Part 1
"Who are we here to rescue?"
Sergeant Bill stared at Rose.
No one inside the truck moved.
Outside the weakened barrier, the creatures remained hidden among the trees.
Watching.
Waiting.
Sergeant Bill looked toward the massive castle.
"The soldiers from yesterday."
Rose's expression changed.
"What?"
"The convoy that was attacked," Sergeant Bill continued. "Not everyone made it back to the base."
The entire Red Team fell silent.
Claudette slowly shook her head.
"But… we saw the survivors."
"You saw the soldiers who escaped," Sergeant Bill said.
Rose stared at him.
"How many are missing?"
Sergeant Bill hesitated.
"Thirty-two."
The truck went completely silent.
Rose's eyes narrowed.
"Thirty-two soldiers are missing, and you brought us here without telling us?"
Sergeant Bill looked at her.
"They're not all soldiers."
Rose froze.
"What does that mean?"
Before Sergeant Bill could answer—
BOOM!
Something struck the castle barrier.
Everyone turned.
A crack of magical energy spread across the sky above them.
Selene's third eye opened.
Her face went pale.
"Rose…"
Rose looked at her.
"What?"
Selene stared toward the castle.
"We're not alone in here."
Rose immediately stood.
"Everyone, on guard!"
Weapons were drawn.
Powers awakened.
Every member of Red Team turned toward the windows, searching the trees.
Rose looked up at the magical barrier surrounding the castle.
She hadn't realized how weak it was before.
Now she could see it.
The energy flickered.
Faded.
Then returned.
She had no idea how much longer it would hold.
Minutes?
An hour?
Less?
Rose looked at her team.
"We're getting out of the truck. We move straight to the castle. Stay together and watch every direction."
The doors opened.
One by one, they stepped outside.
Rose scanned the trees.
Nothing moved.
But she could feel them.
The creatures were still there.
Waiting beyond the barrier.
"Move."
The team sprinted toward the castle.
They raced up the enormous stone staircase until they reached the entrance.
A massive door stood directly in front of them.
Two smaller doors were built into the castle walls—one on the left and another on the right.
Rose stared at the door on the right.
Something about it pulled at her.
A feeling.
An instinct.
She wanted to choose it.
But instead, she pointed toward the main entrance.
"Try the big door first. Let's see what we're dealing with."
Rose looked up at the castle.
The stone had aged.
Vines crawled across the walls.
Parts of the building looked as though no one had touched them in years.
It felt abandoned.
Forgotten.
As if they had stumbled upon something they were never supposed to find.
Rose glanced at Sergeant Bill.
"What is this place called?"
Sergeant Bill continued walking toward the entrance.
"The castle has two names."
Rose frowned.
"Two?"
"Life Castle," he said.
Then he looked up at the dark towers.
"And Burial Castle."
Rose scoffed with a nervous chuckle.
"What kind of name is that?"
She mumbled under her breath.
"So whoever steps inside gets buried?"
A few members of the team exchanged uncomfortable looks.
Sergeant Bill didn't laugh.
"Many years ago, it was called Life Castle. People lived here. Families. Soldiers. Entire generations."
He paused.
"Now they call it Burial Castle."
Rose's smile disappeared.
"Why?"
Sergeant Bill looked at her.
"Because of all the dead buried beneath it."
The entire team heard him.
Suddenly, the castle felt different.
Colder.
Heavier.
Sophia stared at the massive entrance.
She had already been terrified during the entire ride.
Now she had to enter an abandoned castle named after the people buried underneath it.
She was definitely not happy.
Rose placed both hands against the main door.
"Everybody push."
The team joined her.
They pushed.
Nothing.
"Again!"
They pushed harder.
The door didn't move.
Sophia grunted as she gave it everything she had.
Still nothing.
Rose stepped back.
"We're not wasting our strength on this. We'll try the side doors."
The team turned.
CREEEAAAK.
