Queen Irene was getting ready, she had plans of meeting her family who were in Endyron..they had plans of meeting this afternoon for an important meeting
she had to look presentable...her family, The Powerful Darkspire family had always been the kind to assert people based on looks, and as Queen, she was expected to appear flawless. Dressed in a flowing black gown that hugged her figure, her gloved hands adjusted the silver crown resting over her long, dark hair. She looked every bit the queen , commanding, elegant, untouchable.
But her preparation wasn't just for meetings. She hoped to see someone… someone special.
After Irene had looked at herself, she then snapped her fingers.
She appeared instantly at the gates of her ancestral home. Its towering obsidian spires cast long shadows under the Aegean sun. She walked forward slowly , each step echoing like a judge's gavel on stone. Click. Click. Click.
As she reached the grand door, it opened on its own , no servant, no welcome.
Only cold stares.
Every member of the DarkSpire family was already seated inside. Silence greeted her, thick as smoke, until her father's voice cut through.
"You took your time, Irene," he said, eyes gleaming. "Must be nice to let the whole family wait while you handle… queenly duties."
He smiled, but there was no warmth. Just judgment, mockery in his words.
Irene bowed her head slightly, her voice even. "I was late because of my own stupidity, Father. I take full responsibility."
She walked forward and took her seat at the long obsidian table. Tension wrapped the room like a storm cloud. And though Irene was royalty, she knew , here, in this house , her crown held no weight.
*This was family. And family never forgets.
Irene sat silently as her eyes drifted across the room. Each face at the obsidian table held one thing in common , ambition. She knew it.
There were three major family that were the head of the witches clan, the Fencrest family which is the royal family of the kingdom of Endyron, The DarkSpire family, and the Skullcore family, Irene was sure each of this families had their own secret plans to secure the throne.
Then, Graham, the head of the DarkSpire family, rose to his feet.
"Since we're all here," he began, folding his arms behind his back, "let's stop wasting time. Irene, I hear your stepdaughter is finally getting married?"
The question was a dagger wrapped in sweetness. Irene met his eyes, smiling faintly.
"Yes, Father. She is." She kept her voice composed. *"Once she is married, she will leave the castle. It will… simplify things."
Before anyone could respond, her mother , Lady Louise, regal and stern , snapped,
"And why didn't you consult with us? I would have prepared a more suitable groom for her."
Irene's heart thudded. Her fingers trembled slightly in her lap. Should she blame her husband, King Draelos, and risk their wrath?
Her older sister, Maya, smirked. "Seems like she wants to start making her own decisions."
Lady Louise's gaze sharpened. "Is that true, Irene?"
Under the growing heat of their stares, Irene stood abruptly… and then dropped to her knees before them.
"Forgive me, Mother. Father. It happened too fast." Her voice cracked, heavy with forced guilt.
"King Draelos didn't want to force his daughter into marriage. He wished to let her choose, but… she refused every offer. And he was beginning to consider letting her stay single."
She bowed her head lower, trembling for fear.
"He's always had a soft spot for that girl. But… thanks to Maya's spell, it worked. The compulsion took hold. He's now forcing the marriage himself."
A ripple of murmurs spread across the room.
Maya chuckled, clearly pleased. "Told you my magic doesn't fail."
Lady Louise's expression remained unreadable. "Next time, Irene, you bring such matters before us. Understood?"
"Yes, Mother."
But deep in Irene's chest, a fire sparked , quiet but growing.
They thought she was still their pawn. Still the obedient daughter. But Irene had secrets.
I didn't know it would lead to her eventually getting married to a demon. Irene thought silently, her heart tight with unease. Please... don't punish him for this mistake of mine.
Her mother's sharp voice pulled her back to the moment.
"I will let this slide, Irene," Lady Louise's said coldly, "but if you make such a mistake again… you know the consequences."
Irene nodded, still trembling slightly. But then, as if flipping a switch, she composed herself , shoulders squared, lips drawn into a calm smile, and sat back down.
Graham, now resettled into his high-backed chair, cleared his throat and spoke gravely.
"Each and every one of us here has a common goal , the revival of the DarkSpire legacy in its truest, most feared form."
His eyes swept the room, landing on each family head with quiet authority.
