When we reached the spot where we had left Mary, a chill raced down my spine. Blood stained the ground in thick, uneven pools, and the bodies of fallen soldiers were strewn in broken, unnatural positions—throats torn, armor shattered like paper. The metallic stench of death hung heavy in the air.
And there—at the center of the carnage—stood Mary.
Frozen.
Motionless.
She faced a tall male figure whose presence felt like a rip in reality itself. His long black and red hair flowed like smoke in the wind, and his aura radiated a darkness so thick it pressed against my chest like a weight. His eyes—though not yet visible—seemed to hold Mary in place, as if daring her to breathe wrong.
I didn't dare call out.
Something told me… we were already too late.
The silence was suffocating.
Then—he moved.
Not with haste, but with the calm certainty of someone who already knew the outcome. His boots barely made a sound as he stepped forward, stopping just beside Mary. His head tilted slightly, and when he finally spoke, his voice was smooth—almost beautiful—but laced with something ancient and cold beneath the surface.
"So," he said, his gaze never leaving Mary. "This is the girl you were willing to bleed for?"
His eyes slowly lifted toward us, and I felt my breath catch. They were burning—a deep, smoldering red that seemed to see right through bone, through memory, through soul.
"You're late," he added, voice like velvet over a blade. "But don't worry. I've been... patient."
Mary trembled, her fists clenched at her sides, but she didn't speak.
The figure reached out—not with violence, but something worse. Gentle curiosity. A predator playing with the last heartbeat of its prey.
"She has a part of her in her," he said, now staring directly at me. "The same blood. The same fire. I can smell it."
The ground beneath him cracked slightly with each step now, as if the earth itself recoiled from his presence.
"Tell me," he asked, stepping forward, "did Kai send you? Or did you come here thinking you could save someone already marked?"
His voice dropped into a whisper only I could hear—
"Or are you still too blind to see who the real threat is?
His voice slithered under my skin, chilling and familiar in a way that made my stomach twist. Every instinct in me screamed that something was wrong with him—not just dangerous, not just powerful—but wrong, like the kind of nightmare that doesn't fade when you wake up.
As he stepped closer, I could feel the pull of magic in the air—ancient, corrupted, and too tightly wound around him like smoke and fire. My fingers itched toward the hilt of my blade, but even that felt dim compared to his presence.
Who was he?
His hair, the unnatural black and red, shimmered like blood running through darkness. His aura crackled with something… familiar.
No—not familiar to me.
To the blade.
The shard at my side pulsed faintly in warning, as if recognizing him from some long-buried memory.
And then it hit me—he wasn't just powerful. He was tied to the curse. The same curse that destroyed Kai and Sarah's future… the same one that had nearly claimed us in the shattered time-space rift.
But why Mary?
My eyes darted to her—still standing rigid, her face pale, her magic flickering wildly beneath her skin like it was trying to resist him.
Then I saw it.
The glow around her heart.
He wasn't threatening Mary to hurt her. He was trying to awaken something inside her.
Something she hadn't even realized was there.
"She has a part of her in her," he'd said.
Anaria.
No—more than that. Mary wasn't just a descendant or a vessel. She was holding something—maybe even a sealed piece of Anaria's essence.
And he knew.
He wanted it.
He wanted her.
I felt a surge of protectiveness rise in my chest, but also fear—because if he could sense it… and Mary didn't yet understand what she carried…
We were already in the middle of a war that hadn't fully begun.
I couldn't let him get any closer.
Not to Mary.
Not to whatever was locked inside her.
The blade at my side burned faintly, recognizing the rising danger, and I felt a heat ripple through my chest. My fear hardened into something sharper—resolve.
I stepped forward. "Hey!"
His head turned toward me, slow and deliberate. The red in his eyes glowed brighter now, like coals stirred from sleep.
"I don't know who you are," I said, voice strong even as my pulse thundered, "but if you think we're going to stand here and let you use her, you're even more broken than you look."
The air shifted.
His lips twitched into something that wasn't quite a smile—too sharp. "Ah," he purred. "The fire speaks."
He began to walk toward me now, step by slow step, as if I'd intrigued him. The heat of his presence rolled toward me in waves—burning, suffocating, ancient.
"So brave," he murmured. "So loud. Like she was."
