students to safety. The manor's walls trembled as the enemy soldiers burst in, blades flashing.

Rinna shielded the two small children behind her, her breath ragged as she pushed them toward a concealed corridor. Screams echoed down the halls. Servants fell slashed down where they stood. Even the loyal butler collapsed, a blade in his side.

"Evelyne!" Riven called out, panic in his voice.

Syrin turned and saw riven sprinting toward the east wing. Without hesitation, she chased after him

Rinna moved to follow, but a soldier stepped into her path and shoved her to the ground. Dirt smeared her cheek as she turned just in time to see the soldier raise his blade—

A cold laugh cut through the chaos.

The soldier jerked backward, blood blooming from his throat as Severin appeared behind him, sword dripping.

The soldier's head snapped back, his lifeless body collapsing beside her, throat cleanly severed.

"Well, well. Saving maidens now, am I?" Severin stepped over the corpse, his sword dripping red. He offered Rinna a cocky smirk. "You should thank me properly."

Rinna shoved his leg in fury. "Idiot! The children!" She stood and smacked him hard across the shoulder. "Save them, you arrogant snake!"

Severin raised a brow. "They ran after their mother, it seems," he said, glancing toward the east wing with a grin. "Adorable."

Rinna slapped his arm, eyes blazing. "Stop joking and go! Save them!"

His smirk faltered just slightly, gaze sharpening. "You stay here and stay alive."

He dashed off before she could respond, his coat trailing behind him like a shadow. The manor groaned around him, the walls trembling from distant clashes.

Reaching the east wing, Severin halted.

The corridor was silent. Shattered glass glinted on the floor, and torn curtains flapped wildly in the wind. His eyes scanned the room then narrowed. Moonlight poured through shattered windows, casting long shadows on the floor. At the far end, he found Syrin standing motionless, clutching Evelyne's torn robe in his tiny hands, eyes fixed out the broken window.

No sign of Evelyne.

"Where is she and riven?" Severin hissed as he rushed over, grabbing Syrin by the arm. The child looked up at him, pale and shaken, lips trembling.

thunder of armored boots echoed behind them. Soldiers were closing in.

Severin didn't hesitate. He knelt, scooped up Syrin into his arms. The little girl clutched Evelyne's torn robe to her chest, eyes wide with fear, but didn't resist.

"We're leaving," he muttered. "No arguments."

She nodded mutely, curling into him as he bolted down the corridor.

The manor was a hellscape flames licking the ceiling, shadows moving unnaturally, the air thick with the stench of blood and scorched stone. Beasts summoned by the Dominion Stone howled in the distance.

Severin ducked into a side passage, leaping over a fallen candelabra. The narrow servant corridor gave them a slim advantage a way to reach the back of the manor unseen.

"Close your eyes, little dove," he murmured as they reached a hidden exit.

"You don't need these nightmares in your head."

Syrin did as tell, burying her face into his shoulder.

Snow flurried outside, stark white against the darkness consuming the manor. The stone beasts roamed freely now, some tearing through the garden walls, others hunting through the main halls.

Severin moved low, fast, his breath misting in the cold air.

He paused behind a broken column in the courtyard. Two soldiers passed near, dragging a struggling maid. Syrin whimpered, but Severin whispered,

"Shhh," his voice like silk over a blade.

"We save who we can. But we don't die for nothing."

Once the way cleared, he sprinted again, boots crunching the snow. Then he saw it

Evelyne collapsed to her knees in the bloodstained snow, shielding Riven with her trembling body.

Her gown was soaked scarlet at the side, her breathing shallow, her arms curled protectively around the child. Riven whimpered, eyes wide, clutching at her torn sleeve.

Looming above them was Kaelen, arm raised, the Dominion Stone blazing red with dark energy. His face twisted with purpose, cold and merciless.

"She was never meant to live," he hissed.

"Not with that blood."

"NO—!" Severin roared, lunging forward.

But it was too late.

A beast massive and horned, conjured by the Dominion itself slammed between him and Evelyne. Two soldiers joined the attack, blades raised.

Steel clashed. Severin twisted, blocked, ducked. The beast roared and lunged again, forcing him back. He could see Evelyne. He could see the stone glowing above her. But he couldn't reach her.

Not in time.

Kaelen's hand began to descend aiming straight for Evelyne's heart.

Then—

A spear pierced the snow.

It landed between Kaelen and Evelyne, quivering with force. The impact cracked the frozen ground, and the red light in Kaelen's hand flickered.

A sharp wind tore through the battlefield.

From the treeline, hoofbeats thundered.

