Chloe held her arm tight, her face full of pain. The black veins spread across her skin like fire crawling under her flesh.“Chloe! Stay still,” Axel said, grabbing her arm. His hands burned as soon as he touched the mark. He cried out and pulled away, his skin smoking.“Don’t touch me!” Chloe shouted, tears falling. “It hurts too much!”Axel shook his head, his eyes full of fear. “I can’t let this take you. I can’t lose you, Chloe.”The Keeper stood nearby, his voice cold. “This is the bond of rivals. Mason cannot rise unless what Axel loves most is broken.”Chloe gasped, looking from the Keeper to Axel. “What does that mean?”The Keeper’s eyes glowed white. “It means you are the key. Mason feeds on your pain. If you fall, Axel falls.”Axel clenched his fists. “No. I won’t let Mason win. He can’t have her.”The Keeper shook his head slowly. “It is already written.”Above, Sophia pushed open the freezer door with all her strength. Her body shook from the cold. She stumbled into the ha

The sword glowed bright in Lena’s hands. She swung it with all her strength, and each strike cut deep into Damian’s monstrous body. His skin burned, smoke rose from the wounds, and he let out a terrible roar.“Keep hitting him, Lena!” Ethan shouted, his voice full of fear.“I can’t stop!” Lena cried. The sword seemed alive. Every time she swung it, she felt pain rush through her arms. Blood dripped from her hands where the sword bit into her skin. The weapon was not just fighting Damian—it was feeding on her.Damian staggered back, his body shaking. “You think this sword can end me?” he hissed, his voice low but full of rage.Lena screamed as she swung one final time. The sword cut through Damian’s chest. His body cracked, split, and then fell into ash. His scream turned into laughter, echoing around them even though he was gone.Ethan rushed to Lena and grabbed her arms. “Drop it, Lena! Drop the sword!”“I can’t,” Lena whispered, shaking her head. Her hands were stuck to the hilt as

Axel fell hard on the cold stone floor. His chest ached. His heart felt like it was breaking into pieces. Betrayal was heavier than the sword that once guarded his people.He looked up with weak eyes and saw Sophia standing over him. Her lips curved into a cruel smile.“You are weak,” Sophia said. Her voice was sharp like a blade. “You are not fit to rule. You never were.”Axel’s eyes shook. “Sophia… why?” His voice cracked.Mason stepped closer. His smirk showed his pride. He placed a hand on Sophia’s shoulder as if she now belonged to him.“She made the right choice,” Mason said. “She chose strength. She chose me.”Sophia leaned into Mason, laughing, but her laughter echoed darkly in the chamber. The torches flickered as if even the flames feared her.Yet not everyone laughed.Chloe’s body trembled. Her face was pale, her lips quivered. She held her stomach, and a scream almost escaped her throat. The curse inside her was tearing her apart.“I… I can’t…” Chloe gasped. Her body bent

Axel dropped to his knees beside Chloe. Her body shook as the black fire spread across her chest. The flames licked her skin, but instead of screaming, her eyes glowed with the same cursed light Axel carried inside him.“No… no, Chloe,” Axel whispered, his voice breaking. He reached for her trembling hand.Chloe looked at him, her lips pale. “It burns… but I feel you inside it. Axel… what’s happening to me?”Before Axel could answer, the Keeper’s deep voice echoed through the broken chamber.“It is done,” the Keeper declared. His shadowy form loomed tall. “The bond is sealed. Your fates are tied. If one of you falls, the other will follow. Death will not come to one without the other.”Axel froze. His heart dropped. He stared at Chloe, then back at the Keeper. “What did you do?!”The Keeper’s cold eyes did not blink. “Love has chained you, warrior. She burns with your curse. Now she is bound to you forever.”Across the chamber, Sophia stood with her cruel smile. Her lips curled as sh

Chloe walked beside Mason through the damp tunnels. Her legs shook with every step, but Mason’s steady hand near hers kept her from falling. The air was cold and heavy. The walls dripped water. Every sound echoed like ghosts following them.“Don’t be afraid,” Mason whispered, his voice close to her ear.“I am not afraid,” Chloe said quickly, though her voice betrayed her.Mason smiled, slow and calm. “Axel is too weak, Chloe. He hides from the curse. He fears it. But you… You are strong enough to use it.”Chloe stopped walking for a moment. “I don’t want the curse. It burns inside me. I feel it eating me alive.”Mason turned and placed his hand gently over hers. “It does not eat you. It obeys you. Feel it, Chloe. The black fire belongs to you.”The dark flame flickered on her palm. It grew brighter under his touch, twisting and dancing in the tunnel. Chloe gasped. “No… Mason, stop… I can’t…”“You can,” Mason whispered again. His eyes locked into hers, deep and dark. “You only need me