Love At First Death

The sanctuary's dim light gave the carvings on the walls an otherworldly glow. Elysia leaned her head back against the cold stone, listening to the eerie silence after the monster's retreat. She sighed dramatically and turned to Markus.

"Well, I guess this is what counts as a five-star getaway in this world." She rubbed her arms for warmth. "Though I have to say, the service could be better. You guys don't even have snacks."

Markus smirked faintly, his usual calm demeanor returning. "I'll be sure to pass your feedback to management."

Elysia chuckled softly and turned her head toward Lucian. "Right, Lucian? Isn't this just– " She stopped mid-sentence. The spot where Lucian had been lounging was empty.

She blinked, sitting upright. "Wait. Where'd he go? He was just here!"

Markus glanced at the empty space and shrugged. "He has a habit of disappearing when it suits him."

"That's… not comforting," Elysia muttered, frowning. "Shouldn't we, I don't know, make sure he's not wandering into trouble?"

Markus shook his head. "Lucian can take care of himself in his own way. Don't worry about him. He'll resolve the situation, whatever it is."

Elysia narrowed her eyes at him. "You know, you're not exactly brimming with detail, Markus."

He gave her a soft smile, one that felt reassuring despite the circumstances. "You've had a long day. Rest while you can. Let me worry about Lucian."

But resting was the last thing on Elysia's mind. Something about Lucian's sudden disappearance left her with a gnawing sense of unease.

Lucian strode silently through the forest, his usual smirk replaced by a grim expression. His sharp eyes scanned the path ahead as he approached the back of the castle. The looming walls seemed darker here, as though the very stone absorbed the moonlight.

He slipped through a hidden passage, his steps echoing faintly in the empty hall. The air grew colder as he descended into a dark chamber lit only by a single flickering lantern.

A faint, pitiful sound echoed from the far corner of the room– a girl's muffled sobbing.

Lucian approached slowly, his figure shrouded in shadow. The girl sat huddled in a small cage, her hands and feet bound in chains, and her trembling voice cut through the silence.

"P-please… help me. I didn't mean to– please let me go…"

Lucian crouched in front of the cage, his head tilted as he observed her. "Help you?" His voice was low, almost amused. "Funny. I don't remember you asking for help when you were sneaking around Elysia's room with a knife in your hand."

The girl froze, her sobs catching in her throat. "I-I didn't mean to… I just… I had to– "

"You had to what?" Lucian's tone darkened, his usual playful cadence replaced by something cold and sharp. "Kill her? You thought you could waltz into the castle, take out Elysia, and escape?" He leaned closer, his eyes gleaming. "Tell me, how exactly did you plan to get past me?"

The girl whimpered, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I… I had to do it. She's a witch. She's cursed us all! My family– my village– we've been suffering for years because of her!"

Lucian's lips curled into a chilling smile. "A witch, is she? And you're the hero who's going to save everyone by spilling her blood?" He pulled a strange ring from his pocket, the dark gemstone at its center pulsing faintly. "Bravery isn't your strong suit, is it?"

She tried to back away, but the chains held her in place. "Please… I didn't want to… I just… I was told to do it!"

Lucian's hand shot out, gripping her neck with an iron force. The girl gasped, her bound hands clawing uselessly at his wrist.

"Shh," he said softly, his voice dripping with malice. "You're not getting out of this. You dared to touch what's mine. There's no forgiveness for that."

The gemstone in the ring began to glow, its light seeping into the girl's skin. Her eyes widened as her body convulsed, her screams cut short as her flesh darkened, cracking and crumbling into ash. Within moments, she was gone, nothing but dust scattered on the cold floor.

Lucian stood, brushing the ash from his hands, his face void of emotion.

A soft voice emerged from the shadows, smooth and unsettling. "You're getting attached."

Lucian glanced at the corner of the room, where the shadows seemed to shift and ripple unnaturally. "Don't start with me."

The voice chuckled, a sound that seemed to echo from the walls themselves. "You care more than you let on. It's… amusing."

Lucian's jaw tightened. "She's a tool. Nothing more."

"Is that so?" the voice whispered, its tone teasing. "Then why not let the villagers have her? Why go through all this trouble?"

Lucian's gaze darkened, but he didn't answer. Instead, he slipped the ring back into his pocket and turned toward the exit.

The voice followed him, its words like tendrils wrapping around his mind. "You can lie to yourself, Lucian, but you can't lie to me. She's becoming important to you, whether you like it or not."

He paused at the doorway, his voice low and dangerous. "Stay out of my head."

The shadows laughed softly as Lucian disappeared into the corridor, his figure swallowed by the darkness.