When the last staircase of the basement ended, the long corridor of the royal palace of the Nag Lok began in front, which was made of pure white marble. The torches on the walls were no longer yellow, but a strange blue light, as if they were also mourning the coming of a disaster. The seraph held Elena in his arms like a precious but broken glass. Elena's head was on his chest, her golden hair waving like snakes on the seraph's arms, but this hair no longer had the silky softness it had before; a metallic hardness had come over it. The seraph felt that Elena's breathing was emitting a scent that was not human, but rather a combination of 'ancient magic' and 'ice chancre'.
As soon as they reached the large door of the main hall, which was made of solid silver and on which two giant snakes were carved, the door opened automatically without any noise. The scene inside was so magnificent that the human eye was stunned. The light falling from the millions of crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling was hitting Elena's golden figure and illuminating the entire hall. The seraph's footsteps echoed on the deep red carpet spread on the floor. On both sides of the hall, the dignitaries and soldiers of the Nag Lok stood in rows, their heads bowed, but their eyes were curious about what form their new queen had now returned in.
The seraph gently seated Elena on the royal divan in front of a high, diamond-studded throne. Elena's eyes were now fully open. In those eyes, there was no longer the shyness of the 17-year-old Elena or the immense love for the seraph, but a depth that had no edge. She sat still, looking at the map of the Nag Lok on the wall in front of her, as if she were looking at an old picture for the first time. The seraph knelt before her, took Elena's cold hand in both of his and pressed it to his cheek. A tear escaped from the seraph's eyes and fell onto Elena's palm. "Elena... say something. Look, we're home. Your palace, your seraph... everything is yours."
Elena slowly turned her neck and looked at the seraph. Her gaze was crawling over the seraph's face as if she were examining an alien statue. She freed her hand from the seraph's grip—very slowly, but there was a sense of detachment in her action that tore at the seraph's heart. Elena tried to stand, her royal robes spilling out onto the ground, which had now spontaneously changed colour to deep gold and black. Baba Kohsar stepped forward, holding in his hand on a silk cushion with the ancient crown that had been awaited for centuries. "Queen! The time has come. The survival of the Nag Lok now depends on this crown on your head." Elena looked at the crown, her eyes burning with magic. She lifted the crown without any support and placed it on her head. As soon as the crown touched Elena's head, a powerful echo echoed throughout the palace, as if thousands of serpents buried deep within the earth were roaring together. Elena's body released a powerful wave that pushed the seraph back several feet. Elena was now suspended in the air a few inches above the ground, her hair fluttering in the air, and behind her appeared the shadow of a giant golden serpent, reflecting the power of the crown.
Elena's parents, who were standing trembling in a corner of the hall, were horrified by the terrifying and majestic appearance of their daughter. Elena's mother summoned up courage and cried out, "Elena! My child, what is happening? Seraph, stop it!" Elena's eyes fell on her mother. There was no longer that daughterly love in those eyes, but a domineering anger. "Silence! Who allowed mortals to speak in this court?" Elena's voice was no longer coming from a human throat, but rather sounded like metal strings rubbing against each other.
The seraph stood up in agony. "Elena! This is your mother! You left your heart in this cave, but don't forget your love!" The seraph rushed towards Elena and grabbed her by the waist, trying to pull her down. Elena placed her hand on Seraph's chest. That hand was so cold that Seraph felt as if his heart had stopped. Elena looked into Seraph's eyes and pulled him closer, their faces only inches apart. Seraph felt that Elena was about to kiss him; he could smell the scent of her breath. But Elena leaned close to his lips and whispered, "Seraph... the Elena you knew is dead. Now there is only the queen who needs the naga people. If you try to come close to me, I will forget that my blood was ever connected to your sword."
Despite this, Seraph did not give up and tried to capture Elena in a fierce kiss. He was sure that the heat of his love would melt Elena's frozen existence. Their lips met, and for a moment, Seraph felt Elena's body twitch, as if she were fighting inside. Seraph had his lips in his grasp, his hands on Elena's face, but Elena did not answer him. She stood like a lifeless stone, her eyes open and without any emotion in them. When the seraph parted, there was a taste of Elena's magical blood on his lips, but Elena's face was filled with contempt. He wiped his lips with his hand and said loudly, "This prince should be confined to his room! And these humans should be imprisoned, until I decide whether their existence in the magical world is against our laws or not!"
The ground gave way from under the seraph's feet. Not only had Elena rejected him, but she had also taken her parents prisoner. The soldiers advanced, but the seraph did not draw his sword. He simply stared at Elena, who was now on the throne and her eyes were searching for a new victim in space. The suspense was whether Elena had truly changed completely, or was this just the beginning of her 'heartlessness'?
