crimson oath

in another life

"No."

The word barely left Ethan's lips.

Lucien staggered.

The blessed arrow protruding from his chest gleamed beneath the fading glow of the Bloodfire.

The battlefield fell silent.

Then Lucien collapsed.

"LUCIEN!"

Ethan caught him before he hit the ground.

The Crimson Prince's body trembled in his arms.

Blood stained Ethan's hands.

"No," Ethan whispered desperately. "No, no, no..."

Lucien looked up at him.

Even now, there was no fear in his crimson eyes.

Only regret.

"...You're crying," Lucien said weakly.

Ethan let out a broken laugh.

"Of course I'm crying."

His voice cracked.

"You idiot."

Lucien smiled faintly.

"I suppose... I deserved that."

"Don't talk."

"Ethan—"

"Don't."

Ethan pressed his trembling hands over the wound.

The Bloodfire flowed from his palms.

Golden light tried to mend torn flesh.

Nothing happened.

"No..."

Panic seized him.

"Why isn't it working?"

Seraphina knelt beside them.

Her usually composed face was streaked with tears.

"The arrow was blessed."

"No."

"It destroys vampire hearts."

"No!"

Ethan pushed more power into Lucien.

"You said the Bloodfire protects!"

Lucien's cold fingers wrapped around Ethan's wrist.

"Ethan."

"You'll be fine."

The lie sounded pathetic.

"You'll be okay."

Lucien looked at him with unbearable tenderness.

"I've lived for centuries."

His voice weakened.

"I've watched kingdoms rise and fall."

"I've forgotten what sunlight feels like."

Tears slipped down Ethan's cheeks.

"I don't care."

"But..."

Lucien's thumb brushed against Ethan's face.

"...meeting you made me remember what it felt like to be human."

Ethan broke.

"You can't leave me."

The battlefield blurred.

Hunters lowered their weapons.

Vampires stood frozen.

Even Cassian stared in silence.

"You promised," Ethan whispered.

"You said I'd have you."

Lucien closed his eyes briefly.

Then opened them again.

"They say vampires don't have souls."

A weak smile touched his lips.

"I hope they're wrong."

"Stop talking like that."

"Ethan..."

Lucien struggled to breathe.

"Listen to me."

"No."

"If there is another life..."

His voice cracked.

"...choose happiness before revenge."

Ethan shook his head violently.

"No."

"Choose yourself."

"No."

"Choose love."

Lucien smiled softly.

"And if fate is kind..."

Tears spilled freely down Ethan's face.

"...choose me first."

The world stopped.

Lucien's hand slipped from Ethan's cheek.

His crimson eyes lost their light.

And the Crimson Prince went still.

Silence.

Absolute silence.

Ethan stared.

His mind refused to understand.

"Lucien?"

Nothing.

"Lucien?"

His voice grew smaller.

"...Please."

No answer came.

The man he loved had died in his arms.

Something inside Ethan shattered.

The Bloodfire erupted.

Golden flames engulfed the battlefield.

Hunters stumbled backward.

Vampires fell to their knees.

Cassian laughed nervously.

"Yes."

His eyes gleamed.

"Finally."

"Ethan!"

Lily cried out.

"Don't!"

Ethan stood slowly.

Lucien's blood stained his hands.

He looked toward Cassian.

The man responsible for his parents' deaths.

The man whose hatred had destroyed countless lives.

Cassian raised his sword.

"Kill me."

His smile widened.

"Become what you were born to be."

Golden flames danced around Ethan.

He remembered the boy who had sworn revenge.

The hunter consumed by hatred.

The son who wanted justice.

The man who had fallen in love.

Then Ethan extinguished the flames.

Cassian stared.

"What?"

"I won't give you what you want."

"No!"

Cassian rushed toward him.

"You owe them vengeance!"

Ethan met his uncle's gaze.

"I owe them peace."

He raised his hand.

The Bloodfire wrapped around Cassian.

Not to destroy.

To reveal.

Memories poured into the battlefield.

Everyone saw them.

Cassian's grief.

His wife's death.

His son's laughter.

His fear.

His hatred.

His choices.

The truth.

When the light faded, Cassian collapsed.

Sobbing.

The sword slipped from his hands.

"I just wanted them back."

Ethan's expression softened.

"I know."

Commander Alaric approached slowly.

Tears filled his eyes.

"We failed you."

Ethan looked at the man who had raised him.

"You did."

"I'm sorry."

The apology sounded small.

Insufficient.

But sincere.

Ethan closed his eyes.

"I forgive you."

Alaric broke down.

The war ended not with annihilation—

But with truth.

---

Months later...

Blackthorn Castle stood quieter than before.

The hunters and vampires had agreed to a fragile peace.

Lily laughed more often.

Seraphina had become an advisor to both sides.

Adrian still made terrible jokes.

Life moved forward.

Even when Ethan didn't want it to.

He visited Lucien's grave every week.

It overlooked the mountains.

"You would've hated this weather," Ethan muttered.

Silence answered him.

He placed fresh flowers at the headstone.

"I still don't know what I'm doing."

The wind stirred gently.

"I miss you."

His voice broke.

"Every day."

He turned to leave.

Then paused.

Something rested atop the grave.

A black envelope sealed with crimson wax.

Ethan frowned.

His hands trembled as he opened it.

Inside was a letter.

The handwriting was elegant.

Familiar.

His breath caught.

> Ethan,

If you're reading this, then either I've died...

...or Adrian finally learned how to follow instructions.

I suppose both are equally tragic.

There are many things I never said.

I loved you long before I understood what love meant.

You taught me that monsters can choose kindness.

You taught me that grief does not have to become hatred.

Most importantly...

You taught me to hope.

So if fate allows it—

Wait for me.

Whether in this life or the next,

I will always find my way back to you.

—Lucien

Ethan's tears fell onto the page.

Then—

A familiar voice drifted through the wind.

"You know..."

Ethan froze.

"...most people say hello before crying over my grave."

Slowly.

Very slowly.

He turned around.

Standing beneath the setting sun was a man dressed in black.

Dark hair.

Crimson eyes.

A teasing smile Ethan knew by heart.

Lucien.

Ethan stared.

The letter slipped from his fingers.

"...You're dead," he whispered.

Lucien tilted his head.

"I was."

Silence.

Then Ethan marched toward him.

Lucien opened his mouth.

Ethan punched him.

Hard.

Lucien stumbled backward.

"Ow!"

"You absolute i***t!"

Lucien blinked.

"You punched me."

"You let me mourn you for months!"

"I had to recover!"

Ethan hit him again.

"I hated every second without you!"

Lucien caught his wrist.

Then pulled Ethan into his arms.

"I know."

Ethan buried his face against Lucien's shoulder.

The steady beat of a heart echoed beneath his ear.

Real.

Warm.

Alive.

Lucien held him tighter.

"I'm sorry."

Ethan laughed through tears.

"You'd better be."

Lucien pressed a kiss to his forehead.

Then whispered the words that had once shattered Ethan's heart.

"In another life..."

Ethan looked up at him.

Lucien smiled.

"I'd still choose you first."

Ethan kissed him before he could say another word.

Above them, the wind carried away the ashes of an old hatred.

The hunter who had lived for revenge.

The prince who had lived with regret.

Together, they chose something stronger.

Not vengeance.

Not fear.

But love.