Stolen on Christmas

Bound by Shadow

Darkness swallowed me whole. Cold and suffocating, it pressed against my skin, digging into my bones like claws of frozen steel. I tried to scream, but the shadows stole my breath. Magic sparked faintly in my fingertips, but it fizzled out, crushed beneath the overwhelming weight of dark power.

Then — crash!

I hit the ground hard, knocking the air from my lungs. The biting cold burned through my clothes as snow soaked into my skin. I gasped, clawing at the icy ground, forcing my trembling body upright. What I saw stole the breath I’d just regained. I had never seen such a place like this, neither in my dreams or in real life.

The clearing stretched around me like a forgotten graveyard, twisted and lifeless. Jagged trees encased in shimmering frost loomed overhead, their branches clawing at the ash-gray sky. Snow swirled, fierce and unyielding, carried on a wind that howled like lost souls. Why did he bring me to a lifeless land like this?

Where the hell am I?

Before I could gather my wits, heavy footsteps crunched behind me. I spun around — and there he was.

Valen Nightthorn.

He stood like an untouchable force, broad and unmoving, his crimson eyes gleaming like molten embers in the wintry gloom. The shadows that had dragged me here seemed to belong to him, curling lazily at his boots like loyal beasts. Looking at the receding shadows reminds me of that suffocating feeling that I had just experienced that he had used to transport us to this icy forsaken land.

“Welcome to Noctis Hollow,” he said, his voice deep and steady, as if this was just another day. His hand gestured to the ice-barren land.

I staggered to my feet, every instinct screaming to run, even though there was nowhere to go. "Take me back. Now." I demanded.

His expression hardened. "That’s not possible."

My fists clenched. "You had no right—"

"I had every right." His voice cut like a blade. "You were dying, Mina. The storm wasn’t just weather — it was sent by the curse. It would’ve claimed you if I hadn’t intervened." He has to be lying.

I froze, breath hitching. Was he serious? His words hit something deep, something instinctual that I didn’t want to acknowledge.

"You expect me to believe that?" I hissed. "You kidn*pped me."

His gaze didn’t waver. "I saved you." His voice dropped, dangerously soft. "You were marked by the frost long before tonight. The curse would’ve claimed you if I hadn’t intervened."

I shook my head, refusing to believe him. "What curse? What are you talking about?"

His gaze remained locked on mine, steady and unwavering. "You’re bound to this place, just as I am. The magic that flows through your veins is tied to the curse keeping Noctis Hollow trapped in eternal winter. Whether you accept it or not, you belong here."

"No." My voice trembled with defiance. "I belong home."

He stepped closer, his expression softening, almost regretful. "You are home." His words rang heavy with something I couldn’t understand, and it sent a cold shiver up my spine. "This was always meant to be."

Before I could snap back, a sudden, piercing howl echoed through the frozen woods — low, mournful, and filled with something far worse than hunger. My stomach twisted with dread.

"What was that?" I demanded, my pulse quickening.

Valen’s body tensed, and for the first time, I saw something that resembled urgency in his movements. He stepped closer, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the darkness beyond us. "Stay close."

Without waiting for me to respond, he extended a hand toward me. I recoiled instinctively, still glaring, and took a step back.

“I’m not going anywhere with you,” I spat, though my heart was racing. His presence, so overwhelmingly powerful and dangerous, made my blood run cold.

Another howl rang out — closer this time, followed by the heavy crunch of something large moving through the snow. My breath caught, and the air seemed to grow thicker. The shadows around the trees seemed to shift, twisting unnaturally.

"Mina," Valen growled, his voice harsh with warning. "Now." Before I could protest, something massive and twisted lunged from the darkness — a hulking, frost-rimed creature with jagged ice-like fur and glowing, hollow eyes. My breath froze in my chest as I staggered back, my heart hammering in my ears. My legs wouldn’t move, my body locked in place as terror washed over me.

Then, in a blur of dark power, Valen was there, his movements graceful and lethal. His cloak swirled like a living shadow, and with a fluid motion, he drew a gleaming, frost-forged blade from thin air.

The creature lunged at him, its maw open wide, fangs sharp enough to tear through stone. But Valen moved faster. His blade flashed, meeting the beast’s chest with deadly precision. Dark magic crackled on impact, and the creature let out a deafening screech. Its body shattered into a spray of ice and mist, disappearing in an instant. I stared, stunned and breathless. Valen hadn’t just fought the creature; he’d commanded the dark magic around him, wielding it like a weapon without breaking a sweat.

More howls rose in the distance, echoing through the frozen woods. "We need to move," Valen said, his voice low and urgent as he started walking toward me. I swallowed hard, feeling like I had no choice but to follow. I could barely stand on my own, let alone fight whatever those things were. Without a word, I nodded stiffly, refusing to show weakness even though I felt it all around me.

