Levi's heart raced, the feeling of Rue's presence growing ever more palpable in the space between them. The firelight flickered around them, casting long shadows across the crumbling stone walls. It was as though time itself had slowed, leaving them in a world of their own making. Her mind buzzed with a thousand thoughts, none of them coherent. But through it all, one thing remained clear—Rue.
He was there, kneeling in front of her, his eyes darkened with intensity, but there was something softer in his gaze now. His hand reached out, brushing a lock of her hair behind her ear, his touch sending an electric shiver down her spine. There was an unspoken tension, an undeniable pull between them.
"Levi," Rue murmured, his voice low, almost reverent. "I don't want to force you into anything, but I—"
She didn't let him finish. She couldn't. The need to close the distance between them, to feel something real amidst the chaos, surged through her like wildfire. She reached up, cupping his jaw, drawing him closer, her lips meeting his in a rush of heat.
The kiss was immediate and intense, the years of yearning and unspoken emotions finally crashing into one another. Rue's lips were warm and soft, but his kiss was desperate, filled with the urgency of everything they had yet to face. Levi's heart hammered against her chest, as if it, too, was trying to connect with the magic swirling between them.
For a moment, the world outside faded. There was no prophecy, no cursed grimoire, no enemies hunting them down—just the connection between their souls, raw and undeniable.
But the kiss was interrupted—not by words, but by a chilling voice that echoed through the room like the toll of a death knell.
"How fitting," Selene's voice rang out, sharp and full of malice. "A witch and her demon."
Levi pulled away, her breath ragged, her heart still pounding from the kiss. She turned to face the doorway, where Selene stood, her silhouette framed by the flickering light of the fire. There was an aura of unrelenting power about her, a presence that seemed to suck the warmth from the room.
Selene's eyes gleamed with an almost predatory satisfaction as she crossed the threshold. The air seemed to thicken with tension, as if the very space between them was being charged with magic. "I couldn't have chosen a better time to expose you," Selene continued, her tone dripping with venom. "You thought you could hide, witch, but you've been marked. And now, the world will know."
Levi's stomach clenched. She could feel the weight of Selene's gaze, the judgment in her eyes, the disdain that dripped from every word she spoke. The weight of everything she had been running from was now crashing down on her.
"No!" Levi snapped, her voice fierce, though her hands trembled. "I didn't ask for this—none of this. You don't get to decide my fate."
Selene's lips curled into a cold smile. "I don't need to decide your fate, Levi Rose. The world already has." She snapped her fingers, and the atmosphere shifted, heavy with the power of the Council. Levi felt it before she even saw the enchanted sigil on the floor, a glowing, iridescent symbol that seemed to hum with ancient magic. Selene stepped forward, and the sigil flared to life, the magic crackling in the air.
"You're not just a witch," Selene said, her voice turning icy. "You're the witch, the one bound to an ancient prophecy. And now, everyone will know it."
Rue stepped forward, his posture protective as he put himself between Levi and Selene, his expression darkening. "You don't get to do this, Selene. Leave her alone."
But Selene only laughed, the sound mocking and cruel. "You're one to talk, demon. You've known the truth all along, haven't you? You knew what she was, what she could become." Her gaze flicked between them, as if savoring the tension. "But now, the truth is out. And it's too late to stop it."
Levi's heart sank as Selene raised her hand, the sigil beneath her feet glowing brighter. A force of magic exploded outward, pushing Levi back, sending a shockwave through the room. The air crackled with raw energy, and Levi staggered, struggling to remain upright.
"Enough!" Rue growled, his eyes flickering with a dangerous red glow, his demon power flaring to life as he extended his hand toward Selene, summoning a surge of power that made the ground beneath them tremble.
But Selene was unfazed. She raised her own hand, her fingers weaving through the air, and the sigil flared again, sending an oppressive wave of magic toward Rue. He braced himself, but the attack was powerful, pushing him back. His feet slid across the stone floor, but he didn't fall.
Levi's mind raced as the magic pulsed around her, making the room feel like it was closing in on her. She had to do something. This couldn't be how everything ended—exposed, helpless, and alone.
With a surge of desperation, Levi reached for the grimoire at her side, the ancient book that had been the source of so much of her power. Her fingers brushed its leather cover, and a flood of energy coursed through her, sharp and unrelenting.
The sigil beneath Selene began to flicker, losing its power. Selene's eyes widened in shock as the magic she had woven began to unravel, thread by thread. The book pulsed in Levi's hand, and she closed her eyes, focusing on the energy it offered. The dark forces in the room seemed to shift as her own power grew, overwhelming the magic that Selene had summoned.
Rue glanced back at her, surprise flashing across his face. "Levi—"
"I'm not a victim," she whispered to herself, the words fueling her resolve. "I'm not a pawn."
With a swift motion, she threw her hand forward, and the magic from the grimoire surged through her. The sigil beneath Selene shattered into a thousand pieces of light, dissipating into the air. The room went silent.
For a moment, it seemed as though everything had stopped.