I narrowed my eyes. "You're talking about Anaria."
He stopped, the amusement in his expression briefly flickering into something darker. "I knew her long before your timeline bled into this mess," he said. "She once tried to destroy me. Failed, of course. But she left… traces."
His eyes slid toward Mary again. "Little vessels. Scattered across time."
I stepped between them.
He looked back at me, pleased by the challenge. "Ah. So you're her blade's chosen. I can smell its weight on your soul."
I tightened my grip on the blade's hilt. "And you're afraid of it."
That made him pause.
Only for a second.
Then he smiled. "No. Not afraid." His voice dropped to a low whisper, velvet and venom. "Curious."
In that heartbeat of distraction, I saw Mary flinch—her hand twitching at her side, her magic struggling to stabilize, as if my words had shaken something loose.
Good.
That was all I needed.
"Stay away from her," I snapped. "You want someone to fight? Face me."
But just as I stepped forward, blade humming at my side, Mary's voice cracked through the tense silence.
"No."
I froze.
She finally moved—slowly at first, like she was pulling herself out of a dream or a trance. Her eyes were wide, filled with horror… and recognition.
Her lips trembled as she stared at the figure, all the color drained from her face.
"I know you," she whispered.
The man's gaze snapped back to her. His expression, so full of taunting confidence before, softened—only slightly.
Mary took a shaky step forward. "I thought you were dead…"
My breath caught. What?
Her next words felt like thunder splitting the air.
"You're my husband."
The forest stilled. Even the wind seemed to recoil.
Kai, who had been rushing toward us from the far side of the clearing, stopped dead in his tracks.
The man—no, her husband—smiled now. Not cruelly. Not kindly either. Just… knowingly.
"Now you remember," he said, voice almost gentle. "It took long enough."
I stared at Mary, but she wouldn't look at me. Her eyes were locked on his—on the man who moments ago stood like a god of war, surrounded by death, threatening everything.
And now… she was shaking.
"You told me you were gone," she said, voice breaking. "That the rift took you. I waited—"
"And you let them bury the truth," he interrupted. "You ran from your power. From me. And now look at what you've become. Weak. Fragmented."
He reached out a hand, not in threat—but in something far more disturbing.
"Come home, Mary. We still have work to finish."
Mary flinched like he'd struck her.
I stepped forward again, fury building like a storm inside me. "She's not going anywhere with you."
He didn't even glance at me. His eyes were on her, as if I were an insect buzzing at the edge of his world.
But Mary… Mary turned to me now.
And the fear in her eyes was matched only by confusion. "Anna," she whispered, "I didn't know… I don't remember marrying him. I didn't know what I was."
I looked between her and the man—this stranger cloaked in death who somehow used to be her husband—and realized with a cold certainty…
This wasn't just a reunion.
It was the beginning of something far more dangerous.
Mary's breath hitched. She took a half-step back, torn between memory and dread, between love she didn't understand and the terror now gripping her soul.
"I—I don't remember you like this," she whispered. "I don't remember… being yours."
The man—her husband—stared at her for a long, cold moment.
And then his expression changed.
Whatever gentleness had crept into his voice vanished like smoke.
"I know," he said, voice suddenly flat. "That's why you're useless to me now."
Mary's eyes widened. "W-What—?"
Before anyone could move, he struck.
A blur of darkness exploded from his hand—no incantation, no warning. It pierced the space between them like lightning, a twisting spear of red and black energy that struck straight through Mary's chest.
Time seemed to fracture.
The sound of her gasp echoed too loud, too sharp in the clearing.
Her body arched violently as the light inside her flared—then began to flicker. The aura, that once danced around her skin with unstable magic, collapsed inward. Her hands reached out, trembling, trying to grab something that wasn't there.
"Mary!" I screamed, surging forward—but it was too late.
Kai shouted too, summoning his magic, but the damage was done.
The blade of energy dissipated—and Mary collapsed.
Her body hit the ground with a sickening finality. No dramatic fall. No last words. Just… stillness.
Silence.
I dropped to my knees beside her, grabbing her hand. "No. No, no—Mary, stay with me, come on—"
But her eyes were already dim.
The pulsing light near her heart—Anaria's remnant—faded completely.
Gone.
