*******Harper
The entire ballroom gleamed in shades of crimson and gold, but I saw none of it. My feet moved in perfect rhythm, the silk of my veil fluttering as I spun, my every motion weaving darkness into beauty. The air was thick with magic — my magic — thrumming like a second heartbeat beneath my skin.
Three thoughts pulsed in my mind like a chant.
One — I will break CODE. I've had enough of living like someone else's puppet. The pain, the lies, the manipulation—I would end it all tonight.
Two — I will become someone worthy. No more weakness. If power was what it took to survive, then I would embrace it all.
And three — I want the truth. The truth about my life, my bloodline, my memories… everything that has been hidden from me.
Each twirl brought me closer to the answers. Each step pulled me deeper into the energy flowing through me — ancient, familiar, yet terrifying. Sparks of shadow coiled around my arms like ribbons of smoke, and whispers of forgotten voices echoed in my head.
"Keep dancing…" I heard her voice again — soft, feminine, chilling. Ravenna.
My heart skipped. The air grew heavy. I could feel her essence merging with mine — her memories, her wrath, her sorrow. I wanted to stop, to breathe, but my body refused. The dance had become something more than movement; it was a ritual, a reckoning.
All around me, the demons were frozen in awe. Their gazes followed me, unblinking, their expressions empty — hypnotized. Even Kael, sitting on his throne, was still, his eyes glowing faintly red as though trapped between lucidity and trance.
I smiled faintly beneath the veil. For the first time, I was in control.
As the clock ticked toward midnight, my movements slowed, every motion sharp and deliberate. Power flooded through me — searing, ancient, unstoppable. The ground trembled beneath my feet. Lightning cracked in the skies above, painting the ballroom in white light.
I raised my arms to the heavens and began to chant, my voice layered with another — Ravenna's:
> "From shadow's womb and broken code,
Release the chains, undo the load.
Let blood and power intertwine,
And make what once was lost — now mine."
A circle of glowing symbols formed beneath me, swirling and alive. I felt it — the barriers of CODE cracking, fragmenting. The system that bound me, watched me, controlled me — all of it trembling before my will.
I laughed, breathless. "I'm finally free."
Thunder roared overhead, shaking the walls. But just then — something snapped.
Kael's eyes, blank seconds ago, now blazed open. The trance was gone. He stood up abruptly, his chair scraping back with a deafening screech. For a heartbeat, our gazes met — his eyes unreadable, my heart hammering in my chest.
He turned and walked out.
I hesitated mid-spin, confusion piercing through the euphoria. What was he doing? Why now, of all times? But the circle beneath me had already reached completion — I couldn't stop. The spell demanded its end.
I lifted my hands again, summoning the last of my strength. "From shadow's breath—"
The final word left my lips, and the world went silent.
Then—BOOM.
A surge of black lightning struck through the glass ceiling, showering shards across the floor. My body trembled, the air thick with burnt energy. I could feel the system shatter, piece by piece.
"I did it," I whispered, trembling. "I'm free."
The crowd blinked awake, confusion flickering in their eyes as if waking from a deep sleep. I took one shaky step back — just as Kael reappeared.
There was no warmth in his expression. No pride. Only cold determination.
Before I could speak, he reached into a small pouch and threw a handful of gray dust at me. The moment it touched my skin, a scream ripped from my throat.
Agony. Pure, unfiltered agony. It was as though fire and acid had fused together and clawed their way beneath my skin. My body convulsed as the magic within me fought to stay alive.
I fell to my knees, clutching my chest, choking on air that burned like smoke. Through the haze of pain, I saw Kael's eyes flicker—not hatred this time, but something worse. Regret.
"Kael…" I gasped, but my voice broke. Darkness swallowed me whole.
---
******Author's POV
In the witch's realm, Ellis's eyes snapped wide open, her face paling. Her magic mirror glowed with a violent red hue, showing the scene unfolding in the demon hall.
"No…" she whispered, horror filling her voice. "That's—those are the ashes of the Demon King… the one Ravenna almost married."
Zareth turned to her sharply. "What do you mean?"
Ellis clenched her fists, trembling. "That's Ravenna's only weakness. Those ashes destroy her spirit completely. If Harper is truly her reincarnation, then she's in grave danger."
She rose from her seat abruptly, her power flaring so violently the air crackled. "We need to go—now!"
Zareth's calm voice was steady but grave. "Then we have no choice. If we're late, she won't survive it."
Ellis nodded, her jaw tight, her eyes burning with a mother's fury. "Hold on, my daughter," she whispered. "I'm coming."