Levi looked up at Selene, her eyes burning with defiance. "If you think this is over, you're mistaken."
Selene's expression twisted into something darker, more dangerous, but she didn't speak. Instead, she turned on her heel, disappearing into the shadows, leaving Levi and Rue alone in the aftermath of their confrontation.
Levi stood there, breathing heavily, the weight of her power and the consequences of her actions settling in.
Rue's voice was soft when he finally spoke. "You did it."
Levi looked at him, her heart still pounding from the rush of magic. But there was something else in her gaze now—something new. "I did it," she repeated, almost in disbelief. She had made her stand.
The echoes of the battle in the room still vibrated in the air, but Levi couldn't hear them. Her heartbeat thundered in her ears, drowning out everything but the weight of her actions. The grimoire's power thrummed in her chest, a constant reminder of the force she had unleashed. Yet, it wasn't the magic that had her reeling—it was the aftermath. Selene's retreat left a hollow tension that filled the room, heavy with unspoken consequences.
She turned to Rue, her mind racing. He was standing beside her, but something in his posture had shifted. He was still, too still, his expression dark and resigned. His gaze met hers, and for a brief moment, she saw a flicker of something she hadn't noticed before—an understanding, a sadness, and then resolve.
"Rue?" Levi asked, her voice shaking. The words barely left her lips before she knew the answer.
"I'll take the blame," Rue said, his voice low and steady. There was a quiet strength to it, but his words hit Levi like a punch to the gut. He stepped toward her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "They'll never leave you alone, Levi. Not if they think you're the one leading them."
"No," Levi protested, her voice catching. "I won't let you—"
He cut her off with a firm shake of his head. "You're the key. You're the one they want. If they believe I'm the source of all this, they'll leave you alone. At least for a while."
Levi wanted to scream, to fight him, to throw everything she had at the world around her, but she couldn't. The magic within her surged in a way that felt both foreign and familiar, as if it were begging her to choose the right path. But there was no right path—only the choices they had to make.
Rue smiled gently at her, his hand lingering for just a second longer than necessary. "I'm a demon, Levi. I've lived with worse. This is nothing. And besides," he continued, his voice softening, "it's the only way I can protect you."
Before she could argue, before she could even comprehend what was happening, the sound of footsteps grew louder, approaching from the corridor outside. Rue's gaze hardened, and he turned away from her, his shoulders straightening in preparation for what was to come.
"They're here," he murmured.
Levi's stomach twisted. There was no time to protest, no time to stop what was already in motion. She saw the flash of steel in the corner of her eye—demon hunters, cloaked in shadow, appearing at the doorway, ready to capture him. Their eyes locked onto Rue, a coordinated strike that had been planned long before Levi's magic had disrupted their carefully laid traps.
"You don't have to do this," Levi pleaded, her voice desperate now.
But Rue was already stepping forward, the energy around him crackling as he faced the approaching hunters. His dark eyes were filled with a kind of bitter acceptance.
"I do," he replied. His voice was firm, and there was no hesitation in his movements as he raised his hands in surrender.
The hunters hesitated for only a moment before they surged forward, their chains and magic-laced weapons ready. Rue's power flared in response, but he held back—just enough to ensure that he wouldn't resist. He had made the choice. For her.
The hunters moved quickly, surrounding him with practiced precision. He didn't fight back, but his eyes never left Levi, a silent promise passing between them.
The lead hunter, a tall, shadowed figure, stepped forward and threw a binding sigil at Rue's chest. It crackled with energy, wrapping around him like chains of light, locking his movements in place.
"Rue!" Levi screamed, her voice raw. But it was too late.
The demon hunters grabbed him, pulling him roughly toward the exit. Rue didn't struggle. He let them take him, his head held high, as if to show Levi that, in some twisted way, this was his sacrifice to make.
Levi stood frozen, her mind unable to process what had just happened. She should have stopped them, should have fought harder, but her power—her fear—had frozen her in place. Rue, the demon who had protected her, had just taken the fall for her.
The door slammed shut behind him, and Levi was left standing there, the weight of his sacrifice heavy in the air.
A voice broke the silence, and it wasn't one she had expected. It was Selene's, the one who had started all of this.
"Your demon has made his choice," Selene's voice rang from the shadows, cruel and amused. "Now, we'll see if your power can save him, witch."
Levi whipped around, her heart hammering. "You—"
"You can't save him now," Selene said, her tone sharp, like the edge of a blade. "But you might still be able to save yourself, if you make the right choice."
Selene stepped out of the shadows, her face calm and calculating. "Rue isn't the only one with secrets, Levi Rose. And you'll learn that soon enough."
Levi's breath caught in her throat. The room felt colder now, darker. The weight of what had just transpired settled in her bones. Rue was gone—captured by the very people who had been hunting her from the start. And all she had left was a trail of broken promises and unfulfilled choices.
But one thing was clear—she would not let them take him without a fight. Not now. Not ever.
