The further Kael, Aurenya, and Silas ventured through the Hollow Court, the more it felt as though the Court itself was alive—its breath shallow, its heartbeat a heavy pulse that echoed in the walls, floor, and sky. The oppressive air pressed down on them, thick with unspoken secrets and the weight of lost memories.
They had traversed countless hallways, each one colder and more unwelcoming than the last. Yet, there was no turning back. Aurenya had not once spoken since they entered, her silence speaking volumes. She had changed—there was no denying it. The fierce, burning anger that had once consumed her was gone, replaced by a quiet, almost detached demeanor. The weight of her past lingered in her eyes, but there was something else—something that made Kael uneasy.
His own internal battle simmered beneath his skin, the curse tugging at him with every step. The oppressive pulse of the Hollow Court seemed to amplify its pressure, the crimson veins of his curse almost vibrating with anticipation. Each flicker of light, each whisper of shadow, seemed to echo with the curse's endless hunger, feeding on his every move. It was getting harder to control, harder to ignore. But he couldn't let Aurenya see it, not when she was so distant. Not when she had changed so much.
It wasn't until they reached the heart of the Court, where time itself seemed to stretch and bend, that they finally saw her. Aurenya, standing alone amidst the glowing remnants of what had once been a throne room. The floor beneath her feet shimmered with a strange, liquid light, casting long shadows along the walls, which seemed to whisper with the voices of those long forgotten.
She was different—unmistakably so. Her once wild, untamed hair now shimmered with an almost ethereal glow, a sign of the power coursing through her veins. Her eyes, which had once burned with fury, now seemed to reflect a sadness and resignation that Kael could not quite place. There was no anger left in her, just something else—a coldness, perhaps?
Aurenya didn't acknowledge their presence at first. She simply stood, her back to them, looking out over the ruins of the Hollow Court. Her hands were clasped in front of her, fingers twitching with a subtle, almost involuntary rhythm.
Kael's heart clenched as he took a step forward. He opened his mouth to speak, but the words stuck in his throat. It had been so long. So much had happened. And yet, here she was—more powerful, more distant than he had ever known her.
"Aurenya," he finally said, his voice hoarse. She didn't flinch, didn't even seem to hear him.
The girl—still by their side, watching everything unfold—whispered, "She's here, but she is not herself anymore."
Kael's gaze flickered toward the girl, but his attention remained fixed on Aurenya. It was as though she could hear the girl's words, because the moment they were spoken, Aurenya turned slowly, her eyes locking onto Kael's. There was something in her gaze—something cold, yet filled with an emotion Kael couldn't quite define.
"You came," she said softly, her voice carrying a strange weight, as though each word had been forged from a thousand painful truths. "After everything that happened, you still came."
Kael's heart twisted, guilt and relief flooding through him in equal measure. The curse burned beneath his skin, aching to be free, to take control, but Kael forced it back, focusing on the woman before him.
"I'm sorry," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "I never meant for any of this to happen. I didn't want you to suffer, Aurenya. I didn't want to lose you."
Aurenya's lips quirked slightly, but it wasn't a smile. It was a bitter twist, as though the pain of the past had stolen even that small solace. She shook her head, her eyes hardening as she stepped back, as though distancing herself from him. "You never wanted to lose me?" she echoed, her voice tinged with something Kael couldn't place—resentment, perhaps. "You think I was just a burden to you? Something to be fixed, Kael? Do you really believe that?"
The words hit Kael like a physical blow. He opened his mouth to respond, but Aurenya raised a hand, silencing him. Her eyes glowed faintly, a mix of sadness and something darker simmering beneath the surface. "You've always seen me as someone who needed saving. But, Kael," she stepped closer, her gaze piercing, "I am not the same person I was when you first found me. The Court has changed me."
The hollow emptiness around them seemed to vibrate in response to her words. The walls of the Court seemed to stretch higher, and the air grew colder. Silas stood behind them, watching quietly, his arms crossed. The burden of their past weighed heavily on him too. He couldn't hide his smirk as he spoke.
"Well, isn't that just lovely," Silas interjected, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Kael's been moping for how many days about this exact thing, and now we get to hear the real drama unfold." He shrugged, his eyes flickering between the two. "You know, if you really wanted to change, Aurenya, a bit of subtlety would've been nice. The whole 'I'm the dark queen now' thing is a little on the nose, don't you think?"
Kael shot Silas a sharp look, but Silas just grinned, clearly enjoying the moment. The curse stirred again, burning at Kael's core. The hunger. The anger. It was building, pushing him to snap, to take control, but he held it back. He couldn't afford to let it consume him, not now.
"We all change," Kael said softly, stepping closer, though a part of him feared what he might find in her eyes. "But I've never seen you as someone to fix, Aurenya. You're stronger than anyone I know. But you don't have to do this alone."
She stared at him, her expression unreadable. "Alone?" she scoffed. "You still don't understand, do you?" Her voice cracked, but there was no bitterness now—just something deeper, something raw. "I've never been alone. Not really. I've been surrounded by darkness, Kael. And now… now I am the darkness. This Court—this place—it doesn't let go. It feeds off what I've become."
Kael's chest tightened at her words. The truth was clear now—Aurenya had embraced the power of the Hollow Court. In doing so, she had changed in ways he couldn't fully comprehend. But there was still something in her eyes, some part of her that had not been consumed.
"Aurenya, please," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "Don't let it take you. Don't let this place define who you are. You're still the person who fought for what was right. You're still the person I—"
"I'm not that person anymore," Aurenya interrupted, her voice hardening, though the crack of vulnerability was still there. "I can't go back, Kael. I've made my choices. And now, I need to face the consequences."
Before Kael could respond, a low, resonating rumble shook the ground beneath them. The Hollow Court trembled, its eerie whispers growing louder, more urgent. The girl, standing silently by Kael's side, turned toward the heart of the Court, her eyes wide with sudden realization.
"He's coming," the girl whispered, her voice filled with both dread and awe.
Aurenya's face hardened. "It's time."
The moment those words left her lips, a sudden burst of dark energy surged from the very heart of the Court. The ground cracked open, and from the depths of the darkness, the Hollow King's voice boomed, deep and echoing like the sound of thunder across a battlefield.
"The time has come, Aurenya," the Hollow King intoned, his voice carrying a dark, seductive promise. "You belong to me now. Your power is mine to command."
Aurenya's eyes narrowed as she turned to face the shadow that loomed before them. Kael's heart raced in his chest as he looked between Aurenya and the growing darkness. The Hollow King was here—and everything was about to change.