Music recommendation: Eternal Eclipse - Forgotten Odes
She didn't even notice Cece calling out her name or the people staring at her as if she had lost her mind. She was too deeply in sync with the pull to care about her surroundings. She felt her locket burn and hummed against her chest, pulsing with some otherworldly energy.
It was the same energy she felt thrumming in her own blood, aching to burst free. It was so overwhelming that she couldn't even process it. After running for a good fifteen minutes, her footsteps finally slowed as she reached a dark alley with a shadowy staircase.
And there she saw them, a couple of steps away stood two shadowy, hooded figures pressed too close to a dark wall. There wasn't much light, so Eve didn't notice it at first, but then she saw it: a small, lifeless body of a child who was held by one of the shadowy figures.
Her breath caught as she turned her gaze to the second figure, who was holding something blooded in his hand. His fingers were tipped with abnormally long black nails and black veins spread like spiderwebs across his pale grey skin.
Evelyn shook to the core as her gaze moved from the shadowy figures's veiny, grotesque hand to the child's limp body. The child hung like a discarded rag doll with a gaping hole in the middle of his chest. And the chilling realisation hit her like waves crashing against rocky shores, the figure was holding the boy's heart in his hand.
A scream formed in her throat that never came out.
[Music Recommendation: DarkMatters ft One of Vas - Come Closer]
A storm of emotions crashed over her all at once, shock, confusion, fear and then…rage. Blinding, burning, utter rage that someone can be so cruel, so utterly evil to do something like this to a child. A small boy who looked no older than five.
Her locket burned hot under her robe and she heard it crack again, but she was so consumed by rage that she didn't care about it at the moment.
Her eyes turned golden and she whispered, "You… what did you do…"
At the sound of her voice, the figures turned towards her, their almost hollow, glowing red eyes locked onto her. At first, they were stunned by the fact that they didn't feel anyone approaching the area. But then their shock deepened as they registered the woman standing before them.
She radiated such a powerful, otherworldly divine aura that was so intense and pure that they could hardly believe such a powerful soul could exist in this world.
In a slithering voice, one of them hissed, "A Lumen!"
Then, without a warning he erupted into a grotesque, guttural laugh that echoed in the narrow alley. "Seems like we've hit the jackpot coming to the capital,"he sneered, eyes gleaming with malice. "Master will be very happy."
His lips curled into a feral grin, revealing yellow, jagged teeth stained with rot and blood. The air around him pulsed with something vile.
Eve who stood still, rage consuming her expressionless face. As she heard him speak, a sudden surge of energy erupted from within her. The wind picked up, and the ground started to tremble slightly.
Her hood flew back, revealing a beautiful, expressionless face, her fierce golden eyes locked onto the evil standing in front of her. Her body began to glow, her aura flaring like golden flames, showing the intensity of her rage. Her robe billowed wildly in the wind, dancing along with her long, untamed hair.
As the two hooded figures stared at her divine appearance, they took out black stone with rough edges and crimson veins. It was a dark stone pulsing with sinister energy. He chanted something and raised the stone toward Evelyn, soon dark smoky tendrils slithered towards Eve at an unnatural speed in order to capture her.
Evelyn lifted her hand in front of her and her voice rang out "You have sinned greatly. Let the divine judgement pass through." The words echoed with a power far beyond her own, as if spoken through her by an ancient force.
Saying that, she finally released the magic thrumming in her veins. Wide golden light burst through her hand, momentarily illuminating the entire street, obliterating any evil directed at her. In that brief moment, when the light spilling every corner of that dark alley, she felt him. Finally.
His quiet footsteps reverberated through her and she felt his presence drawing closer behind her.
When he stopped just a step away, she finally turned to look at his striking features with her golden glowing eyes. His dark red eyes gazed back into hers with same intensity.
He was clocked in a black robe, hiding his all black attire beneath. He took in her ethereal form once more, and again, felt something deep stir within him.
This time Evelyn moved her beautiful lips and spoke in her soft voice, "You're late….I was too late to save the boy." saying that she felt dizziness wash over her and she swayed forward. And as if he was expecting it to happen, he wrapped his hands around her back, letting her forehead lean against his strong chest.
She inhaled deeply, taking in his unique masculine scent, one that was his alone to calm herself. As the rage subsided, grief over the loss of the small boy struck her and soon her eyes blurred with tears.
She didn't move away from him and simply shut her eyes, letting the tears spill. He didn't move either.
He smelled saltwater and felt a slight tremble in her form. He knew she had witnessed something that no princess should ever have to see. Behind him, Damien appeared quietly along with a couple of other men.
One of them was a sturdy-looking man with handsome features named Alex. He had slightly messy, neck-length brown hair and bright red eyes.
For a moment none of them spoke, silently taking in the scene unfolding in front of them. They saw how the glow around Evelyn was slowly subsiding, and her grief taking over her.
Alex was Ivan's most trusted right hand man. Without looking at them, still holding Eve as she struggled to get a grip on her emotions, he spoke in a low and serious voice, "Check if they are still alive."
Alex responded, "Yes, Your Highness." and moved forward along with his men.
When they reached the spot where the young boy's body lay, they noticed two black, slimy, tar-like patches on the ground. As Alex prodded one with a stick to examine it more closely, he saw tiny black fumes rising from it, as if it had been melted, it was slowly evaporating in the air with every second passing. When he looked down again, he noticed some black power next to the tar.
When he was about to touch it, he stopped himself, realising what it was and quickly turned back to report to Ivan.
He briefly glanced at the woman clinging to Ivan and to his surprise, Ivan didn't push her away like he usually did with any woman who tries to get too close to him.
Alex couldn't help but wonder just who was she. Shaking his thoughts aside, he reported, "Your Highness, there were two Darkrots, and both of them..um.. seems to have melted into black tar."
He paused after delivering the first half of the report. When Ivan raised a brow, he continued "It appears they had dark stones with them, which have been reduced to a powder-like form."
As Alex let the words slip out of this mouth, he himself had trouble believing what he just reported. Curiosity gnawed at him, urging him to find out exactly what had happened here. His gaze inevitably shifted to the lady who was still nestled protectively in His Highness's arms.
Just as Alex's gaze lingered on her, he suddenly felt a death glare aimed directly at him. He looked up to find it was none other than Ivan.
He quickly bowed his head, waiting silently for his next order. 'Good Gods!' he thought, 'Did I just get glared at by the His Highness for staring at a lady? What in the world is happening?'
Ivan spoke in a low, cutting voice, "Get this cleaned up before others notice. I can hear the commotion heading this way, that light must have attracted everyone's attention."
Eve finally regained her senses and looked up at Ivan with her tear-stained face. He looked down at her and asked "Are you able to stay conscious, Princess?"
When she nodded, he picked up her hood and placed it back on her head, he said, "Good. We need to get away from here as soon as possible. I'll appreciate your cooperation." Saying that, he bent down and picked her up in his arms. All she managed to say was "Oh!.. Cece!"
Ivan turned to look at Damien, "Bring Cece with you, I am out heading first."
He looked down at Evelyn and said softly, "Hold tight, Princess"