Far away from the forest, beyond the mountains and the cursed lands, the Noctharion Citadel rose like a black crown piercing the sky.
Obsidian towers.
Shadow banners.
Air thick with magic and dread.
In the highest chamber—where no sunlight had ever touched—the Emperor stood before a massive window of cracked crystal, hands clasped behind his back.
His cloak flowed like liquid darkness, and the runes carved into his skin glowed faintly with old, forbidden power.
A kneeling hunter spoke tremblingly.
"Your Majesty… we found the boy."
The Emperor didn't turn.
Instead, his voice drifted like cold smoke.
"Found him… or lost him?"
The hunter swallowed. "We… lost him. But we discovered something more important."
At this, the Emperor finally turned.
His eyes—golden and ancient—glowed with interest.
"Continue."
The hunter hesitated.
Then bowed lower.
"The Shadow Experiment… has bonded with a Lightbearer."
Silence.
Complete, suffocating silence.
Then, slowly…
A smile spread across the Emperor's face.
Not warm.
Not human.
A predator's smile.
"Impossible," he whispered. "Shadow and Light cannot coexist. They destroy each other."
The hunter shook his head quickly. "Not this time, Your Majesty. The girl wields Luminara magic—possibly of royal Aurelia bloodline."
The Emperor stepped closer.
"And the boy lives?"
"Yes."
"And the girl?"
"She lives too."
A low, amused chuckle escaped the Emperor's throat.
"Fascinating."
He placed a hand on the hunter's shoulder.
"You have done well."
The hunter exhaled in relief—
—until shadows erupted from the Emperor's hand, piercing straight through his chest.
The hunter didn't even scream.
He simply shattered—turning to ash that scattered across the throne room floor.
The Emperor stared at the drifting ash, whispering:
"Shadow and Light… bound as one.
This world hasn't seen such a thing in thousands of years."
His golden eyes narrowed.
"Bring the girl to me.
Kill the boy if necessary."
Back in the mountains
Kael awoke to soft breathing against his chest.
Lira was curled beside him, fingers lightly tangled in his shirt. Her hair brushed his jaw. Her warmth soaked into him, easing the aching cold inside his bones.
For a moment, Kael didn't move.
He had never woken up like this.
Not in peace.
Not in warmth.
Not in someone's arms.
It terrified him.
He slowly lifted his hand… letting his fingers hover near Lira's cheek.
But he didn't touch.
He didn't dare.
Then—
Lira's eyelashes fluttered.
She opened her eyes.
Kael snatched his hand away instantly, looking aside as if pretending he wasn't watching her.
Lira blinked at him, confused, groggy.
"Morning…?" she whispered softly.
Kael grunted. "Still night."
"Oh…" She yawned sleepily—then froze.
Her face changed.
"Kael… something's wrong."
He stiffened immediately. "What?"
Lira placed a hand over her heart.
"It feels… different. Like something is inside me."
She looked at Kael. "Is that because of the bond?"
Kael hesitated.
Then nodded.
Lira's eyes widened slightly.
"What does it mean?"
Kael looked away again. "It means your life is tied to mine. My shadows protect your heart now. If I die—"
She cut him off gently. "I know."
A pause.
A long one.
Then Lira lifted her hand and touched Kael's cheek.
He froze completely.
Her touch sent a strange pulse through both of them—like a warm heartbeat moving between two souls.
"Kael…" she whispered. "Is something wrong with you too?"
Kael swallowed.
He felt it.
The bond's pull.
Her emotions brushing against his.
Her heartbeat echoing faintly in his chest.
Her warmth seeping into the cold places inside him.
He had never felt so exposed.
"…I'm fine," he said shortly.
Lira frowned. "You don't look fine."
Kael didn't answer.
Because he felt something else—
A burning behind his ribs.
A familiar ache he couldn't name.
Lira suddenly winced.
Kael grabbed her wrist instantly. "What is it? Where does it hurt?"
She shook her head weakly. "It's… not pain. It's your emotions."
Kael stared. "…What?"
She touched her chest. "I can feel you. Your fear. Your anger. Your… sadness."
Kael jerked back like she had struck him.
"No," he growled. "You can't."
But she nodded.
"I can."
Kael looked away, shadows rippling violently under his skin.
This was the part he feared.
The bond wasn't just life-for-life.
It was emotion-for-emotion.
If she could feel him…
Then she would feel everything.
His pain.
His darkness.
His memories.
His hunger to kill.
His trauma.
His nightmares.
And one day…
she would be crushed beneath the weight of it.
Lira touched his hand again.
Her voice was small, but steady.
"It doesn't scare me."
He stared at her, disbelieving.
"You don't understand," he said. "My darkness will consume you."
Lira shook her head. "No. It won't."
"Lira," he snapped. "You don't know what I am."
"Yes, I do."
She leaned forward, pressing her forehead against his.
"You're Kael."
His breath caught.
For a moment, the shadows stilled.
Then—
A crashing sound echoed from outside the cave.
Kael's head snapped up.
Footsteps. Heavy. Too heavy for human.
A low rumble shook the rocks.
Lira whispered, trembling, "Kael… what is that?"
Kael stepped in front of her instantly, eyes glowing red again.
"Not hunters."
A deeper snarl echoed.
A monstrous growl.
The mountain floor shook.
Kael narrowed his eyes.
"…something worse."