Everyone froze.
The massive door slowly opened on its own.
Rose stared into the darkness beyond it.
A cold sensation traveled down her back.
No one spoke.
Rose immediately connected their minds.
From now on, we communicate through the mind link.
Everyone heard her voice inside their heads.
Do not shout unless you absolutely have to. Stay on guard. If you see something, tell us through the link. And whatever happens—do not panic.
Sergeant Bill moved toward the entrance.
Rose watched him carefully.
He stepped inside first.
Of course he walks in first, Rose thought.
She twisted one hand.
A nearly invisible layer of magic formed around Sergeant Bill.
A small protective barrier.
No one could see it.
Except Rose.
And Selene.
Selene's third eye shifted toward Rose.
Then she smiled.
Rose gave her a small nod.
The team entered the castle.
Slowly.
Carefully.
Their footsteps echoed through the enormous hall.
Then—
Someone stumbled from behind the staircase.
Everyone raised their weapons.
"Wait!" the man shouted.
He wore the uniform of another military team.
One arm was injured, and blood trickled from a wound on his forehead.
He looked at them desperately.
"Are you the rescue team?"
Sergeant Bill stared at him.
"Wilder?"
The man looked closer.
"Sergeant Bill?"
Relief filled his face.
"Man, am I glad to see you."
Sergeant Bill rushed toward him and grabbed his shoulders.
"Where are the others?"
Sergeant Wilder pointed behind him.
"Over here. Follow me."
The team followed him through the castle until they reached a narrow opening hidden beneath the floor.
A passageway.
They descended into a massive underground room.
Dozens of people were inside.
Some were injured.
Some were exhausted.
Others sat silently against the walls.
The room itself was protected by some kind of ancient magic.
No magical attack could reach them there.
Even more surprising—
Selene's third eye had not been able to see through it.
Sergeant Bill searched the room.
"Where is Bonnie?"
Sergeant Wilder's face changed.
"Bonnie didn't make it here."
Sergeant Bill froze.
"What?"
"She was in the last cargo vehicle. She was leading them."
Rose stepped forward.
"Why was she separated from everyone else?"
Sergeant Wilder looked at her.
"General Baxter sent us to find her."
He hesitated.
"Because she's pregnant."
Rose's eyes widened.
She looked around the room.
Then she immediately took control.
"We have a healer. She'll take care of the wounded."
Rose pointed toward Iris.
"Iris, you stay here."
Then Rose turned toward Sergeant Bill.
"We're splitting into two teams."
Team One
Rose.
Selene.
Claudette.
Ryder.
Sophia.
Achelous.
"We search the castle."
Then she looked at the others.
Team Two
Sergeant Bill.
Iris.
Benny.
August.
James.
"You stay here, heal the wounded, and prepare everyone to leave."
Everyone looked at Rose.
She continued.
"The barrier around this castle is weakening."
Claudette frowned.
"What barrier?"
Rose turned toward her.
"The one keeping those creatures outside."
The room went silent.
Rose looked at everyone.
"It's the only reason they haven't entered the castle."
Several soldiers exchanged frightened looks.
"You can hide down here if you want," Rose continued, "but eventually that barrier is going to fall."
She pointed toward the ceiling.
"And when it does, these doors will not hold if every creature outside rushes in at once."
Rose's voice hardened.
"I'm not saying this to scare anyone. I'm telling you because we do not have time."
She looked around the underground room.
"If this castle falls, it will live up to its name."
No one spoke.
"Burial Castle."
The silence became heavier.
Rose turned toward Sergeant Wilder.
"Prepare your people. There's a truck outside. Get everyone who can move ready to leave."
She looked at Iris.
"Heal the ones who need immediate help first."
Then she looked back at Sergeant Wilder.
"We'll search for Bonnie. If we find anyone else alive inside this castle, they're coming with us too."
Sergeant Wilder nodded.
Iris placed her hands over his injuries.
