The heartbeat of the dark realm pulsed in an unfamiliar rhythm.
The bond formed with Zamira had begun to seep into their dimension—
a thin fracture of light, running through shadows like an unwanted truth.
And naturally… the others had noticed.
Nayel still carried the mark of his punishment as he walked toward the gathering hall.
Each step echoed against the shadow floor; darkness pulled back from his presence, wary yet unable to resist.
A slit in reality opened.
Inside, Taru, Darius, Liliana, Sirius, and Cebrail waited for him—
their gazes sharp, tense, unified only in their unease toward Nayel.
---
🌘 Taru
Her shadow-smoke hair curled along her shoulders as she narrowed her eyes.
"You owe us an explanation, Nayel," she said.
"You didn't just see the human girl… you bonded. That's forbidden."
---
🌘 Darius
His voice was low, hard.
"That's why you were punished. Yet you continue.
Why? Who is this girl?"
---
🌘 Liliana
Her tone was critical yet undeniably curious.
"Her energy reached us here. A human's energy shouldn't travel that far."
---
🌘 Sirius
Hands folded behind his back, thoughtful:
"This is creating a rupture, Nayel.
Dimensional tears have begun forming. You must have sensed them."
---
🌘 Cebrail
Calm, steady, almost luminous compared to the others.
"Tell us the truth," he said gently.
"What is the reason for your bond with Zamira?"
---
Nayel finally lifted his head.
His eyes gleamed—light cutting through the shadows.
He breathed in, and his words echoed across the chamber:
"You don't understand…
I didn't choose her.
She saw me."
Everything stopped.
Even the shadows held their breath.
"I pushed her away," Nayel continued.
"I had to. That's why I was punished.
But the bond expanded on its own.
She carries light strong enough to shake our dimension."
Taru snarled.
"It could trigger our curse!"
Darius slammed his fist against the stone.
"Or free us," Sirius whispered.
All eyes turned to him.
Cebrail's eyelids lowered.
"A convergence point… perhaps. But a dangerous one."
Liliana leaned in slightly.
"Can she hear you now?
And… see the dimensions?"
A slight, shadow-edged smile touched Nayel's lips.
"She hears me," he said.
"And this is only the beginning."
The chamber trembled.
Faint cracks of light crawled across the distant walls—
mirroring the streak now appearing in Zamira's room.
The bond was growing on both sides.