Elena's cold command enveloped the entire royal hall in an icy embrace that made even the soul tremble. The soldiers, who had been ready to give their lives at the Seraph's signal until yesterday, were now helpless before Elena's magical glory. They hesitantly pointed their spears at Seraph, but there was pity for their prince in their eyes.
Seraph did not draw his sword "Light of the Dragon" from its sheath. His eyes were fixed on the girl sitting on the throne, who had been dying in his arms a few hours ago and now refused to even recognise her. "Elena... It's not you. It's that crown speaking, that heartless chest speaking," Seraph's voice echoed off the pillars of the hall.
Elena waved her hand in the air. Suddenly, chains of black smoke rose from the floor and began to bind Seraph's strong arms and legs. The chains were digging into the flesh, but Seraph didn't feel the pain. All he felt was the look of helplessness on Elena's face. The soldiers grabbed Seraph by the arms and dragged him towards the royal corridors. Elena's parents' screams could still be heard in the background, but Elena didn't even look back.
Seraph was brought to a part of the palace called the "Tower of Solitude." It was a tall tower with walls made of magic mirrors, so that the prisoner could see his own helplessness reflected in all directions. The soldiers pushed Seraph inside and closed the heavy silver door. As the door closed, Seraph slammed his fist against the wall. "No… I won't let it end like this!"
He began to pace the room frantically. Outside the window, the scene of the serpent world was visible, now bathed in golden light, but for Seraph, this world had now become dark. He felt that the last warmth of Elena's lips still remained on his lips, that kiss (Lip Kiss) that was just an insult to Elena, had become the only reason for Seraph to live. He closed his eyes and remembered the scene when Elena had held his hand and said, "My love will not fit in this cup."
"If your love cannot fit in the cup, Elena, then he is alive somewhere," Seraph whispered. He placed his hand on his chest, where Elena's blood that she had given to Seraph during the wedding ceremony, was still circulating. Suddenly, an idea occurred to him. The old serpent who had taken Elena's heart was no ordinary sorcerer; he was a servant of the 'Demons of Time'. This meant that Elena's heart would still be safe in this cave, near this 'Furnace of Memories'.
Seraph looked at the mirrored walls of the tower. He gathered his magical power and drew a line with his hand. Her reflection in the mirror began to change. He began to see the cave where Elena's heart was beating in a golden bowl, but it was now guarded by the disciples of the "Black Serpent".
At that moment, a small black snake crawled out from under the door of the room. Seraph raised his sword, but the snake suddenly turned into a human shadow. This was the message of the sage Kohsar. "Prince! The queen is now completely possessed by the 'ancient magic'. If that human heart is not returned by the third watch of tonight, Elena's human body will be destroyed forever and she will only be a magical spirit."
Seraph's eyes flared. "I have to get out of here!" He looked out the window, which looked down into the abyss. He shook the chains of smoke tied to his arms with all his might. Golden rays shot from his body and the chains shattered. The seraph looked one last time at the throne room where Elena sat alone, perhaps celebrating her newfound power, and then he jumped out the window into the terrifying darkness.
The news of Seraph's escape had not yet reached the palace, but a different storm was brewing in Elena's royal chamber. This room, which had once been the centre of Seraph and Elena's dreams, now seemed like a prison of silver walls and cold magical stones. Elena stood in front of her giant mirror, whose frame was pure gold and on which ancient serpents were carved. She removed the heavy crown from her head and placed it on the table, but as soon as her head was bare, she felt a terrible emptiness.
Elena looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes, which had become pure gold, devoid of humanity, now shone like a bird of prey. She touched her lips, where the heat of Seraph's last kiss (Lip Kiss) still lingered like a poisonous sweetness. "Seraph..." She called out the name, but in her voice, there was no longer love, but a question. She didn't remember who the seraph was, but her body recognised the seraph's touch, and that was her greatest suspense and torment.
Suddenly, all the candles in the room went out at once, and the surface of the mirror began to tremble like water. Elena was surprised to see her reflection in the mirror changing. She saw the same 16-year-old Elena inside the mirror, laughing in the seraph's arms, the Elena who had a beating human heart. The Elena in the mirror was crying and beating her hands on the surface of the mirror, as if she wanted to get out. "Why did you imprison me?" A faint human voice came from the mirror.
Elena looked at the mirror with contempt. "You were a weakness, a human burden. Now I am free, now I am the queen." Elena placed her hand on the mirror, but as soon as her hand hit the glass, she received a strong electric shock. She remembered the face of the seraph when she had imprisoned her—the broken mane in the seraph's eyes was cutting Elena's soul deep inside.
She loosened the collar of her silk nightgown in anxiety, feeling as if the walls of the room were crushing her. She lay down on the bed, but sleep was far from her. According to the custom of the nag folk, the queen's first night is the night of the awakening of magical energy, but for Elena, it was a night of fighting the "ghosts of memories." She vividly remembered the seraph's agonising face and the hug he had given her to save her in the cave.
