Clara's POV
My body shook as I broke down, still drowning in confusion, still trying to claw my way out of the madness.
Then I smelled it—smoke.
My eyes snapped open, and horror gripped me. The garden… was on fire.
Flames licked through the flowers, spreading fast, swallowing the moonlit beauty in a storm of red and gold. My breath hitched as I staggered back, pressing myself against the wall.
"No, no, no—" My voice cracked as memories stabbed through me. The searing agony, the unbearable heat. I remembered burning before, every second etched into me like a curse. I couldn't go through it again. I couldn't.
Terror clawed at my chest, and I bolted, running to a stone pillar far from the flames. But the fire spread mercilessly, chasing me, devouring everything.
Tears spilled down my cheeks as panic consumed me. "No, no, no—" I crouched low, curling in on myself as the fire roared closer. My hands trembled, my lungs seized, and all I could do was squeeze my eyes shut—waiting.
Waiting for the fire to claim me.
Ciel's POV
BAM!
The ground shook as Lucien's magic cracked open the seal.
"Let's go!" I barked, surging forward. Lucien and Jason were right behind me as we flew through the dark passage.
A faint sound echoed ahead—voices, footsteps, something alive. My chest tightened, and without hesitation, I darted toward the light spilling from a corner.
We burst through—and froze.
Fallen filled the chamber. And at the center of it, a cloaked man stood over an open platform.
I forced my eyes downward, into the platform—
And my soul shattered.
Serena.
She was engulfed in flames, her body suspended in the fire's grip. The fire didn't consume her flesh—it wrapped around her like living chains, binding her, holding her in torment. Each flicker tightened its hold, as though the flames themselves wanted to claim her soul.
"Serena!" My scream tore out of me as I lunged forward, but the cloaked man intercepted, hurling an attack straight at me.
"Well, well," he sneered, his voice dripping with mockery. "Eager to reunite with your wife? But that can wait, can't it?"
"You bastard!" Rage exploded in me, and I charged.
"Lucien! Jason! Handle the fallen!" I ordered, my voice sharp as steel.
Magic surged between my palms as I launched attack after attack, but he moved like no enemy I'd faced before—blocking, twisting, dodging with terrifying precision. It was as if he already knew my every move.
He's not like the others… he's stronger. Faster. Skilled.
I narrowed my eyes, summoning a powerful spell. Energy crackled, roaring in my hands. I unleashed it with a shout—only to watch in disbelief as he blocked it and hurled it back at me.
The blast scorched the air as I barely dodged. My jaw clenched. I'll have to go all out.
I began weaving another incantation, pouring everything into it—
"Pfft. Now I'm in trouble," the man said mockingly, laughing with a jagged, manic sound.
Then, suddenly, he struck. A devastating blast of raw power cut through the chamber, forcing me to dispel my spell before it detonated in my hands.
The impact rocked the room—
And he was gone.
I spun around, eyes darting through the smoke and shadows, but the cloaked man had vanished. Only Lucien and Jason remained, locked in furious combat with the fallen.
There was no time.
I turned back to the platform, heart pounding, and rushed toward Serena—toward the woman who was everything.
Clara's POV
I had closed my eyes, trembling as the flames roared closer. The heat licked at my skin, and I was certain this time they would consume me. My body shook violently, every nerve screaming for escape.
"Serena!"
That voice. My eyes snapped open. Ciel?
Joy flickered in my chest, fragile yet burning with hope. Was he here? Was he really calling for me?
"Serena!" he shouted again, desperation and fury woven into his voice.
"Ciel!" I screamed, though the inferno swallowed my cries. I couldn't see him—only walls of fire surrounding me. My tears stung as smoke burned my lungs.
"Serena, my love, please get up!"
I screamed until my throat went raw. "I'm right here! Ciel!"
The ground shook violently beneath me. My skull throbbed, splitting in unbearable pain as his voice echoed inside my head. "Serena, open your eyes. Wake up!"
I collapsed, writhing, before a scream tore from my throat so raw, so broken, it shattered everything. Darkness swallowed me whole.
When I came to, I was no longer alone.
Ciel's arms wrapped tightly around me, his face twisted in anguish. "Serena…" His voice broke, tears trailing down his cheeks.
"Ciel…" I whispered weakly.
"Yes, my love. I'm here." He held me tighter, as though letting go would mean losing me forever. "I should have come sooner. Forgive me."
Tears blurred my vision. Relief crashed through me like waves. "It's alright… I'm just glad you're here." My sobs racked my body as I clung to him.
"You're safe now," he whispered, before his lips pressed against mine—gentle, warm, desperate. His kiss carried both apology and love.
"Let's go home." He lifted me effortlessly, carrying me out of that cursed place. As the cold air touched my face, I closed my eyes. For the first time in what felt like forever, I was free.
Ciel's POV
I held Serena close as we soared through the night. Her eyes fluttered shut, relief softening her features. My chest ached with gratitude. She was alive. She was mine again.
"Jason, did you manage to get rid of the fallen?" I asked quietly.
"No, Your Majesty," he answered grimly. "They were too powerful… and disappeared the moment their master vanished."
I exhaled slowly. "It's fine. We'll deal with them later."
I looked down at Serena. Her fragile form pressed against me, safe in my arms. That was all that mattered. We were going home. But… somewhere in the back of my mind, unease lingered. Something was wrong. Something—or someone—was missing.
Still, I pushed the thought aside. Not now. Not when I finally had her back.
Lucien's POV
A sharp groan escaped me as I woke on a cold, jagged floor. My head pounded. The air smelled damp, moldy. Dripping water echoed faintly off stone walls.
A cave.
"What the hell…?" I muttered, forcing myself up. But chains rattled, clamping me in place. I tugged—nothing. They were enchanted, stripping me of power.
Shit.
My mind replayed fragments: battling the fallen, then… a spell slamming into the back of my head. Blackness.
"Damn it," I spat. "I've been captured."
Footsteps echoed. From the shadows emerged a cloaked figure. My chest tightened instantly. The same cloaked man from the mountain—the one Ciel fought.
"You bastard! Let me out! What do you want?!" I snarled, yanking at the chains.
The figure only chuckled, lowering his hood enough to reveal a twisted smile. "Lucien, Lucien… the pitiful fallen angel, clawing for redemption. Do you really think Heaven will take you back?"
My eyes widened. "How do you know my name…? My past?" My stomach dropped. "You… you know about Clara too, don't you?"
"Oh, I know far more than you realize," he sneered, stepping closer. "I've been watching. From the very beginning. We're… more acquainted than you think."
My blood ran cold. "What the hell are you talking about?"
He removed his cloak.
My breath caught. My entire body went numb.
"Jason…?" I whispered.
He smirked. "No. Not Jason. My real name… is Asriel."
A manic laugh tore from his throat, echoing off the cavern.
While I sat there in disbelief, unable to understand or accept what was happening