Levi clenched her fists, her magic pulsing again, stronger this time, as the fire inside her burned hotter than ever before. It was no longer about survival. It was about taking back what had been stolen.
"Don't think this is over," she whispered, her voice cold and deadly. "I'm coming for him."
Selene's smirk only grew.
The sounds of Rue's capture reverberated in Levi's mind, like a drumbeat she couldn't escape. The heaviness of the moment pressed on her chest, suffocating her thoughts, but there was no time to succumb to the grief. Not now. Rue had been taken. She couldn't allow herself to be next.
Levi's heart pounded as she turned her gaze toward the door where Rue had been dragged away. The demon hunters were still in the room, surrounding the remnants of the struggle, but their attention shifted to something else—Scout.
Levi's eyes locked onto him as he stepped forward, moving with a predatory grace that barely made a sound. The aura around him was chilling, an unsettling calm that radiated from his every movement. The hunters tensed, but Scout was already a step ahead.
Before they could react, Scout's hand shot out, and a wave of dark energy washed over the room, knocking two of the hunters off their feet. The room flickered with the echo of his magic—crisp, crackling power that danced through the air like lightning. He was fast, ruthless, and, for a brief moment, Levi wondered just how far he was willing to go to protect her.
But there was no time to linger on it. Levi had to move. Rue was still in their hands, and there was nothing she could do now—not with the demon hunters closing in.
She took a deep breath, gathering the fragments of her scattered focus. The invisible force that had bound her moments before was no longer holding her back. The magic was still there—alive within her, pulsing at the edges of her skin. It wasn't the time for hesitation. She couldn't stay and fight. She had to get out, had to survive.
With a final, lingering look at Scout, Levi turned, her body moving on instinct as she bolted toward the nearest exit. She could hear the shouts of the hunters behind her, but they were quickly swallowed by the pounding of her footsteps. The adrenaline was a rush that drowned out the gnawing fear at the edges of her mind.
The night air hit her like a slap to the face as she burst out into the alleyway. She didn't stop, didn't hesitate. Her legs carried her faster than she thought possible, the dark streets of the city blending together into a blur of shadow and concrete. Magic crackled beneath her skin, itching to be used, but Levi held it back. She couldn't afford to let it explode uncontrolled—not yet.
She heard footsteps behind her. Not the hunters—Scout had created enough chaos for them to be delayed. It was something else. Someone else. She glanced over her shoulder, catching a glimpse of a shadow darting between the buildings.
Xio.
Levi's breath caught in her throat. The cloaked figure had been following her ever since she'd first discovered her power. She had felt his presence at the edge of her awareness like a thread pulling her in different directions. But now, in the dead of night, he was much closer, his silhouette unmistakable as he followed her.
"What do you want?" she muttered, more to herself than to him. The words left her lips without thinking, yet they hung in the air like a challenge.
Xio's voice emerged from the darkness—soft, almost serene, yet carrying a weight of something ancient. "You are the key, Levi Rose," he said, his tone as cryptic as ever. "The trials are just beginning."
Levi's heart rate picked up again, but she didn't stop running. She couldn't afford to engage with him—not when Rue was still at the mercy of the hunters. "Get lost, Xio," she snapped, her voice sharp. "I have enough to worry about."
But the strange figure only followed her, his pace steady and almost too effortless for someone who seemed bound to the very shadows themselves. She couldn't outrun him. But she couldn't afford to stop, either.
Scout's earlier intervention had bought her some time, but she knew the hunters wouldn't stop searching for her. And once they figured out she wasn't in the building anymore, the chase would be on. She had to disappear, vanish into the night like a ghost, until she could figure out a plan to get Rue back.
Xio's voice carried once more, but it was more insistent this time. "You cannot run forever, Levi Rose. The magic you awaken calls to more than just your enemies. It calls to those who would control it."
Levi's chest tightened, but she didn't reply. She wasn't in the mood for riddles or cryptic warnings. All she cared about now was getting away—escaping into the unknown.
With every step, the sound of pursuing footsteps grew distant, but she couldn't shake the feeling that something was following her. And it wasn't just Xio anymore.
A flash of light appeared ahead, briefly illuminating the alley before vanishing again. Levi's heart skipped a beat—there, at the end of the narrow street, was a figure. Someone she didn't recognize, but their energy was unmistakable. It was too much. Too many forces closing in on her.
Without thinking, Levi made a sharp turn, diving into a narrow side street. She didn't know where it would lead, but it didn't matter. All she cared about was putting as much distance between herself and the hunters as possible. She pushed her body harder, ignoring the strain, willing herself to disappear into the night.
But as she rounded another corner, something crashed into her—hard and fast.
Levi was thrown to the ground, her head spinning. Her heart raced in her chest, but she fought to keep her focus. The world around her blurred, but one thing was clear: she wasn't alone anymore.
The figure that had been waiting for her at the end of the alley appeared before her, standing tall and unnervingly calm. They raised a hand, and the air seemed to shift, heavy with magic.
"Levi Rose," the figure said, their voice like ice. "We've been waiting for you."