"It is time. We must awaken Elira and Maeron, the Great Dread."
A hush fell.
Then murmurs. Unease.
Someone whispered, "They were sealed for a reason…"
Graham ignored it. His voice deepened.
"As you know, they can only be awakened during the *Crimson Eclipse* , the rare moment when the blood moon aligns with the dark axis. It's almost here. Maya has seen it. She felt it coming."
Maya gave a smug nod, her eyes glowing faintly.
Graham continued, "But the ritual cannot be started without one crucial piece , the blood of a pure witch or wizard. And not just any. It must be the reigning monarch of the
Duskhelm Kingdom".
Gasps echoed around the table.
"Yes," Graham said, unfazed. "A royal blood. Magic unsullied by pact or corruption. It is the only vessel strong enough to unlock their prison."
He reached inside his cloak and pulled out a dark scroll.
"And now , a reminder. The Seven Ingredients required for the awakening ritual."
He unrolled it slowly.
"One — The most important...which I said before, "the blood"
"Two — Star water...a water collected under a shooting star.
"Three — A silver fox tail fur
"Four — Mandrake root
"Five — Dragon ash
"Six — Void salt
"Seven — Essence of twilight
He looked around slowly, his presence commanding.
"Now," he said coldly, "how many of these ingredients have we actually acquired?"
He let the silence sit for a moment, then continued.
"I assigned some of you the task of acquiring these ingredients, while the rest were to begin charging the *Soul Gems* , 14 in total. As of now, only five are filled."
He stepped forward, his tone turning slightly accusatory.
"I, at least, have done my part. I acquired *Mandrake Root* and *Void Salt* myself."
A soft gasp escaped from Irene. She knew how rare those two ingredients were. Only someone as resourceful , and obsessed , as her father could've managed it so quickly.
Her mother, Lady Louise, then spoke smoothly,
"I have obtained the Star Water and charged three Soul Gems."
Irene blinked. Where were her parents sourcing energy so easily?
Louise tilted her head. "Power isn't so difficult to find… if you know where to look."
Then Maya, known as The Narcissist, smiled
"I've gotten Dragon's Ash and the Essence of Twilight ."
A stunned silence followed.
"You what?" someone whispered.
Even Graham raised a brow. "How did you—?"
Maya smirked,
"It's simple. You seduce the Dragon Lord, then hold a blade to his throat and whisper your request."
She laughed wickedly. "Dragons are arrogant. But even they bleed."
Lady Louise burst out laughing.
I taught you well Maya
Then, all eyes turned slowly to Irene.
Maya raised a brow. "And what about you, dear Queen?"
Irene met her gaze calmly.
"I've secured the the silver fox fur
Maya, of course, scoffed.
You see, Father? She's slow. I should've been Queen. I get things done quickly."
Irene narrowed her eyes.
"You get things done recklessly. You take shortcuts without caring about the consequences."
Maya leaned forward. "Consequences?
Her voice dripped with venom.
"Our only goal is to awaken Elira and Maeron. That's all that matters."
Irene's gaze was cold.
"And what happens if we awaken them wrong?"
"What happens if your recklessness brings ruin instead of glory?"
Maya was about to retort to what Irene said when their father shouted, "Enough, girls! We have not come here to argue about certain things. The only thing remaining is the blood and nine soul gems. I will give Maya five soul gems, and she shall follow you to the palace to guide you on some things , since you are too slow."
An insult, Irene thought in her mind.
"But Father, you shouldn't let Maya come to the palace. What if she—"
"Are you scared I will reveal the secret of being Roshan mother?" Maya cut in. "I have no interest in that. After we accomplish our goal, I plan to do that , so you don't have anything to say."
Graham then stood up and said, "I guess this meeting is over."
The meeting ended and everyone was leaving. Then Irene went to her sister.
"Maya, sister, I need to talk to you."
Maya didn't stop walking. "Do we now?"
**********
Meanwhile...
Callistus had just finished mending the wound on Aralyn shoulder. His magic pulsed faintly before fading.
Aralyn stepped back, flustered. She cleared her throat, adjusted her clothes, and muttered,
"Thanks… for the healing. You don't have to know what kind of training I was doing."
