The 'Palace of Nothingness', located in this endless depth of darkness, was no ordinary building, but a structure of the sobbing memories of past ages. The walls of the palace were white and transparent like human bones, with black blood running through them like veins. There was a silence in the air here that was ear-piercing, and with every step, sounds rose from the floor as if thousands of souls were groaning together. A black vortex was spinning in place of the ceiling, from which, instead of lightning, magical ash whirled down. There were carvings on the pillars that changed their shape moment by moment—sometimes they became weeping faces, sometimes they took the form of laughing serpents. There was a heaviness in the air that descended into the lungs and turned breath to stone, and the smell of dampness seeping from the walls was deathly.
Breaking this terrible silence, the Seraph took Elena under his wing once again. She felt Elena's body tremble under the magical pressure. The Seraph hugged Elena from behind and buried his face in her neck. "Elena, the cold of this palace will try to freeze your golden heart; absorb my warmth into yourself," the Seraph whispered. He placed a soft but deep kiss on Elena's shoulder, the intensity of which coursed through Elena's veins, activating the golden magic. Elena turned back and looked into the Seraph's eyes, where a strange battle of love and worry was raging. He took the Seraph's face in both his hands and planted a passionate and aching kiss on his lips, as if leaving the last trace of her survival in this world of destruction. Threshold of Nothingness: As they moved towards the middle of the hall, the black carpet on the floor suddenly came to life and began to wrap itself around their feet like snakes. The torches on the walls lit up on their own, but the fire coming from them was blue and cold, spreading darkness instead of light. At the far end of the hall was a huge throne made of clotted blood, and above it hung the elusive shadow of the black serpent like a curse. On either side of the throne, Elena's parents were imprisoned in two magical mirrors, their souls escaping from their bodies like smoke and going into the mouth of the black serpent. The walls there were now melting like a swamp and all the soldiers who had wandered into this palace centuries ago and lost their lives were emerging from them, their bodies now crawling towards Elena and the seraph.
The seraph waved his sword, the Light of the Dragon, in the air, and the blue rays that came out of it tore the dark hall in two. "Black Serpent! Today, your game of nothingness will end!" The seraph's voice hit the walls like a thundercloud. He blew away the frames of these structures in a single leap, but each broken structure would reconnect and become a new disaster. Elena closed her eyes and placed her hand on the golden heart in the centre of her chest. A light came out of her body that began to melt the bone-like walls of the palace.
"Your light cannot end my darkness, Elena!" The black serpent's laughter echoed in the hall. Suddenly, black snakes began to rain down from the ceiling, which stood like a wall around the seraph. The seraph felt himself being separated from Elena, and his heart sank. He slammed his sword down with all his might, causing the serpents to scatter in a tremor. He ran to Elena and hugged her once more, as if afraid that the darkness would take her away.
"Seraph, look!" Elena pointed behind the throne. A third mirror was emerging, revealing Seraph's own past. Seraph saw that his father had taught him a spell that only worked in the realm of 'non-existence'. Seraph closed his eyes and dripped a drop of his blood onto the sword. Instead of blue, the sword now glowed white—a 'spiritual light' that could transform death into life.
Will Seraph be able to handle this white magic? And can Elena's parents' souls be saved before they are completely destroyed? The black serpent changed its form and prepared to attack the seraph in the form of a giant dragon. In the terrifying silence of the palace, where only the whispers of death could be heard, the white shining sword of the Seraph, the 'Light of the Dragon', had now become a tower of light. Its light was so intense that the shadows of the black serpent began to melt off the walls. But as the Seraph used his magical energy, the colour of his own body was fading, as if he was paying the price of this magic with his life.
—The chaos of the dark hall: The floor of the hall was now shaking like molten lead. Those white bone-like walls were now panting like an ancient giant, and thick black blood was pouring out of them in fountains and spreading throughout the hall. The roars of the black serpents were rising from all sides, which now took the form of smoke, creating a whirlpool around the Seraph that wanted to take him away from Elena. The black hole that had been circling the ceiling had now become lower, the magical ash from which was blackening Elena's golden dress. The smell of ozone and burning bones in the air was so strong that it was mind-numbing, and with each crack, the pillars of the palace were crumbling like a withered tree.
Emotional and romantic confrontation: Seraph gathered all his strength for the last time and reached Elena, tearing through the smoke snakes. He pulled Elena towards him and hugged her so tightly that Elena felt the slow beat of Seraph's heart. "Elena! I will break these mirrors of memories. You just run to your parents, don't look back!" Seraph said with great anguish. He took Elena's face in his trembling hands and gave her a farewell kiss on her lips that contained all the yearning of her soul. Elena felt that the seraph's lips were getting cold, so she threw her hands around the seraph's neck in anguish and did not let him separate from her. "No, seraph! If not you, then neither will I!"
