The Curse Of Shadows
1051 Words
Chapter 12
The final chains shattered like glass.
Vorthakai rose higher from the abyss beneath the academy, its enormous wings unfolding through the collapsing cavern while black corruption surged across the underground roots.
The pressure of its ancient magic crushed the air itself.
Students fleeing through the tunnels screamed as the ground split apart above them.
Lumierre City was beginning to fall.
And in the middle of the chaos—
Allan Dark stared at Selene in disbelief.
“That curse should not exist anymore.”
Selene struggled to breathe as black veins spread across her skin like poison.
Aretha knelt beside her mother desperately.
“Help her!”
Allan’s silver eyes remained fixed on the curse marks.
“There were only three witches capable of creating this kind of shadow curse.”
Fenrir growled deeply.
“The Blood Hex…”
Orion looked sharply toward them.
“What is it?”
Allan slowly stood.
“A forbidden curse created during the Great War.”
His expression darkened dangerously.
“It feeds on life slowly while hiding inside the victim for years.”
Aretha’s heart pounded violently.
“Can you stop it?”
For the first time—
Allan hesitated.
And that terrified her more than any answer.
“…No.”
Selene closed her eyes weakly.
She already knew.
But Aretha refused to accept it.
“There has to be something!”
“The curse is bound to its creator,” Allan explained quietly. “Unless the caster dies, the hex remains.”
Orion frowned deeply.
“But everyone who practiced Blood Hex magic disappeared after the war.”
“Not everyone,” Fenrir rumbled darkly.
Silence followed.
Then Elias suddenly stiffened again.
Another vision slammed into him.
A woman dressed in black robes.
Silver eyes glowing in darkness.
A hand touching Selene’s stomach while she screamed in pain.
Then a whisper:
“The child will belong to shadow.”
Elias gasped sharply and stumbled backward.
Nyra caught him immediately.
“Elias!”
His face had gone completely pale.
“There was a woman…”
Everyone turned toward him.
“She cursed Selene before Aretha was born.”
Allan’s eyes narrowed instantly.
“What woman?”
Elias looked terrified.
“I couldn’t see her face.”
The chamber trembled violently again before anyone could speak further.
Vorthakai’s massive body finally climbed fully from the abyss.
The ancient beast towered above the underground ruins like a god of destruction.
Black and golden energy pulsed across its enormous scales while corrupted roots wrapped around its claws.
Yet despite its terrifying appearance—
Its eyes remained fixed only on Aretha.
“You carry the ancient balance.”
Its voice echoed through every root beneath the city.
“Set us free.”
Fenrir stepped protectively forward.
“You would destroy the realms.”
“No,” Vorthakai answered calmly.
“The realms destroyed themselves long ago.”
Another wave of corruption exploded outward from its body.
The underground chamber began collapsing faster.
They were running out of time.
Orion turned sharply toward the group.
“We need to reach the surface before this entire cavern falls.”
Liam immediately moved toward Aretha and Selene.
“I’ll carry her.”
Selene tried weakly to protest.
“I can still—”
“You can barely stand,” Liam interrupted firmly.
For a brief second, Aretha almost smiled despite everything.
He sounded annoyingly protective.
Liam carefully lifted Selene while Nyra spread her metallic wings.
“We need another exit,” she shouted over the collapsing cavern.
Caspian pointed toward a glowing tunnel deeper beneath the roots.
“There!”
Fenrir looked toward the tunnel and growled.
“That path leads directly beneath the Tree of Life.”
Orion’s expression tightened.
“Then we move.”
But before they could run—
Vorthakai suddenly lowered its massive head toward Aretha.
The entire chamber shook from the movement.
“Wait.”
Everyone froze.
The ancient creature’s glowing eye narrowed slightly.
“There is something you deserve to know.”
Orion immediately stepped forward.
“We don’t have time for this.”
“You have never had time,” Vorthakai answered coldly.
Then its gaze returned to Aretha.
“The prophecy was never created to fear you.”
The whispers inside her head quieted again.
“You were born to restore what the first kingdoms destroyed.”
Aretha stared upward silently.
“What exactly did they destroy?”
Vorthakai’s ancient eyes darkened with sorrow.
“Unity.”
Images suddenly flashed through Aretha’s mind again.
Not visions this time.
Memories.
Ancient memories flowing through the roots.
She saw magical families standing together peacefully long before the war.
Light and shadow existing side by side beneath the Tree of Life.
No divided kingdoms.
No Dark Lord City.
No hatred.
Then—
Violence.
Fear spreading.
People turning against shadow magic after powerful rulers began abusing it.
The first guardians trying to stop the conflict.
And finally—
Vorthakai being chained beneath the earth after refusing to choose sides.
The images vanished.
Aretha staggered backward slightly.
“They lied to everyone…”
Fenrir lowered his head.
“History is written by survivors.”
Allan looked disturbed too.
Because even he had never seen these memories before.
Then suddenly—
A terrifying scream echoed from the upper tunnels.
Everyone turned sharply.
A Fairy soldier stumbled into the chamber covered in blood and ash.
“Headmaster!”
She collapsed to one knee, breathing heavily.
“The corruption reached Greenfield Lumierre.”
Fear spread instantly.
“The Tree of Life is dying.”
Silence crushed the chamber.
Because everyone understood what that meant.
If the Tree died—
Every magical bloodline connected to it would begin losing their power.
Eventually…
Their lives.
Orion’s voice became deadly serious.
“We leave now.”
This time nobody argued.
The group rushed toward the glowing tunnel beneath the roots while the cavern continued collapsing behind them.
Vorthakai watched Aretha carefully as she disappeared into the darkness.
Then the ancient creature closed its glowing eye briefly.
Almost sadly.
Because deep beneath its rage and power—
It knew the truth.
The child of balance was approaching the moment that would decide the fate of both worlds.
And somewhere far above them—
Hidden within Lumierre City—
The true enemy was already watching.
- Writer
