Hazel stirred in the tangled sheets, her body slick with sweat, as if she had been running through endless nightmares. Her eyes fluttered open, swollen and red-rimmed from tears shed in sleep. The memories had crashed over her like a tidal wave—every fragment of her past life as Ruelle, the betrayals, the illusions, the curse she had cast in manipulated fury. And beneath it all, the deeper truth of her goddess essence, the ancient sibling rivalry that had birthed demons and vampires alike.
Beside her, Primus lay awake, his crimson eyes fixed on the canopy above. Their hands had remained intertwined through the night, a simple act that had bridged their minds, allowing him to witness the flood of revelations alongside her. He pulled her close now, his arms a fortress against the storm raging in her heart.
"I never knew they were behind all this," he murmured, voice low and edged with quiet fury. Morwen and Tobias—the architects of the deception that had torn Ruelle and him apart centuries ago.
Hazel buried her face in his chest, sobs wracking her frame. "I'm sorry, Lucian. I was a fool—I cursed you, bound you in that darkness…"
"Hush now, Hazel," he whispered, stroking her ginger hair. "It's in the past. Let's focus on revenge—on every soul who played a part."
She nodded against him, wiping her tears. "We have so many enemies now. But we'll fight this together."
He kissed her forehead, holding her until her breathing steadied. The palace awaited them, but for this moment, they were simply two souls bound by love and loss, ready to reclaim what had been stolen.
──
Far from the sunlit palace, in a realm where light dared not tread, Morwen, Tobias, and Lucas stirred from unconsciousness. Their bodies ached as if they had been hurled through a tempest, heads pounding with disorientation. The last thing they remembered was the chaos of the failed ambush—the wizards combusting in a gore-soaked nightmare, the portal Lucas had conjured ripping open like a wound in reality. They had leaped through it, expecting escape to a safe haven in the northern wilds.
But something had gone wrong.
Lucas's spell, fueled by dark magic and haste, had been intercepted—warped by an unseen force far more ancient and powerful. As the portal swallowed them, invisible threads of demonic energy had latched on, redirecting the rift. Instead of emerging in familiar forests, they had been spat out into Vael—the realm of demons and eternal darkness, a parallel world tethered to Earth but forever severed by divine curses. Esther, the Goddess of Darkness, had sensed their desperation through the ether, her scrying eyes catching the flicker of their escape. With a flick of her will, she had hijacked the portal, pulling them into her domain like flies into a web.
Now, they awoke on cold, obsidian floors in a chamber with walls of jagged black stone that seemed to absorb what little light there was. Vael was a twisted mirror of Earth—no sun ever rose here, the sky an endless void of swirling shadows punctuated by distant, flickering red stars like dying embers. The air was thick, humid, laced with the sulfurous stench of brimstone and decay. Towering spires of dark crystal pierced the landscape outside, casting eerie reflections that distorted reality. Hideous creatures roamed the realm—demons with leathery wings, twisted horns, and skin like charred leather, their eyes glowing with malevolent hunger. Rivers of molten lava snaked through barren wastelands, and forests of thorned trees whispered curses to any who dared approach. It was a kingdom of perpetual twilight, where beauty twisted into grotesquery, and power was measured in suffering.
Morwen groaned, pushing herself up, her elegant gown torn and soiled. Tobias blinked groggily beside her, while Lucas rubbed his temples, muttering incantations that fizzled uselessly in the oppressive air.
"You are awake," a gravelly voice rumbled.
They looked up to see guards encircling them—hulking demons with curved horns sprouting from their foreheads like cruel crowns, skin mottled gray and red, eyes burning like coals. Their armor was forged from blackened metal etched with runes that pulsed faintly, and they carried spears tipped with jagged obsidian.
"The queen will like to see you," the lead guard—Judas—intoned, his voice like cracking stone. He was taller than the others, with ram-like horns curling back from his skull and fangs that protruded over his lower lip.
"Where is this place?" Morwen demanded, her voice trembling despite her attempt at authority. Everyone here looked so hideous—deformed, monstrous, their forms a perversion of humanity and beast alike. Fear clawed at her gut; this was no earthly realm.
Judas only gestured with his spear. "Move."
They were marched through twisting corridors of the same dark stone, the walls veined with glowing red fissures that emitted heat like open wounds. The ground vibrated faintly, as if the realm itself breathed with malevolent life. Screams echoed distantly—tormented souls or prisoners, it was impossible to tell. The air grew heavier, pressing down like an invisible weight, and shadows seemed to move of their own accord, whispering indecipherable taunts.
Finally, they entered the throne room of Vael—a vast cavern of opulent horror. Towering pillars carved like writhing serpents supported a ceiling lost in darkness, from which hung chandeliers of bone and crystal that emitted a sickly red glow. The floor was polished obsidian, reflecting the occupants like a mirror of blood. At the far end, upon thrones of twisted black iron adorned with rubies like fresh wounds, sat Esther and Vespir.
Shock rippled through Morwen, Tobias, and Lucas. Amid the hideousness of Vael, these two were beacons of unearthly beauty. Esther was the epitome of allure—her long black hair cascaded like liquid night, framing a straight, beautifully slim face with high cheekbones and full lips curved in a knowing smile. Her skin was flawless white, almost luminescent, and her figure was lithe yet commanding, with straight, elegant legs visible beneath the slits of her black royal robe. Jewelry adorned her in excess—necklaces of dark gems, bracelets that clinked like chains of fate, rings that caught the red light and threw it back like fire. She exuded pride, her emerald eyes—eerily similar to Hazel's—scanning them with amusement.
Beside her sat Vespir, a beautiful man in his own right. His dark long hair fell in waves to his shoulders, framing a pale face with sharp, aristocratic features and piercing blue eyes. His body was built like a warrior-god—broad shoulders, defined muscles visible beneath his matching black royal robe. A crown of obsidian spikes rested on his head, and he lounged with graceful menace, one hand resting possessively on Esther's arm.
Morwen and Tobias couldn't stop staring, admiration mingling with awe. Even Lucas gaped. Esther noticed, her smile widening with evident pleasure. Low lives, she thought disdainfully. But useful ones. They stare like moths to flame—let them burn in admiration.
"Welcome to Vael, the realm of demons and darkness," Esther said, her voice silky and commanding, like velvet wrapped around a blade. "You must be wondering why you are here. I am Esther, Goddess of Darkness. Elizabeth is my sister—I mean the one you call Hazel. I have been searching for my sister for centuries, but two days ago, I felt her power awaken."
Morwen's eyes widened. Tobias exchanged a glance with Lucas, confusion turning to calculation.
Esther leaned forward, jewels clinking softly. "Both of you are her enemies, so that is why you will help me get her. Even if I'm a goddess, I am no match for my sister—she controls everything on Earth and is the Queen Mother of Witches. I need to bring her to my realm to kill her. I was cursed by her not to enter Earth. You will help me get her necklace and bring her here. I will reward you with more powers and help you gain the throne from Primus. Even if he's a direct descendant of Vespir, he doesn't bow to him—so he is an enemy."
She waved a hand dismissively, as if they were mere tools to be set aside. Vespir chimed in, his voice deep and resonant. "You must rest now. We will tell you how to get her after you have rested. Failure isn't allowed in this realm."
The guards led them away, leaving Esther and Vespir alone on their thrones. The Goddess of Darkness smiled to herself. Soon, sister. Soon, your light will be mine.