Instead of answering Elena's words, the seraph plunged his sword into the ground. A powerful white explosion occurred that shattered the two magical mirrors of the palace. As the mirrors shattered, the souls of Elena's parents were freed, but instead of taking human form, they were suspended in the air like two birds of golden light. The black serpent let out a terrifying scream that echoed throughout the world of nothingness. "You destroyed my throne! Now you will never be able to leave this void!"
The palace was now rapidly crumbling. The floor had disappeared and they were all falling into this black abyss. The Seraph's body was now almost transparent. He still held Elena's hand as he fell. Elena gathered all the power of his golden heart, the light radiating from his chest formed a protective shield around them, but even that shield was cracking under the pressure of the black abyss.
As they approached the bottom of the abyss, Elena saw another door there—this was the 'ancient gate' that opened to the original kingdom of the Seraph. But opening this door required a sacrifice that Elena probably never wanted to make. The shadow of the black serpent was still chasing them, and this time it targeted the Seraph's inner fear.
Would the Seraph spend the rest of his life imprisoned in this darkness to save Elena? And would Elena be able to give her parents' souls human bodies again?
The two of them were falling into the endless abyss where time had no boundaries. The surrounding atmosphere was now like a thick liquid that was pulling their bodies towards it. Large pieces of the palace's rubble were passing by them like a broken star. Seraph felt that the glow of his sword, the 'Light of the Dragon', was now fading, as the waves of his own life were responding to this magical pressure.
The scene of this dark abyss was more terrifying than any nightmare. Purple and black clouds were coiled around them like a dragon. From among these clouds, the faces of all those who had fallen into this void in the past were emerging—their eyes were empty and they were raising silent voices that shook the soul. As they fell down, the rustling of the air was changing into a lament. There were small flashes of lightning in the air, but they were not light, but spreading deeper darkness. Elena's silver hair shone like a last hope in this darkness, but the magical dust of the 'black serpent' around her was obscuring even this glow.
Seraph pulled Elena into his arms in this weightlessness, his grip so tight as if he did not want to lose her at this last turning point of the universe. "Elena... Look at me," Seraph's voice was like a breaking glass, "If we can never get out of this depth, then I want you to know... Since the first time I saw you in this snowy valley, my heart has become your kingdom. I want to die as your protector, not just your prince."
Elena's golden tears were floating like pearls in space. She touched Seraph's face, the trembling of her hands tearing at Seraph's heart. "You won't talk about dying, Seraph! If this void wants to swallow us, it must first account for my love!" Elena pulled Seraph closer and gave him a passionate kiss (Lip Kiss) that culminated in a life-and-death battle. This touch created a heat that melted the freezing cold around them for a moment. Their bodies were intertwined (Hug), and the intensity of this touch made Elena's 'golden heart' beat with full force once again.
Above them, the souls of Elena's parents, now in the form of golden birds, were flying around them, forming a fence. Those birds were making a strangely melodious but sad sound, as if they were saying goodbye to their children. The shadow of the black serpent, which was now descending from above to grab them like a giant hand of smoke, was hitting the light of these birds and retreating.
"Seraf, look! My parents are showing us the way," Elena pointed down. There, at the bottom of the black abyss, a faint white line could be seen—the 'Ancient Gate'. But on the threshold of that gate sat a terrifying Guardian of the Void, with three heads and molten lava streaming from its eyes.
As they approached the gate, Seraf felt the lower half of his body begin to turn to stone. This was the price of the white magic he had used above. "Elena, don't let go of my hand... no matter what," Seraf gasped.
They were falling like a collapsing star in the merciless depths of space. The air pressure had now increased so much that pieces of their clothing were scattering in the air, but the seraph's grip on Elena's waist had tightened. She could feel that as they went down, the heat from her body was disappearing and was being replaced by the cold that only men are destined for.
On this journey of falling, the 'lumps of memories' that had once belonged to Elena's ancestors were passing around them. In some fragments, the coronation of an ancient king was visible, in others, the lament of a queen. The space was like an old cinema where the history of Elena's entire generation was scattered. The light there had now turned yellow like a withered flower, and a sound echoed in the air as if an old instrument was breaking. The laughter of the black serpent could now be heard from the black clouds on the distant horizon like a roaring storm, making the silence of the void even more terrifying.
: Seraph turned Elena's face towards him; his eyes were now half-open, and there was a weariness in them that reached down to the soul. Seraph brought his lips close to Elena's ear, his warm breath sending a message of life to Elena's cooling skin. "Elena! If my soul is imprisoned in this darkness, you will not grieve for me. You will cross this door and give your kingdom the light that I dreamed of." Seraph's words were like a will.
Elena, yearningly, entangled her fingers in Seraph's hair and brought his face closer to hers. "No kingdom has any value without you, Seraph! You are my king, my protector, and my life." He claimed the seraph's lips in a deep, passionate kiss, one that contained both the salty taste of tears and the fear of separation. The seraph hugged Elena to him, their bodies weightlessly intertwined as if they were one entity. The heat of the touch sent a new wave of energy through Elena's golden heart, briefly turning the seraph's stone-turned body back to flesh and blood.