Healing energy moved through him.
Within moments, he was already standing straighter.
"I'm coming with you," he said.
Rose shook her head.
"No."
Sergeant Wilder stared at her.
"I have to."
"Our mission was to come here, find you, and bring your people back alive," Rose said. "Let my team do our part."
Sergeant Bill stepped forward.
"Rose, don't do this."
She looked at him.
"Do what?"
"Go after Bonnie."
Rose narrowed her eyes.
"Why?"
Sergeant Bill shook his head.
"She has more combat experience than most of us. If she didn't make it back…"
He didn't finish.
Rose understood what he meant.
But Sergeant Wilder looked at her.
"All right."
His voice was low.
"I'm trusting you."
Rose nodded.
Then Sergeant Wilder said something no one expected.
"Please bring her back."
He swallowed.
"She's my wife."
Everyone froze.
Rose stared at him.
Sophia's mouth fell open.
Even Sergeant Bill looked stunned.
"You're married?" Sergeant Bill asked.
Sergeant Wilder nodded.
Sergeant Bill lowered his voice.
"Does the general know?"
"No."
"Baxter doesn't know you two are married?"
Sergeant Wilder shook his head.
"The marriage was secret."
Sergeant Bill stared at him in disbelief.
"Then how did General Baxter know she was pregnant?"
Sergeant Wilder looked away.
"A test was accidentally left in one of the base bathrooms."
The entire room went silent.
Rose blinked.
Of all the ways to discover a secret pregnancy—
RUMBLE.
Everyone looked up.
Dust fell from the ceiling.
RUMBLE.
This time, the floor shook.
Rose's expression immediately changed.
"We can deal with the secret marriage later."
She turned toward her team.
"Move!"
Everyone rushed out of the underground room.
Rose led Team One deeper into the castle.
They searched every room.
Every hallway.
Every passage.
"Bonnie!"
"Can you hear us?"
"Bonnie!"
Nothing.
Claudette suddenly stopped.
She placed one hand against the wall.
Then she slowly bent down and touched the floor.
Her eyes closed.
The others waited.
Claudette's power traveled through the stone.
The walls.
The floors.
Every connected part of the castle.
She searched farther.
And farther.
Then—
Her eyes snapped open.
"I found them."
Rose's eyebrows shot up.
"Them?"
Claudette stood.
"Yes."
Her face became serious.
"There are two people."
Rose stared at her.
"Where?"
"One is running."
Claudette turned toward a dark corridor.
"And someone is chasing her."
Rose's expression hardened.
"Can you tell who?"
"No."
Claudette took off.
"Follow me!"
She ran so fast that the others immediately fell behind.
Then Claudette remembered—
No one else on the team could move like she could.
Rose!
Her voice exploded through the mind link.
Rose looked up.
Show me the route!
Claudette sent the path directly into Rose's mind.
Rose saw everything.
The corridors.
The turns.
The staircase.
The target.
And the danger closing in.
She's running out of time! Claudette shouted through the link.
Rose's eyes widened.
GO!
Claudette disappeared down the corridor.
She turned left.
Then right.
Down another staircase.
Through a broken doorway.
She could feel them now.
Closer.
Closer.
Closer.
Then she reached the final corridor—
And saw someone raising a weapon toward the person they had come to rescue.
Claudette's eyes widened.
She moved.
BOOM!
————
The Ones Left Behind
Part 2
Claudette reached them just in time.
The stranger raised his weapon toward Bonnie.
Claudette didn't hesitate.
She slammed into him with everything she had.
The impact sent him flying across the corridor.
BANG!
He crashed into the wall, and the weapon flew from his hand.
Claudette stopped.
She looked at Bonnie.
Bonnie was sitting on the floor.
Her legs were weak.
Her entire body trembled.
Claudette held out her hand.
"I'm here to take you home."
Bonnie looked up at her.
Tears filled her eyes.
