Chapter 34

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I GRIPPED his hand, my knuckles white as I squeezed tighter. My eyes clenched shut. Damn it.

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The ability [Evoke] has been activated.

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A familiar surge of power washed over me, and I felt the cold, unforgiving metal of my dagger press into my palm. With a swift, desperate swing, I slashed at his hand, freeing myself from his grasp. Stumbling backward, I hit the ground, clutching my neck as I coughed and gasped, each breath scraping painfully down my throat.

Sebastian chuckled darkly, bringing his hand to his lips. “You really are mad,” he murmured, licking the blood from his knuckles with a twisted grin. His words hung in the air like a taunt, daring me to respond. Zacharias, standing a few paces away, seemed frozen in shock, his eyes wide and locked on us. He didn’t move, barely even breathed.

I forced myself to stand, my legs shaky but resolute. “Seraphim.”

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The ability [Evoke] has been activated.

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In an instant, Seraphim materialized from the shadows, her form shadowy yet fierce, kneeling gracefully before me. “You called, Master,” she said, her voice laced with loyalty and the barest edge of tension.

Sebastian’s laughter echoed again, harsher this time. “Look at you. Taming a little stray.” His sneer deepened as he cast a dismissive glance at Seraphim. “Do you really think she’s strong enough to be more than your pet?” His words were dripping with disdain, each one calculated to provoke.

Seraphim glanced at me, her expression a mixture of surprise and… worry? Her eyes widened, noticing something unsettling about my condition. “What happened to you—”

Before she could finish, Sebastian yanked her by the hair, pulling her close. “Ah, the stray and I meet again,” he taunted, his grip tightening, but Seraphim didn’t cower.

An arcane circle flared to life beneath her feet, a surge of energy crackling as her jaw clenched, determination flashing in her eyes. She hissed, defiance bleeding into her voice. “So it was you who did this to my master.”

With a feral grin, Sebastian met her challenge. In a flash, they vanished from sight, leaving only a trace of shadow and the faint echo of their clash in the air.

I dropped to my knees, chest heaving. I’d barely survived.

The room felt colder suddenly, a chill creeping over my skin. A voice sliced through the silence—a low, familiar tone laced with dark amusement.

“My, my.”

I flinched, instinctively bracing myself as if struck. That voice… It was familiar, hauntingly so. The memory of that chilling presence in my room the night Sebastian had failed to kill me clawed its way to the surface, and my heart beat faster, yet I kept my expression unyielding.

Sebastian and Seraphim’s clash faded to silence, and a looming shadow filled the room. As I turned, my breath hitched, a tall figure stepped forward, the faint flicker of torchlight casting his silhouette in an eerie glow. Cold, calculating eyes met mine, and though every fiber of me screamed to show fear, to back away, I straightened, my chin lifting defiantly. I was the Villainess. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing my fear.

Zacharias, on the other hand, reacted immediately. He sank to one knee, bowing his head with the unwavering loyalty of a knight, his voice steady. “Your Majesty.”

The Emperor.

The realization hit hard, the weight of his presence bearing down like a storm. He was everything I’d imagined—a living nightmare cloaked in authority, his very being radiating an unsettling, ruthless power. My fingers twitched at my side, fighting the urge to reach for my dagger.

“Well, well,” he mused, his gaze never leaving mine. “Quite the scene, isn’t it? I must admit, Lady Arthemice, you are far more resilient than I anticipated.”

I forced a smirk, my voice steady as I met his gaze. “I’m honored to disappoint, Your Majesty.”

The Emperor’s lips curved in a smile, though it was devoid of warmth. “Such defiance… I look forward to seeing how long it lasts.” His gaze flickered briefly to Zacharias, then to Sebastian and Seraphim, as if already considering his next move.

The Emperor’s eyes flickered with a cruel delight, his gaze locking onto me with an unsettling intensity. The air around him shifted, thickening, pressing down with a weight that made every breath feel like a struggle. But I didn’t flinch; I’d faced death before, and I would do so again.

Without waiting for his next move, I lunged, summoning every ounce of strength I had. My dagger gleamed as I slashed toward him, aiming for his side. But he was fast—almost impossibly so. With a simple wave of his hand, an unseen force shoved me back, slamming me against the cold stone wall.

