Hellbound Heart

Alex gestured at Zeres and as soon as the male witch stopped the flow of magic coming out from his palms, the dark smoke enveloped Azy. Alexander did not let go of the boy, but instead, hung onto him even tighter, so the smoke swallowed him too.

In a blink of an eye, the two were gone from the clearing.

Alicia collapsed but Abi was prepared and caught her as she fell.

The lonely sound of leaves rustling and the disappearing faint crackle of dark magic were the only sounds left in the Black Forest as Azy and Alexander disappeared into thin air. The tension and worry in the air lingered, as Alicia's weakened state continued to concern everyone around her. Abi held her close, trying to steady her as she struggled to regain her strength. But Alicia soon closed her eyes and lost consciousness after saying an inaudible word.

Zeres stood quietly beside them, his face a mix of worry and frustration. "I truly hope we had made the right decision," he muttered, looking towards the spot where Azy and Alexander had vanished.

Abi nodded, her mind racing with thoughts of what could happen. Looking up at Zeres, Abi understood what he was thinking and she said in a quiet tone, "We have to trust in Alicia's instincts," she said firmly. "She's never steered us wrong before, and I doubt she would start now. Also, Alex's with him so don't worry."

The group fell silent again, lost in their own thoughts and worries. The Black Forest seemed to echo their unease that the normally peaceful surroundings now felt heavy with uncertainty.

...

Back in the underground cemetery.

Elle lay motionless on the cold, damp stone table in the middle of the altar. She felt as though she had been drained of every ounce of energy and power, like she was at the brink of death from thirst. Despite the pain having finally subsided, her body felt heavy and weak. But through the haze of her exhaustion, she was grateful for one thing: that she was still alive and breathing.

She could still see Sebastian again and hold him and embrace him. That if this was finally truly over and she was truly out of danger now.

Elle's eyes struggled to focus, the world around her still blurry and indistinct. She then wondered if there was something wrong with her eyes. But before she could even follow up on that thought, her ears picked up on a sound. A desperate voice screaming in terror. It took her a moment to recognize that it was a male voice she was hearing, and he was seemingly begging for mercy. Was that the man who sounded like Elijah? She could not quite tell if that voice was still Elijah's anymore. But why was he... Did Sebastian finally come to save her and he was torturing that man right now?

A lump formed in her throat as she tried to cry out, but it was as if her voice box and even tear ducts had been stolen away along with her energy. All she could do was to lay there, listening to the man's cries echoing around the dark dungeon.

But soon, tendrils of darkness coiled around Elle's limbs. She could somewhat feel as though little cool and cylindrical appendages were slowly taking hold of her, as though wanting her to follow them somewhere.

Her mind felt sluggish and heavy, as if submerged in a sea of molasses, but she fought against the pull of unconsciousness with all her strength. As her senses slowly returned, she became aware of the cold, hard stone poking at her from beneath and the weight of the chains around her wrists and ankles. The metallic clink of the chains echoed in her ears, reminding her of her captivity.

The chains that were bound around her were heavy and cumbersome, leaving an icy cold feel against her skin, and Elle could feel them pressing down on her, sapping away what little strength she had left. It was as though they were purposely slapped onto her not only to prevent her escape, but to also drain her strength in order to ensure she would not be able to go far even if she did manage to escape.

Still, she fought against them, hoping that she would be freed from them miraculously. It was then when a warm sensation spread across her wrists and ankles. And like magic, she felt the chains beginning to loosen and soften. It was as though they were put through an intense heat but without her being hurt by said heat.

As she strained against her loosening restraints, Elle noticed a dark silhouette hovering over her. It was a man, and though she could not quite make out his features, there was something strangely familiar about him. The identity of the person seemed to be just on the tip of her tongue but the name just slipped her mind every time she almost got it.

Slowly, her vision began to clear, and she saw that the man's eyes were piercing and otherworldly, glowing with an intense energy that seemed to seep into her very soul. But why would she think that he was familiar? She had no recollection of knowing anyone with that kind of stature. She would definitely remember if she had ever met someone so charismatic as this.

"So, this is the one who summoned us?" a calming and bass rumbling voice echoed through the dungeon. "I can't believe someone in your world is powerful enough to summon the two of us." That voice continued to speak, making Elle think that this voice is really nice to listen to.

"W-who... are... you?" Elle forced herself to ask. Her voice was barely audible. Her vision turned even clearer and finally she could see his face. It was the face of another gorgeous man, someone with the unmistakable genes of the Reigns. He might even have been the most beautiful Reign that Elle had ever seen.