Suddenly, a black breeze blew in through the window and black rose petals began to fall around Elena's bed. Elena immediately sat up, her eyes flashing with anger. "Who is here?" A shadow emerged from the darkness—it was the same old serpent who had taken Elena's heart. "Queen! Your heart is beating so fast in my cup. Do you know why? Because the Seraph has been freed and is coming to take it."
A cruel smile crossed Elena's lips. "He is inviting his death." But as soon as she said this, she felt a sharp pain in her chest, as if a needle had been stabbed into her flesh. This was the effect of the "blood bond"; whenever the Seraph was in pain, Elena's heartless body responded. Elena placed her hand on her chest in anguish and clenched the bedsheet into a fist. Her breathing became labored and she felt her lips automatically calling out the Seraph's name.
In the silence of that terrible night, Elena realised that even if she became queen, even if she threw out her heart, the seraph was like blood running through her veins that she could not separate. The suspense now was whether Elena would go to stop the seraph herself or would she use some new magical trick to trap him in her trap?
Elena got out of bed and went to the balcony, where she saw the open window of the seraph's tower below. She knew that the seraph was gone. She drew a magical line in the air with her finger and ordered her soldiers, "Capture him alive, I want him to see with his own eyes how I crush the heart he is looking for with my own hands!"
Elena's long golden hair, standing on the balcony, swayed like serpents in the cool night air. She stared at the distant horizon, where the traces of Seraph's escape were faintly shining like stars. Elena's face had a cold calm, but inside it was a storm that she herself had not realised. She placed her hand on the marble railing of the balcony, and with her touch, layers of ice began to freeze on the stone there. This was a sign of her immense magical power that had now turned her into a living "ice idol".
Suddenly, she heard Seraph whisper in her ears that he had said in the cave: "Your body is my identity, Elena..."
Elena put her hands over her ears in anguish. The scene flashed before her eyes when Seraph had hugged her for the first time. That touch, that warmth, that sense of protection—all of it was like a poisonous dream to Elena now. She was angry that she couldn't erase those memories. She waved her hand in the air in anger and shattered a crystal vase in the room with her magic. "Why? Why can't I get that stranger out of my mind?" There was a yearning in her voice that overpowered her commanding tone.
She turned and walked towards a small magical pool (Scrying Pool) in the middle of the room, the water of which was black and thick. She touched the surface of the water with her finger. The water trembled and the reflection of the seraph began to emerge in it. The seraph was running fast in the darkness of the forest at that moment; his clothes were torn and blood was dripping from his shoulder. As Elena looked at the seraph's wound, she felt a prick on her own shoulder, as if someone had pricked her with a hot needle.
Elena's lips trembled involuntarily. She remembered that their blood was connected. She shook the pool water in disgust to make the reflection disappear, but the seraph's pain had already entered her own body. She looked at the mirror and said to herself, "You are not weak anymore, Elena! You are the ruler of the serpent world. A human's pain cannot be your pain."
In a state of anxiety, she collapsed onto the large silk bed in her bedroom and closed her eyes. But as she drifted into a semi-drowsy state, she felt the seraph be with her. She felt the seraph wrap her in his arms from behind and place his warm lips on her neck. The kiss was so real that a thrill ran through Elena's entire body. She called out the seraph's name in her sleep, but when she opened her eyes, the room was empty and the cold moonlight was dancing on the floor.
She saw the same golden mark on her palm that had been made of the seraph's blood shining. Elena began to scratch it with her nails to erase it, until blue magical blood began to flow from her palm. But instead of fading, the mark only grew brighter. It was proof that, despite being "heartless", her body was still the seraph's slave.
Elena got out of bed and angrily walked back to her royal robes. She was determined to see the seraph suffer so that this human pain inside him would end forever. She ordered her shadow, which was present on the wall in the form of black smoke: "Go! Let him reach this cave, but don't let him touch that heart. I want him to see the spectacle of his failure for himself, and when it breaks, I will finish him off with my own hands."
It was the last watch of the night, and Elena now stood on the balcony, waiting for the terrible morning that would perhaps be the bloodiest morning in the history of the nag-lok. Her golden eyes no longer held love for the seraph, but a fire of fanatical revenge, but somewhere far beneath that fire, that small human heart of hers still wept for the seraph.
Conversation with Gemini
Alina ke pheli rat ka mnzr dkho zra interesting why men
🙏 Reader's Request
"Dear Readers, if the tragic transformation of Alina moved your heart, please show your support by liking this chapter and adding the story to your Library.
Your Comments are my biggest motivation! Do you think Saraf can win back a heart that has turned to stone, or is the 'Human Alina' gone forever? Let me know your theories in the comments section!
Stay tuned for Chapter 33: The battle for a lost soul begins as Saraf risks everything to reclaim what was stolen in the depths of the cave. Don't miss it!"