My head spun, but I pushed past the pain, scrambling to my feet, breathing heavily. He stood there, calm and composed, the faintest trace of amusement in his eyes. “Impressive,” he murmured. “But futile.”

My grip on the dagger tightened. I activated Evoke, feeling the familiar surge of energy bolster my senses. I just need one opening. I charged forward, feinting right, then left, striking wherever I could, each movement precise, deadly. I managed to slice the fabric of his sleeve, a small victory that fueled me. But the Emperor merely tilted his head, regarding me as if I were a child playing at war.

“Such spirit,” he said, his voice smooth as silk. “But let’s see how you fare without it.”

Suddenly, I felt my limbs grow heavy, as if they were being pulled by invisible strings. My arm began to move on its own, my hand tightening painfully around the dagger, and I realized with horror that I was losing control. His manipulative ability… he was making me fight against myself.

I struggled, fighting the pressure of his control, forcing my legs to take another step forward, my hand to raise the dagger against him instead. But each movement was met with resistance as though I were pushing through thick, invisible chains.

“Is this what you think power is?” I spat, forcing myself to hold my ground. “Turning others into your puppets?”

The Emperor’s eyes darkened, a flicker of irritation crossing his face. “Power is what one makes of it, Lady Arthemice. And you, of all people, should understand that.”

With a burst of sheer will, I broke free of his hold, lunging forward and plunging my dagger toward his heart. But his hand shot out, catching my wrist in an iron grip. I winced as pain shot up my arm, but I refused to back down. I twisted, swinging my other hand at his face, my knuckles grazing his cheek, leaving a faint mark.

The Emperor smirked, barely affected. “You truly think you can win this?”

I clenched my jaw, fire burning in my gaze. “I’ve survived worse.”

But his strength was relentless, unyielding, and with a swift motion, he twisted my arm, forcing me to drop the dagger. It clattered to the ground, and in that instant, he slammed his other hand against my shoulder, pinning me down.

My vision blurred, pain and exhaustion weighing on me, but I looked up defiantly, refusing to let him see my defeat. The Emperor leaned close, his voice a mere whisper. “You fought well, Lady Arthemice… but not well enough.”

A shiver ran down my spine as his hold tightened. I had given everything I had, but it wasn’t enough.

I struggled under his grip, my mind racing, desperation clawing at the edges of my resolve. But I knew, deep down, that I had exhausted every option. Ah, right. A dark realization crept in, cold and unforgiving. This is the time when he will abduct me.

Before I could process the thought, a shadow flickered in the corner of my vision. Seraphim emerged from her dimension, battered and bloodied, her usual defiant glare softened by exhaustion. She had fought hard, that much was clear. Yet her focus sharpened when she saw me pinned beneath the Emperor’s grasp.

“Master!” she cried, stepping forward, her hand raised as if ready to strike. But the moment her gaze shifted to him, her confidence wavered. She froze, her eyes widening as she took in the full sight of the Emperor.

The faint, mocking smile on his lips seemed to grow, an unspoken challenge daring her to approach. Seraphim’s arm faltered, and her fierce expression faded, giving way to fear. She shrank back, looking almost small, her usual bravado buried beneath the sheer weight of his presence. Her voice was barely a whisper. “Your Majesty…”

The Emperor turned his attention to her, his tone dripping with amusement. “So, the little stray hatched,” he said, voice smooth as silk. “Did you really think you could protect her?”

Seraphim clenched her fists, but she didn’t dare meet his gaze. It was as if his mere presence had stolen her strength.

I gritted my teeth, glaring up at him, refusing to let him see my fear, even as defeat loomed over me like a dark cloud. “Let her go,” I spat, barely able to breathe beneath his grip. “This is between you and me.”

He chuckled softly, coldly, his gaze sliding back to mine. “Oh, you misunderstand, Lady Arthemice. You’re mine, and so is anyone foolish enough to stand by your side.”

His hold tightened, an iron vice pressing down, and the edges of my vision began to blur. I was at his mercy, trapped in his grasp, while Seraphim could only watch in helpless silence.

