---
A cold mist shrouded the path leading to the Astoria Temple, the dark night as deep as the cloaks of the ancient gods. My footsteps echoed on the mossy ground, every breath like the cries of spirits hiding behind the black trees. Oren walked beside me, his face tense.
"Lady, this place… are you sure we must come tonight?"
I stared at the temple gates at the end of the path—cracked stone pillars, the roof slick with moss glistening beneath the moonlight.
"We have no choice, Oren," I said softly. "This curse… it can only end here."
He swallowed, his eyes filled with doubt.
"Then… we'll face it together."
I nodded, though my heart trembled. This curse had become a shackle in my veins, and I wouldn't let it claim my soul without a fight.
---
As we stepped through the temple gates, the air grew heavier, like thick liquid pressing down on my chest. The rustle of leaves—or perhaps spirits—greeted us. I felt a white spark beneath my skin, the Valeria curse responding to the dark aura of this place.
"Seraphine…" a voice whispered in my mind. "You have come… just as foretold."
I stopped, feeling cold sweat drip down my temples.
"Did you hear that?" I asked Oren.
He squared his shoulders, his hand tight on his sword hilt.
"I feel… something. But I hear nothing."
I knew then—it was only me who could hear the voice of the curse. The voice that had guided me this far—and might yet kill me.
---
We reached the massive black wooden door of the temple. Ancient symbols shimmered faintly in the moonlight. I lifted my hand to touch the carvings. Instantly, heat seared through my skin, burning down to the bone.
"Aaargh…" I staggered, but I didn't pull back my hand.
"Lady!" Oren shouted, trying to pull me away.
"Don't!" I gasped through clenched teeth. "This… is the key they spoke of."
White light pulsed in my veins, and the carvings shivered, as if answering the curse in my blood. The door slowly creaked open, the sound like the howl of a wounded beast.
---
We stepped into the temple. The main hall was vast, lit by flickering red torches. Statues of ancient gods lined the walls, their faces twisted by shadow. In the center of the room, a stone altar stood, draped in dark red cloth.
I stared at the altar.
"This is where they want me to kneel," I murmured. "But I will not do it."
Oren stood behind me, his eyes sharp.
"Are you certain, Lady? They say… this is a rite that cannot be denied."
I turned to him, meeting his gaze.
"This curse… does not belong to them. I will not yield to their games."
---
Footsteps echoed, and I saw Armand emerge from behind a pillar. His black cloak swept the floor, his deep blue eyes studying me with curiosity.
"You have come, Seraphine Valeria," he said softly. "Right on time… just as I always hoped."
I lifted my chin.
"I came to end this, Armand. Not to kneel."
He smiled faintly.
"And you think you can break this curse alone?"
Oren stepped forward, his voice cold.
"She is not alone."
Armand's gaze flicked to Oren, his lips curling in a sneer.
"Ah, the loyal guard. You know what will happen if you stand in the way of this curse, don't you?"
Oren did not flinch.
"I know—and I will protect her, no matter the cost."
---
From the far side of the room, Vivienne appeared. Her black gown shimmered like the night itself, her hair wild and unbound.
"You two look like children playing in sacred ground," she said, her voice sweet but dripping with poison.
I frowned.
"Enough, Vivienne. Tell me what you're really planning."
She stepped closer, her fingers brushing the stone altar.
"This is the temple of the Astoria family—where blood and curses become one. You, Seraphine… you are the perfect bride. Valeria blood and your defiance… it is the key we seek."
My eyes narrowed.
"I am no one's key. I will break this curse—forever."
---
Armand raised his hand, and the symbols on the floor of the altar glowed red. The circle of the curse appeared, slowly spinning like a wheel of fate.
"You cannot run from this, Seraphine," he said softly. "This curse… it can only end here—with your blood."
I felt my pulse quicken, the Valeria curse burning within me.
"If it must end in blood… then let my blood be the end of your game."
Vivienne's eyes gleamed with wild light.
"Then… show us, bride of the curse."
---
The curse circle exploded into red flames, twisting into serpents of magic. I lifted my hand, calling forth the white light from my veins. The Valeria power blazed, clashing against the red fire in a shower of blinding sparks.
The hiss of flame and the roar of magic filled the chamber. The temple pillars shook, dust falling like snow.
Armand watched with an appreciative glint in his eyes.
"Magnificent… you truly are the bride of the curse."
I screamed, pushing the white light harder.
"I am no one's bride!"
---
Suddenly, the shadow of Lucian flashed through my mind. His wicked smile, the venomous kiss that once imprisoned my soul.
*"You will be mine… no matter what you do…"*
I forced the voice away, focusing my thoughts.
"I will not belong to anyone. This curse… I will end it with my own hands."
Oren stood beside me, his sword raised, deflecting flying sparks of magic.
"I'm with you, Lady. Let's finish this—together."
---
The circle of the curse spun faster, an ancient song rising—a language never taught, but flowing in my blood.
*"My blood… your blood… becoming one…"*
I clenched my jaw.
"No. I will break this chain."
My white light grew stronger, merging with the red fire—two curses, two legacies. My body shook, but I held on. I knew… this was my final battle.
---
Vivienne laughed softly.
"You know, Seraphine… this curse doesn't only bind Valeria and Astoria blood. It binds your future… and ours."
I met her gaze, my breath ragged.
"What do you mean?"
She smiled darkly.
"If you succeed in breaking this curse… you will also destroy the Valeria legacy. You will lose everything—including your power."
I fell silent. That was the price… but I would not falter.
---
Armand raised both hands, his magic surging into a vortex of flame. I screamed, my white light blazing blindingly, merging with the collapsing curse circle.
The room shuddered, the floor cracking, pillars crashing down. I felt my body pulled into the maelstrom of light—white and red, pain that split the soul.
I closed my eyes, and in the darkness, I whispered:
"If this must be the end… then let it be the end I choose."
---
As the light faded, I realized I stood alone at the stone altar. Oren lay unconscious nearby, and in front of me—Armand and Vivienne were gone.
Only the voice of the curse whispered in my mind:
*"This fight is not over, Seraphine… and you have just opened a door darker than you ever imagined…"*
I drew a deep breath, clutching the Valeria pendant around my neck. I knew… this curse was far from over.
And I was ready to face the darkness that awaited me.
---
As I stood in the center of the cracked stone altar, the sound of footsteps echoed from the dark hallway behind me. I turned quickly, my heart pounding in my chest.
From the shadows emerged a figure all too familiar—Aldric. His face was pale, his eyes vacant, as if his soul had become lost between worlds.
"Aldric?" My voice trembled.
He stared at me expressionlessly, then slowly lifted his hand, pointing directly at me.
"Seraphine… you must leave," he whispered. "This place… it's not meant for you."
Before I could respond, his body began to fade, like mist carried away by the wind.
"Wait! Aldric!" I ran toward him, but he had already vanished, leaving behind only a suffocating silence.
Oren, who had just regained consciousness, rose and approached. "What happened? Who did you see?"
"Aldric… he was here, but… he disappeared again."
Oren looked at me with concern. "We have to find him. He might be trapped within this curse."
--
I nodded, determination blazing within me. "We'll find him. I won't let anyone else be ensnared by this darkness."
With steady steps, we left the altar, venturing down the dark corridors of the temple, searching for any trace of Aldric—and the answers that lay deeper within this growing mystery.
---