Callistus raised a brow but didn't pry. Instead, he snapped his fingers, and a table with two ornate chairs materialized between them.
"Can't leave a lady standing. Sit."
She sat cautiously, still watching him.
He folded his hands, leaned forward, and said in a lower tone,
"I've finally found a way for you to escape this wedding."
Aralyn eyes widened.
"Really?"
Of course," Callistus said with a knowing smirk, "remember what I told you with my eyes that day. I promised I'd find a way for you to escape."
Aralyn leaned forward eagerly. "So… what's the plan?"
There are five steps to escaping the wedding," he began, his voice low and deliberate. "And you must follow them exactly.
He held up a finger. "First, timing. You disappear before the ceremony, not during and definitely not after. The best moment is when final preparations are being made, when everyone is distracted, searching for the bridal flower or calming last-minute chaos. Fake an illness. Collapse. Cry. Do whatever you must to buy yourself a private moment."
He raised a second finger. "Second, disguise. You can't escape dressed as a bride. I've prepared something for you." He pulled out a pale orange gown from a hidden satchel. It looked simple, like a maid's attire. "This dress isn't ordinary. It dulls your presence, masking your aura. People will look at you… and forget. And this—" he held out a dark scarf, "—will cover your hair. One look at your hair or eyes, and someone will know who you are. So keep your head down. No eye contact. Be invisible." Aralyn nodded, her heart pounding.
Callistus continued. "Third, diversion. Everyone's eyes will be on the wedding. You need to pull them away. I've arranged for lanterns to fall and shatter in the west wing. Sparks will catch, a small fire. Controlled, harmless, but dramatic. Enough to scatter the guards and servants. That's your moment."
Her eyes widened. "A fire?"
He gave her a small, reassuring smile. "No one will be harmed. I've taken precautions."
"Oh my, you planned all this for me?" Aralyn said, eyes wide with surprise.
Callistus smiled slightly. He liked the way her face lit up. She definitely liked this plan.
"The fourth step is the exit," he continued. "I've been thinking about this, and you can't use the normal palace doors. You'll be caught."
Aralyn nodded in agreement, then suddenly brightened. "Oh, you don't have to worry about that. There's a secret passage, hardly anyone knows of it, except my father, stepmother, and siblings. But they'd never expect me to use it… because of how dark and cursed the place is."
She lowered her voice. "There's a huge hall around forbidden passage. It's where former royals, those who once sat on the throne, are buried after death. No one dares go there. People believe their ghosts still linger... some filled with vengeance, others with regret."
She shivered at the thought, then added, "But at the end of the passage, there's a massive stone. Once it's rolled aside, it connects directly to this very forest we're in.
Callistus raised a brow. "You're not afraid of ghosts, are you?"
Aralyn gave a nervous chuckle. "I'll walk through a pit of screaming spirits if it means I don't have to marry."
He smiled faintly. "Very well. Then the plan is perfect. I'll be at the end of the passage, waiting. I'll roll the stone away the moment I sense you near. And if you don't come on time…" his eyes narrowed slightly, "I'll come looking for you myself."
Aralyn gave a small nod, a flicker of resolve in her gaze. "Thank you, Callistus."
He held up a hand. "We're not done yet. The fifth and final step , and maybe the most important , is silence. No goodbyes. No letters. No second thoughts. Once you walk out that passage, you leave Aralyn the princess behind. You become no one. You start again as whoever you choose to be , but you cannot look back."
He leaned in slightly. "They will hunt you. They'll read every message, question every friend, search every road. But if you leave nothing behind, they'll find nothing."
Aralyn looked down for a long moment. "That sounds… lonely."
Callistus nodded. "Freedom often is."
"The bright side is you can cultivate well for your tails in solitude".
"Are you in".
Aralyn didn't hesitate. "I'm in."
Callistus gave a crooked smile, but his voice lowered. "Good. Because I want something in return."
Her heart sank slightly. She thought , hoped , he was doing this just for her. But of course, freedom always came with a price.
"What is it?" she asked quietly.
Callistus didn't answer. Instead, he turned away and said, "Come. Let me take you somewhere."
With a snap of his fingers, his celestial wings came out, swirling, preparing to fly.