Below, near the white line, the three-headed guardian was now visible. Flames of fire were shooting from each of its heads, and its six hands held large thunderbolts that flashed like lightning. Beneath the guardian's feet were the bones of those who had once tried to cross that door. Its thunderous voice shook the entire space. "No soul can cross this threshold that carries the burden of 'human love'! Only those who have forgotten everything will pass here!"
The smoke of the black serpent had now taken the form of a huge serpent and reached right above them, its open jaws ready to swallow them. Elena looked into the seraph's eyes, where there was no longer fear of death but a frenzied intention. "Seraph, we will strike together! The white light of your sword and the golden light of my heart... we will erase this darkness!"
As they approached the three-headed scourge, the seraph merged the last glow of his sword with Elena's golden power. There was an explosion that shattered the walls of the void. But at that moment, Elena felt the seraph's hand slipping from her grasp. The black smoke was pulling the seraph back.
"Seraph! No!" Elena's scream pierced the silence like a dagger.
Now the question was, would Elena be able to take on the terrifying Guardian with the prince turned to stone? And would the gate open?
The speed of falling into the depths of space had now become so fast that the blows of the wind were hurting Elena's face, but she felt the coldness that was emanating from the being beside her more than her wounds. Seraph, her devoted prince, was now as still as a statue in her arms. His legs and lower back had already turned into black marble, and this merciless magic was now slowly moving towards his chest, where his human heart was aching for the last time.
—Guardian of the Threshold of Nothingness: Standing at the white line below, the three-headed guardian now stood before them like a mountain. His frame was made of fire and smoke, and the roars coming from his three heads were tearing through the silence of space. The black lightning coming from the thunderbolts in his six hands was turning the bones scattered on the floor to ashes. When the lava flowing from the eyes of this guardian fell to the ground, sobbing souls emerged from there, which kissed the frame of the door and perished. Behind it, the 'ancient door' was still closed, on which the carvings of dragons showed signs of life, as if they were waiting for a sacrifice.
Elena held the seraph's stone-turned body with all her strength. "Seraph! Look at me! You can't leave me alone like this!" She took the seraph's cold face in her hands, which was now slowly losing its human colour. There was still a last glint in the seraph's eyes, a silent plea for him to leave her and move on, but Elena found it impossible. She gave the seraph's cold, stone-like lips a very painful and long kiss, as if she wanted to transfer the entire warmth of her golden heart into him. The touch contained the cry of her soul, a cry that shook the laws of space.
The guardian waved one of his mighty thunderbolts into the air and advanced towards Elena, ending their journey there. "There is no passage for love in the world of death!" His voice echoed like a crumbling mountain. Elena put one arm around the seraph's neck and extended the other towards the terrifying thunderbolt. A ray of light shot from her golden heart that stopped the black thunderbolt in midair.
The golden light emanating from Elena's body was now forming a protective halo around the seraph's stone-turned being. She felt that as she used her strength to save the seraph, her own being was becoming transparent. The seraph, who was unable to speak, shed a tear from his eye and settled on his stone-turned cheek. The tear fell onto Elena's hand and lit up like a spark.
The black shadow of the Black Serpent from above was now about to attack them like a storm. She wanted to take advantage of Elena's weakness. "Elena! This stone will never become human again! Leave it and become the heir to my throne!" The Black Serpent's laughter drained the blood from Elena's ears.
Elena let out a loud scream, her golden heart now yearning to burst out of her chest. She hugged the Seraph to her chest as if she wanted to protect her from all the troubles in the world. "If this is the stone, then I will be the queen of this stone! But I will not hand it over to you!"
Elena picked up the Seraph's sword 'Light of the Dragon', which was still clutched in the Seraph's stone-like hand. She poured her combined power and that of the Seraph into this sword and struck a blow at the eyes of the three-headed guardian that turned the darkness of this space white for a moment.
The explosion was so intense that the guard was forced to retreat, but the door was still closed. Elena and Seraph were now at the threshold of this door. Seraph's chest was now completely turned to stone; only his eyes were looking at Elena.
A voice came from the door, "To open the door, you must break this stone, or you must extinguish this golden heart... Choose Elena! Will you break the stone imprisonment of your beloved or find the throne of your kingdom?"
The black serpent had now reached its head, and its black hands were moving towards Elena's neck. Will Elena dare to break this stone? Or will she herself become an idol on this threshold forever with Seraph?
"Dear Readers,
As Elena and Seraph navigate the haunting corridors of the Palace of Nothingness, their bond is being tested like never before. If this chapter touched your heart and made you feel the intensity of their love, please leave a comment with your thoughts and vote for the story. Your support is the magic that keeps this world alive.
What do you think awaits them at the throne of blood? Stay tuned for the next chapter!"