“Why are you doing this?” I managed, fighting to keep my voice steady as I looked up into those cold, calculating eyes. “Of all people, why do you need my body?”

The Emperor’s smile twisted, a dark glint flickering in his gaze. “Oh, so you already know,” he murmured, an unsettling delight seeping into his voice. “Perks of being the High Priestess’s daughter, hmm?”

My breath hitched when I heard it. Daughter of the High Priestess? Shock rippled through me, disbelief freezing me in place. I hadn’t known… but he did. And he had plans for me that ran far deeper than I’d ever feared.

The Emperor chuckled, a chilling sound that seemed to fill the room with shadows. “Yes, it’s true,” he said, his voice like venom. “Your mother, the High Priestess—she was quite remarkable. And you… well, you’ve inherited that same unmistakable essence.”

My stomach twisted, dread unfurling inside me. I had known he would want to use my body, but his eyes held a gleam that spoke of something far darker than I’d anticipated. I’d read about it, hidden in the pages of that old book—the experiment he planned. It wasn’t part of the game storyline, yet here I was, facing it.

He reached out, his gloved fingers grazing my cheek as if I were some fragile, precious object. “You look just like her,” he whispered, his tone unnervingly reverent. “I’ve searched for years… years for a vessel as perfect as you. Only you could embody her spirit… only you could be worthy enough.”

A shiver ran down my spine, bile rising in my throat. He didn’t just see me as a person. No, to him, I was a possession—a tool to resurrect a memory, an experiment. Every bit of resistance drained from me, but I forced myself to meet his gaze.

“Whatever you’re planning…” I gritted my teeth, my voice low but filled with all the venom I could muster. “I’ll fight you to the end. I am not some vessel for you to play with.”

His laugh was soft, unnerving, as if he found my words amusing. “Oh, Lady Arthemice,” he cooed, tilting his head ever so slightly. “That fire is admirable, but it changes nothing. You will become exactly what I need you to be.”

The room seemed to close in, shadows swirling around him as his words settled in the silence.

I took a step back, my mind racing, trying to steady my breath, to hold on to even a sliver of control. But something was shifting in the air, an invisible force pressing down on me, coiling around my thoughts like a vice. I tried to pull away, but his gaze held mine, cold and unyielding, and a strange haze settled over my mind, dulling the edges of my resistance.

“Relax, Arthemice,” he whispered, his voice slipping into my mind, smooth as silk and just as suffocating. “Why fight when you could finally fulfill your destiny?”

No. The thought barely formed before it dissolved into fog, his words sinking deeper, unraveling my resolve thread by thread. I could feel my limbs weakening, my body responding to his pull, as though it were no longer mine to command. My head grew heavy, my vision blurring at the edges as his power seeped into my mind.

“You… you can’t…” I mumbled, the words slipping through my lips like a faint echo. I could still feel the fight deep within me, but it was fading, drowning under the weight of his presence. I tried to claw my way back, to grab onto any shred of strength, but it was slipping, fast, like sand through my fingers.

The Emperor’s smile grew, a terrible satisfaction gleaming in his eyes as he watched me struggle. He extended a hand, fingers unfurling like a puppet master’s strings. “That’s it,” he crooned, his voice soothing yet laced with venom. “Just let go. Come to me.”

A part of me screamed, desperate to resist, to break free, but his power was an insidious whisper, sliding through my thoughts, coaxing me, ensnaring me. My legs moved of their own accord, carrying me forward, closer to him, even as every instinct within me rebelled.

“Perfect,” he murmured, his tone dripping with satisfaction as his fingers closed around my wrist, holding me firmly yet with a strange, possessive gentleness. I could feel the darkness closing in, my thoughts slipping further from my grasp, his voice the only anchor, binding me to him.

And just before the last shred of my will faded, a flicker of awareness sparked within me. No… I can’t… I fought to speak, but the words choked in my throat.

The Emperor’s face loomed closer, his cold smile inches from mine as his whisper sealed my fate. “You’re mine now.”

The world began to fade, darkness blurring everything as his grip tightened, pulling me into oblivion.

And then, everything went black.

fin.