The Black Mark
914 Words
Chapter 10: The Black Mark
The valley remained eerily silent.
No one spoke.
Every pair of eyes was fixed on the crescent-shaped mark on Seraphina's shoulder as its golden glow slowly faded into an ominous black.
"What... is happening to me?" she whispered.
The Oracle's face lost all color.
"This shouldn't be possible."
Lucien stepped closer.
"Tell us."
The Oracle hesitated before answering.
"That isn't an ordinary curse."
"It's called the King's Mark."
Scarlett gasped.
"I thought it was only a legend."
The Oracle slowly nodded.
"So did I."
Seraphina looked at the strange symbol spreading across her skin.
"Can it be removed?"
Silence.
The answer was written on everyone's face.
Lucien clenched his fists.
"There has to be a way."
"There is," the Oracle finally said.
Hope flickered in Seraphina's eyes.
"But the cost may be greater than any of you are willing to pay."
Dante folded his arms.
"What cost?"
"The King's Mark can only be broken by the Heart Crystal."
Lucien frowned.
"I've heard that name before."
"It was hidden after the Great War," the Oracle explained. "The crystal was divided into three fragments and scattered across the supernatural world so no one could ever misuse its power."
Seraphina took a deep breath.
"Then we'll find the fragments."
The Oracle looked at her sadly.
"If only it were that simple."
She waved her hand, and an ancient map appeared above the wooden table.
Three glowing lights shone on different parts of the map.
"The first fragment lies within the Frostfang Mountains."
"The second rests beneath the Crimson Sea."
"And the third..."
She paused.
"...is inside the Black Citadel."
Lucien's expression hardened.
"So the Immortal King already possesses one."
"Yes."
Before anyone could respond, a sharp pain shot through Seraphina's shoulder.
She cried out and dropped to one knee.
Dark veins spread from the mark across her arm before fading just as quickly.
Lucien caught her before she fell.
"Seraphina!"
"I'm alright..."
But she wasn't.
For a brief moment, she had heard another voice inside her mind.
Come to me...
She quickly pushed the whisper away.
"I'm fine," she insisted.
The Oracle wasn't convinced.
"The mark is trying to connect your mind to the Immortal King."
"If he succeeds..."
She didn't finish the sentence.
She didn't have to.
Lucien helped Seraphina to her feet.
"We leave immediately."
Dante looked surprised.
"Already?"
"The longer we stay here, the easier we are to find."
Scarlett stepped forward.
"I'll come with you."
Everyone turned toward her.
Lucien's eyes narrowed.
"You expect us to trust you?"
"No."
"But I know the Shadow Order better than anyone."
Dante rested a hand on his weapon.
"That isn't enough."
Scarlett lowered her gaze.
"I owe Seraphina a debt."
Seraphina met her eyes.
"You admitted killing my mother."
Scarlett's voice trembled.
"I believed I did."
"What does that mean?"
"The memories... they're broken. Since your light purified me, pieces of my past have returned."
She looked as frightened as everyone else.
"I think someone altered my memories."
The Oracle slowly nodded.
"The Immortal King has that power."
Lucien remained cautious, but he could see the fear in Scarlett's eyes was genuine.
"We'll watch you," he said.
Scarlett gave a small nod.
"I wouldn't expect anything less."
---
By sunset, the group had left the Valley of Aether.
The path toward the Frostfang Mountains wound through a dense forest where towering trees blocked the fading light.
Not a single bird sang.
Even the wind seemed afraid.
Dante frowned.
"This forest is too quiet."
Lucien stopped walking.
"So is everything else."
A twig snapped somewhere behind them.
The guards instantly raised their weapons.
"Show yourself!" Dante shouted.
No answer came.
Then another snap echoed from the left.
Followed by another on the right.
They were surrounded.
Dozens of hooded figures emerged silently from between the trees.
Unlike the Shadow Order, these strangers wore white cloaks embroidered with silver wolves.
Their leader removed his hood.
He was an elderly man with a long scar running across one eye.
His piercing silver eyes settled on Lucien.
"My King."
Lucien stared at him in disbelief.
"General Aldric..."
"I thought you were dead."
"So did everyone else."
The old warrior knelt.
"Forgive me for failing your father."
Seraphina looked between them.
"You know him?"
Lucien nodded slowly.
"He commanded my father's army before the Great War."
General Aldric stood.
"We've been hiding for twenty years, waiting for the rightful Wolf King."
Dante looked stunned.
"There are survivors?"
"More than you think."
One by one, dozens of warriors stepped forward and knelt before Lucien.
"Our lives belong to the House of De Luca."
Lucien was speechless.
For years, he had believed he was leading only a mafia empire.
Now he was discovering he had inherited something far greater.
An ancient kingdom.
Before anyone could speak again, a young scout burst from the trees, breathing heavily.
"General!"
"What is it?"
"The Frostfang Mountains..."
"They're burning."
Everyone froze.
"Burning?" Dante repeated.
"They're covered in black fire."
The scout nodded fearfully.
"And something else..."
"What?"
"The dragons have awakened."
A distant roar echoed across the forest.
The ground trembled beneath their feet.
Far beyond the trees, a pillar of black flames rose into the night sky.
Lucien drew his blade.
"Our journey begins now."
Seraphina looked toward the burning mountains, unaware that the first fragment of the Heart Crystal—and an ancient guardian who had waited centuries for the Crimson Queen—was waiting for her beyond the flames.
- Writer
