AVELINE The cold, stone walls of the dungeon loomed ahead as I made my way toward the cells. The scent of damp earth and old stone clung to the air, a constant reminder of the misery that had once been my prison. But today, it's different. Today, I am the one who is visiting, not the one locked away in the dark.

My footsteps echoed sharply, a rhythmic sound that reverberated through the narrow corridor. Tak, tak, tak. Each step took me closer to the woman who had once been my closest friend and confidante, but who now, in this life, had become my greatest adversary.

Emilia.

I stopped in front of the cell, the heavy iron bars casting long shadows across the floor. The flickering torchlight made her pale face look almost ghostly, but I could still see the fire in her eyes. The same fire that had once burned with ambition, now turned to hate and frustration.

"Emilia," I called, my voice steady but not without a trace of bitterness.

Her eyes flashed with anger. "WHAT DO YOU WANT, AVELINE? ARE YOU HAPPY NOW?" she spat, her voice hoarse from the days of confinement, but still filled with the same venom she had always carried.

I stared at her for a moment, the memories of our past life, the betrayals, and the manipulation flooding my mind. She brought this upon herself, I thought.

"You brought this upon yourself, Emilia. It's a shame. You were beautiful and intelligent, but you chose to misuse it. You could have had a better life. If you had changed earlier, if you had at least tried to make amends, I might have forgiven you. But you didn't. You only dug yourself deeper." I said coldly, the weight of my words hanging in the air between us.

She scoffed, though it lacked the strength it once had. "Who are you? I don't need your forgiveness."

I didn't even flinch at her defiance. "Whatever, Emilia." I turned away, my cloak swishing around my legs as I walked away from the cell.

As I walked down the corridor, I could hear her screams and curses echoing behind me. But I didn't turn back. It's over now, I thought. I've done what needed to be done. And with that, I continued on my way, the sound of my footsteps the only thing keeping me grounded in the present.

***

AVELINE Days passed, each one blurring together as the city prepared for the Imperial Trial. The tension in the air was palpable, and every conversation seemed to center around what would happen to the prisoners—Emilia, Harry Thorne, Duke Cedric Brown, and Lady Margaret. The trial was approaching, and with it, the long-awaited reckoning for all who had conspired against the kingdom and its people.

Today was the day. The air outside the palace was thick with anticipation as nobles, citizens, and soldiers alike gathered for the event. The courtyard was packed, the murmur of the crowd rising in volume as everyone waited for the trial to begin.

I stood alongside the royal dais, my heart steady but my mind still whirling with everything that had led to this moment. Duke Cedric, Margaret, Emilia, and Harry—four people who had betrayed me, who had betrayed the kingdom—were about to face their punishment. I would stand by, watching, but I knew that this wasn't just for justice. This was for closure.

The knight's voice rang out, clear and strong in the silence of the courtyard. "Announcing the arrival of His Majesty, the Emperor, and His Highness, the Crown Prince!"

The crowd fell silent as the Emperor, King Roland, and Prince Xavier made their entrance. The Emperor was regal, his presence commanding respect as he took his seat on the throne. Prince Xavier, ever the dutiful heir, stood by his side, his gaze steady and filled with the resolve that had become a familiar part of his demeanor.

The trial was about to begin.

"Duke Cedric Brown, Lady Margaret, and the traitors, Emilia Thorne and Baron Harry Thorne, are hereby found guilty of their involvement in the dark practices of black magic and treason against the kingdom," the Emperor's voice boomed, sending a ripple of shock through the crowd. His words rang out like a judgment from the heavens. "Their actions have caused suffering to the people, undermined the stability of the Empire, and endangered countless lives. They are all hereby sentenced to death."

The air felt thick, the weight of the Emperor's words hanging over us like a stormcloud. The four prisoners sat side by side at the criminal seats, their heads bowed in defeat. They had nowhere to run now. Emilia, once so full of fire and ambition, looked almost defeated, her body frail, her eyes bloodshot and empty. Her lips trembled as the finality of the Emperor's judgment sank in.

I felt no satisfaction at seeing her like this. This is what she chose, I reminded myself, but still, the sting of our past remained.

The Emperor's eyes flicked over the criminals one last time, his face hard and unyielding. "May their fate serve as a warning to those who would dare to betray the crown and the people," he said. And with that, the sentence was sealed.

I had done it. Revenge had been sweet in its own way, but I felt no joy. I had brought justice to those who had wronged me, to those who had turned their backs on everything they once stood for, but deep down, I knew that this wasn't what I wanted. I've gotten my revenge, I thought, but now I must move on.

My heart no longer beat with the need for retribution. Instead, it was filled with the desire to live, to be free from the chains of the past, to make something better of my life.

As the Emperor's proclamation echoed in the courtyard, a wave of finality washed over me. The trial was over. The justice had been served. And now, I could finally turn my attention to what lay ahead.

I glanced toward Xavier, my heart swelling with affection for him. I had been through so much with him, and I knew that, no matter what came next, we would face it together. The life I had once imagined—full of pain and loss—was no longer my reality. Instead, there was a new path for me, one that I could walk with those I loved.

In the days that followed, the execution was swift. The prisoners—Emilia, Harry, Duke Cedric, and Margaret—were taken away to face their fate. The whispers of their downfall spread like wildfire through the city, but to me, it felt strangely anticlimactic.

Emilia had once been the person I trusted most in this world, but now, as I stood watching her and the others being led away, I felt nothing but the lingering remnants of what had once been. This is the end, I thought. But it's not the end of me.

That night, I sat in my chambers, the weight of the day still settling over me. The trial, the verdict, and the execution—they were all over now. But for some reason, I couldn't shake the feeling of emptiness.

Revenge is no substitute for happiness, I realized.

I was ready to leave it all behind—the pain, the darkness, the betrayals. I would live a better life now, one filled with purpose and joy, with the people who mattered most to me. My family, my friends, and my future—this was what I needed to focus on now.

And in the quiet of my room, I allowed myself a small smile. I've survived, I thought, and now it's time to truly live.

The past would always be a part of me, but it no longer defined me. The future was mine to shape. And with that thought, I closed my eyes, ready for whatever came next.