"Thank you."
Her voice broke.
"Thank you for finding me."
By instinct, Bonnie placed one hand over her stomach.
More tears fell.
Claudette softened.
"Come on."
She reached for Bonnie.
"Let's get you and that baby out of here."
Behind them—
A low groan echoed through the corridor.
"What the fuck was that?"
Claudette turned.
The stranger slowly pushed himself up from the floor, shaking his head.
Before he could fully stand—
Rose raced around the corner.
She saw Claudette.
Then Bonnie.
Both alive.
Relief rushed through her.
"You found her!"
Rose hurried toward them and helped Bonnie to her feet.
Then she noticed the stranger.
The weapon on the floor.
The way he was staring at them.
Rose immediately understood.
He had been the one chasing Bonnie.
Another violent explosion shook the castle.
BOOM!
The walls trembled.
Dust fell from the ceiling.
Rose looked up.
The barrier was failing.
"Claudette!"
Claudette looked at her.
"Get Bonnie out of here. Now!"
"What about you?"
"I'm right behind you!"
Claudette hesitated.
"GO!"
Claudette wrapped Bonnie's arm around her shoulders.
They disappeared down the corridor.
Rose turned back.
The stranger was standing now.
He dusted off his clothes.
Then he slowly looked at Rose.
His head tilted to one side.
"You really think you're going to leave here in one piece?"
Rose stared at him.
The stranger smiled.
"You stepped into my house."
His smile widened.
"And you think I'm going to let you leave?"
Rose narrowed her eyes.
"Your house?"
She looked around the crumbling corridor.
"How could this possibly be your house?"
The stranger studied her.
Then his expression changed.
"Oh…"
Rose didn't like the way he said it.
The man stepped closer.
"I see."
"See what?"
"You're different from the pregnant one."
Rose's body tensed.
"What do you know about her?"
The stranger ignored the question.
His eyes remained locked on Rose.
Something about the way he looked at her made her uncomfortable.
It was as if he wasn't looking at her face.
He was looking through her.
Into her.
"I can feel it," he whispered.
Rose's hand slowly curled into a fist.
"Feel what?"
A smile began to form across his face.
"The darkness buried deep inside your blood."
Rose stared at him.
This man was insane.
He had to be.
"What do you mean, I stepped into your house?"
The stranger chuckled.
"Actually…"
He looked around the castle.
"This isn't my house."
Then his eyes returned to Rose.
"Technically…"
His smile widened.
"It's our house."
Rose froze.
Our?
Before she could question him—
Rose!
Claudette's voice rushed through the mind link.
We're almost outside. Are you coming?
Rose kept her eyes on the stranger.
I'm coming.
Then she spoke aloud.
"I don't know who you are, but I have to go."
She slowly backed toward the corridor.
"We came here for one reason."
"To rescue our people."
The stranger's smile disappeared.
"No."
Rose stopped.
"What?"
"You can't leave."
His voice changed.
There was desperation in it now.
"You need to stay."
Rose stared at him.
The castle shook again.
The stranger stepped closer.
"This entire castle can fall."
Another step.
"It can disappear."
Another.
"But you…"
His eyes moved over Rose in disbelief.
"You are more precious than anything inside it."
Rose's skin crawled.
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"You have to come with me."
He reached toward her.
Rose stepped back.
The stranger stopped.
His eyes widened.
Then—
He smiled.
Rose felt it.
Something inside her body reacted to him.
A pull.
A burning sensation deep within her.
Something ancient.
Something she didn't understand.
The stranger saw the confusion on her face.
His smile grew.
"You feel it."
Rose's breathing changed.
"Stay away from me."
"You do."
He laughed softly.
"You can feel me."
Rose backed away.
The pull became stronger.
Her blood felt hot.
Her body wanted to move toward him while every instinct in her mind screamed for her to run.
The stranger's voice dropped into a whisper.
"You are my kin."