Kai's power surged like fire behind me, but I couldn't even look at him. My hands were covered in her blood. My heart was still frozen.
The man—her husband—stood over us, utterly unbothered.
"She was broken," he said coldly. "A cracked vessel. It's time I made a new one."
He turned to vanish into the dark like death itself, but not before looking directly at me.
"You'll carry the next shard," he said. "Be ready.
Mary's lifeless body lay cold beneath my trembling hands. The blood seeped through my fingers, burning like fire, and a scream tore from deep inside me—raw, uncontrolled, and filled with fury.
"No!" I shouted, voice breaking. "You will pay for this!"
The stranger's mocking smile twisted into something colder—an expression that dared me to try.
But I wasn't afraid anymore.
The blade at my side flared with fierce light, responding to my rage as if it fed on it.
I rose, every muscle coiled like a spring, eyes blazing. "You killed her. You took away someone I cared about. You won't get away with this."
Kai's voice was behind me, steady but fierce. "Anna, wait—"
"No!" I snapped, cutting him off. "She's gone because of him. Because of you. I will end this."
I surged forward, magic crackling around me like a storm unleashed. The air thickened with power as I summoned every ounce of strength, every shard of anger.
The stranger's eyes flared red with recognition—and maybe even respect.
"Good," he hissed. "Show me what the blade's chosen can do."
The ground trembled beneath our feet as we prepared to clash.
But beneath my anger, a part of me whispered a warning: This fight wasn't just about revenge. It was about survival. For all of us.
I was ready to charge, to strike the stranger down right then and there.
But Kai's voice stopped me—a calm, steady anchor in the chaos.
"Anna, wait!" he called out, stepping toward me with urgency.
I barely noticed him at first. The rage inside me flared hotter, spilling out like wildfire. It pushed against the air, crackling with raw magic that hummed and snapped.
Then suddenly—like an invisible wall—a shimmering barrier erupted around me.
It glowed fierce and wild, pulsing with the rhythm of my heartbeat, cutting Kai's steps short. He reached out but couldn't cross the boundary.
"Anna!" Kai said again, frustration and worry heavy in his voice. "You don't have to do this like this. We need to be smart—together."
But the barrier wasn't just physical. It was a force born from my fury, raw and unyielding, shutting out anyone who tried to calm me.
"I'm not listening," I growled through clenched teeth. "He killed Mary. He deserves to die."
Kai's hand dropped slowly, his eyes searching mine through the barrier.
"Okay," he said quietly, "then let's make sure we end this—for Mary, and for us."
His words grounded me, just enough for a flicker of control.
The barrier around me pulsed, but it didn't break.
And I knew this anger would take more than words to settle.
Kai's eyes pleaded through the shimmering barrier, trying to reach me beyond the storm of my anger.
"Anna, please—calm down. We need to think this through."
I clenched my fists, the magic thrumming louder, pushing back against his calm.
"You have Sarah now," I snapped, voice sharp and cold enough to cut through the tension. "So don't worry about me."
His expression flickered with pain at my words, but I didn't soften.
"I'm done waiting. I'm done holding back for anyone. If he wants to play with fire, I'll burn him to ashes."
Kai's gaze dropped, conflicted and silent.
The barrier pulsed fiercely, fueled by the hurt and rage I refused to hide.
He swallowed hard, then nodded slowly. "Alright… but promise me you'll be careful."
I stared at him, my eyes blazing. "I will."
And with that, the barrier around me tightened—an unbreakable shield forged from grief and fury, sealing me off from the world until I was ready to unleash everything inside.
The barrier around me shimmered fiercely, humming like a living thing fed by my fury. My breath came in sharp, ragged bursts as my hands ignited with crackling energy—bright, wild, and raw.
I could feel the power surging through every vein, every fiber of my being, awakening something deep inside that had been dormant too long.
The stranger watched, a faint smirk playing at his lips, as if he welcomed the storm I was becoming.
I steadied myself, centering the rage into focus.
"My blade," I whispered to the glowing shard at my side, "it's time."
With a swift motion, I drew it free.
The air around me twisted and warped under the weight of my magic. Flames of blue and white danced along the blade's edge, hungry and alive.
I took a deep breath, grounding myself in the moment, the memory of Mary burning in my heart.