A figure in dark armor burst from the woods astride a colossal black stag its antlers crowned in frost, eyes glowing like blue fire.

Acheron Vale.

His cloak flared behind him, silver-lined and ragged at the hem. His sword gleamed with northern runes, the steel humming with ancient power.

Flanking him were two colossal wolves' mythical beasts, known only in legend.

One was Nyx, sleek and obsidian with silver-tipped fur, its sapphire eyes cutting through the storm.

The other was Varro, scarred and storm-gray, larger, with molten gold eyes and a presence like a crashing avalanche.

Riding alongside them was Dain, armored in black and fur, his halberd gripped tight, his expression carved from stone. 

The North had come.

Severin froze just long enough to catch his breath, lips curling into a bloody smirk.

"Took your time," he muttered.

"But damn—what an entrance."

Kaelen stepped back, caught off-guard by the sheer force bearing down on him.

Acheron didn't pause.

He leapt from his stag mid-charge, landing between Kaelen and Evelyne with blade already drawn. Sparks burst from the clash as steel met stone-born magic.

The ground quaked. Snow blasted upward in the shockwave.

Nyx and Varro barreled past the flanks, wolves tearing through soldiers and beasts alike. Dain struck with silent fury, his halberd cleaving through summoned horrors with brutal precision.

Kaelen snarled. "These changes nothing—"

Acheron's blade surged with frost. "It changes everything."

And behind the shield of war and shadow, Severin rushed to Evelyne's side, falling to his knees. He gathered her into his arms as Riven clung tightly.

"She's still breathing," Severin murmured, voice tight. "But barely."

Riven sobbed. "She saved me."

"I know, kid." He pulled Evelyne closer. "She always does."

The forest held its breath.

The snow had stopped mid-fall, suspended like stars caught between moments. The wind stilled. The clash of soldiers faded to the edge of hearing.

Only two remained at the center of it all.

Acheron Vale, standing firm, blade drawn, the northern runes along its edge glowing with cold light.

Kaelen, robed in black, the Dominion Stone hovering above his palm, bleeding crimson power into the air like smoke.

"You shouldn't have come," Kaelen snarled, his eyes burning.

"You of all people… the cursed son of the North."

"I didn't come to talk," Acheron replied coldly.

He struck first.

Their blades met with a thunderous crash steel against dark energy, frost against flame. The force of the blow sent shockwaves through the ground, cracking the earth beneath their feet. Trees splintered around them, ancient roots torn from the soil.

Kaelen retaliated fast, drawing on the Dominion. Red tendrils lashed out like whips, seeking to bind Acheron's arms. Acheron rolled, slashing through the magic mid-air. Ice formed in his wake, the ground freezing beneath his boots with every step.

"You think her blood makes her worth saving?" Kaelen spat, hurling a bolt of corrupted energy. "She is the curse!"

"She is not the curse," Acheron snapped, blade raised.

"She's what stands between us and the end."

Kaelen's rage erupted he slammed his hand to the ground. The Dominion pulsed.

A monstrous construct burst from the snow an armored specter formed of black stone and corrupted bone. It lunged at Acheron.

But the North had never raised cowards.

Acheron surged forward, sidestepped the beast, and in one fluid motion drove his blade into its core. The runes along the sword flared, and the creature shattered in a blast of ice.

Kaelen screamed in fury. "I will end her! I will break the stone! Break the kingdom! Break you!"

"You talk too much," Acheron said flatly.

Kaelen charged this time, the Dominion surging like a bleeding star in his hand. They collided again, the entire battlefield rumbling beneath them. Magic exploded outward red lightning crackling across the skies, while icy winds tore through the trees, flaying bark from trunks.

For every strike Kaelen made, Acheron matched him. For every dark spell cast, Acheron answered with raw, ancient might the kind only wielded by the chosen bloodline of the North.

Kaelen tried to overpower him, pressing the Dominion close to Acheron's chest.

"You don't even know what she is, do you?" he whispered, desperate and wild.

"What she'll become?"

"I don't need to know," Acheron growled, his frost-covered hand grabbing Kaelen's wrist.

"Because I'll be the one standing beside her when the world ends. And you won't even be a memory."

With a roar, he drove his sword upward into Kaelen's chest.

The Dominion Stone pulsed wildly then fractured.

Cracks webbed through it like glass.

Kaelen gasped.

And in that instant, the wind returned.

Time rushed forward again.

Snow fell like a sigh.

Kaelen stumbled backward, blood on his lips. His hand clutched the shattered relic. "This… isn't over…"

"No," Acheron said quietly, lowering his blade.

"But you are."

Kaelen collapsed into the snow.

And the sky above them darkened....