Rose stared at him.
"What?"
His laughter echoed through the corridor.
Rose raised one hand.
"If you don't back away from me, I'm going to kill you."
The stranger shook his head.
"No."
He stepped closer.
"You can't."
Rose's eyes narrowed.
"Try me."
"Your blood is reacting to mine."
The castle trembled.
The stranger didn't seem to notice.
"You know me."
Another step.
"We know each other."
Rose had heard enough.
WHOOSH!
A wall of fire erupted between them.
The stranger stopped.
His smile vanished.
For the first time—
He looked confused.
He stared at the flames.
Then at Rose.
Then back at the flames.
"No…"
The ceiling rumbled above them.
The floor shook.
Dust filled the corridor.
Rose stood behind the wall of fire.
"I don't know what you felt."
The flames rose higher.
"And I don't know what you think you felt."
Her voice hardened.
"But I know one thing."
Rose's eyes locked onto his.
"If you come any closer to me…"
The fire roared.
"I will kill you."
The stranger barely seemed to hear her.
He stared at the flames in disbelief.
"What is this?"
Rose frowned.
His confusion turned to anger.
"No Blackwell can create fire!"
Rose froze.
Blackwell.
The word echoed through her mind.
The stranger looked at her.
"You're Blackwell."
Rose's heart pounded.
Everything suddenly made sense.
The pull.
The reaction in her blood.
His claim that the castle belonged to both of them.
He was a Blackwell.
One of the Blackwell mages.
Rose slowly lifted her chin.
"If you want to live another day…"
The flames burned brighter.
"Do not come near me again."
The stranger stared at her.
Rose continued.
"I am of the Phoenix Dragon Clan."
The stranger's face changed.
Fear.
Pure fear.
Rose saw it.
"And I believe you understand exactly what that means."
He stepped back.
"No."
Another step.
"This is impossible."
Rose watched him.
"How?"
He stared at her as if she were something that should not exist.
"How can this be possible?"
Then he turned—
And ran.
Rose watched him disappear into the opposite corridor.
He was frantic.
Terrified.
He could not understand what he had just seen.
A Blackwell…
Who could wield the flames of destruction.
Rose stared after him.
Then—
RUMBLE!
The floor violently shook.
Rose snapped out of it.
The fire disappeared.
"The barrier."
She ran.
She followed the same route Claudette and Bonnie had taken.
Faster.
Faster.
The castle groaned around her.
Stone cracked.
Dust filled the air.
Rose reached the massive entrance hall.
She could see the open doors.
Daylight.
The trucks.
The survivors were already climbing inside.
Then she saw Bonnie.
Sergeant Wilder had her in his arms.
They held each other tightly.
Crying.
Alive.
Together.
Bonnie was safe.
Rose kept running.
Then she saw Claudette.
Standing near the entrance.
Waiting.
Rose immediately connected to her mind.
Get in the truck!
Claudette looked toward her.
Why are you waiting for me?
Claudette smiled.
Because I'm not leaving you behind.
Despite everything—
Rose smiled.
Then hurry up!
Claudette turned toward the exit.
Rose ran faster.
She was almost there.
Almost to Claudette.
Almost outside.
Then—
Rose saw something.
A shimmer in the air.
Water.
It formed behind Claudette.
Rose's smile disappeared.
A water dagger hovered in the air.
Rose's eyes widened.
CLAUDETTE!
The weapon moved.
"No!"
Rose ran faster.
"NO!"
Claudette's body suddenly went still.
Her face changed.
She looked down.
Then slowly back at Rose.
"Rose…"
Her strength gave out.
"NO!"
Rose reached her just before she hit the floor.
She caught Claudette in her arms.
"Claudette!"
The entire castle shook.
BOOM!
Above them—
The barrier shattered.
Outside, the creatures began to move.
The walls of Burial Castle started to collapse.
And Rose was still inside.
Holding Claudette.