Then I launched forward, the barrier rippling as I propelled myself toward the stranger—fury made manifest, unstoppable and fierce.
As I surged forward, blade ablaze and heart pounding, the stranger didn't flinch. Instead, he raised a single hand slowly, fingers curling like a predator savoring the hunt.
"A blaze of fury," he murmured, voice smooth and cruel. "So predictable. So human."
His eyes gleamed with cruel amusement. "You think your pain makes you stronger? No. It makes you vulnerable."
A dark aura rippled around him, swirling like smoke in a storm.
"But by all means," he said, voice dripping with venomous invitation, "show me what the chosen blade can do."
The world seemed to hold its breath.
And then—
I charged.
The blade in my hand sliced through the air, a streak of glowing blue-white light aimed straight at the stranger. Magic surged from my core, fueling every strike, every movement.
He met me with a fluid grace that was almost inhuman. With a flick of his wrist, shadows twisted and writhed, forming a barrier that absorbed my first blow without a scratch.
He smiled—cold and cruel.
"Is that all?"
Before I could respond, he lunged, a dark spear of energy shooting toward me. I barely dodged, the air crackling where the blast had just been.
Our battle ignited like a storm—clashes of light and shadow, bursts of magic and steel. The ground beneath us cracked, trees shook, and the very air hummed with power.
Each strike I landed was met with fierce retaliation, but I refused to falter. For Mary. For Kai. For everything I still hoped to protect.
The stranger's eyes burned red, his attacks relentless, but my fury and resolve blazed hotter.
The fight had begun. And neither of us would walk away unchanged
The clash of blade against shadow echoed through the clearing like thunder. I swung my sword in a wide arc, blue flames licking along the edge, aiming to overwhelm him with raw power. But he twisted away with impossible speed, shadows wrapping around his limbs like liquid armor.
He countered with a strike of his own—a whip of dark energy that lashed toward my side. I barely parried in time, the force slamming into my forearm with a jarring crack. Sparks flew where our powers met.
I spun backward, keeping my distance, and summoned a blast of ice-chilled wind. The air thickened as frost crawled across the grass and trees, seeking to freeze his movements. But he melted through it like smoke, his form dissolving and reappearing behind me in a blur.
Before I could react, he swung a shadow-forged blade at my neck. I ducked low, feeling the cold edge whistle past my skin.
With a surge of strength, I leapt, bringing my sword down in a fiery slash. The flames ignited the shadows on his arm, forcing him to recoil.
He snarled—a sound like broken glass—and vanished into a swirl of darkness.
Suddenly, he erupted from above, crashing down with a fist glowing red-hot, aiming to crush me like a stone.
I rolled aside, using the momentum to push off a tree trunk and spring into the air. My blade glowed brighter, a radiant comet cutting through the dark.
I struck his shoulder with a precise slash, sending a shockwave of light that staggered him.
But he recovered instantly, throwing a handful of shadow shards that exploded like glass shards in midair.
I dodged and blocked, the shards grazing my skin and leaving burning cuts.
The ground beneath us cracked, smoke rising as magic and fury tore the forest apart.
I felt exhaustion clawing at me, but I forced my breath steady.
This fight was more than survival.
It was vengeance.
It was justice.
It was the fire that would burn away the darkness once and for all.
Just as the stranger prepared to strike again, a fierce clarity ignited within me—a burning core of strength I hadn't realized I possessed.
I planted my feet firmly, grounding myself in the earth beneath. The blade's glow shifted, intensifying from blue-white flames to a radiant, almost blinding light.
Closing my eyes for a split second, I reached deep into the shard's magic, feeling it pulse like a heartbeat against my palm.
Then, with a roar that echoed through the clearing, I unleashed it.
A wave of pure, searing energy erupted from the blade, swirling around me like a storm of light and heat. The ground trembled as golden runes—ancient and glowing—flared into existence beneath my feet, encircling me in a protective, radiant aura.
The stranger staggered back, eyes wide in shock.
"This," I said, voice steady and fierce, "is the true power of Anaria's bloodline."
I lunged forward, the blade now blazing like a sun, every strike releasing arcs of radiant energy that burned through his shadow defenses.
He snarled, retreating under the assault, but the light pressed on, relentless and pure.
The battle had shifted.
Now it was my turn to control the storm.