Valen turned and led the way, his figure cutting through the snow like a shadow. But as I followed, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something far worse than the monsters lurking in the shadows was waiting for me.

And it wasn’t just the frost creeping into my bones. It was a dark, dangerous connection that seemed to tighten between us with every step.

The icy air burned my lungs as I stumbled after Valen, every step driving me deeper into a world I didn’t understand — a place I never should’ve been. My fingers were numb, and the cold bit at my face like cruel claws, but I forced myself to keep moving.

The howls still echoed through the frozen woods, low and haunting, stirring something primal in my chest: fear. Not just of the monsters hunting us... but of him.

Valen moved like he belonged here — powerful, precise, and completely in control. The shadows seemed to part for him, bending to his will like obedient servants. Every step he took was calm, assured... and utterly terrifying. I hated that I couldn’t tell which was more dangerous — the monsters in the woods or the cursed lord walking just ahead of me.

“Keep up,” Valen called over his shoulder, his voice rough but steady.

I bit back a retort, focusing on keeping my footing on the uneven, frost-crusted ground. My boots weren’t made for this terrain, and every step felt like walking on blades of ice.

“What are those things?” I demanded, breathless.

“Frost Wraiths.” He didn’t slow down. “They’re corrupted spirits bound to the curse. They hunt anything warm... anything alive.”

A shiver crawled down my spine. “They’re after me.”

“They were after us,” he corrected, his tone unreadable. “But you’re their priority now.”

My stomach twisted. “Why?”

He hesitated, just for a second — barely enough to notice — before answering. “Because you’re marked. They can sense you.”

I clenched my fists. “What the hell does that mean?”

Before he could answer, another blood-chilling howl tore through the air, closer than before. My breath hitched, and I instinctively reached for the small charm bracelet around my wrist — the last piece of home I still had. There were more of those ghastly looking things in the woods.

Magic flickered weakly beneath my fingertips, but it felt wrong here — muted, like a spark drowned in snow. Whatever power lived in this cursed land smothered my magic before I could summon anything useful. Valen’s hand brushed the hilt of his blade, his crimson eyes gleaming like molten fire. “We need to move. Now.” We pushed forward, weaving through the twisted trees that seemed to watch us with malicious intent. The wind howled like a living thing, its icy breath cutting through my coat like paper.

My legs burned, and exhaustion clawed at me, but stopping wasn’t an option — not with those... things out there.

After what felt like hours of running, Valen abruptly stopped. He raised a hand, motioning for silence. My pulse pounded in my ears, and I struggled to catch my breath without making a sound.

“Why—” I started, but he silenced me with a sharp look.

Then I felt it — the faint vibration beneath my boots, like something massive moving through the frozen earth. A low, guttural growl echoed nearby, making every hair on my body stand on end. The air thickened, charged with dark magic. Valen drew his blade in one fluid motion, his entire body tensing like a coiled spring. “Stay behind me.”

Before I could argue, the snow exploded in a violent spray of frost. A monstrous form erupted from the ground — twice as large as the last beast we encountered, with claws like icy daggers and eyes that burned with soulless hunger. Terror surged through me, paralyzing and absolute. Valen lunged before I could react, meeting the beast head-on with savage precision. Shadows writhed around him like living armor, his blade flashing with dark power as he struck.

The monster roared in fury, swiping with claws that could tear through stone. Valen twisted away with inhuman speed, countering with a strike that sent frost-cracked shards flying. I stumbled back, heart hammering. My magic flickered weakly in my palms, useless against something so deadly, so wrong. The beast lashed out again, forcing Valen back with a bone-rattling strike. He snarled, his cloak swirling like liquid night as he retaliated, driving his blade into the creature’s side.

But it wasn’t enough.

With a guttural snarl, the beast lunged again — too fast this time. Valen deflected its claws, but the impact sent him crashing into the frost-covered ground with brutal force.

“Valen!” I screamed, fear cutting through my chest.

The monster reared back, preparing for the killing blow.

Do something.

Move.

Before I could second-guess myself, I thrust my hands forward, summoning every shred of magic I had left. Heat bloomed weakly beneath my skin, clashing against the frozen air.

“Ignis!” I shouted, the ancient fire-spell sparking to life.

A blinding arc of fire shot from my fingertips, slamming into the creature’s face with a searing blast. It howled in agony, stumbling back as flames licked its icy hide. Breathing hard, I staggered, magic-drained and trembling. Valen was on his feet in an instant, seizing the opening. His blade cleaved through the creature’s exposed chest, splitting its icy core with a deafening c***k.