The forest was quiet that night, too quiet for comfort.
Moonlight filtered through the treetops, bathing the ground in a silver hue. Adrian walked beside Ella, their hands brushing every now and then. She laughed at something he said, her voice soft, melodic, almost musical. For once, things felt... normal. Human. The air between them hummed with warmth and playful teasing as they strolled deeper into the woods, away from the distant hum of the bonfire party.
"Hey," she said, bumping his shoulder, "you're actually smiling tonight. That's rare."
Adrian chuckled. "Maybe you just have that effect on people."
Ella grinned, flicking her hair back. "Or maybe you're finally learning how to have fun."
"Maybe," he murmured, eyes glinting with a warmth he hadn't felt in years.
The air was thick and damp that evening, the forest alive with whispers of crickets and the rustling of unseen creatures. The sun had sunk low beyond the treeline, casting streaks of red across the sky—blood on twilight's canvas.
Adrian walked beside Ella, their fingers brushing lightly as they moved deeper into the woods. Her laughter was soft, echoing between the trees, her blonde hair glowing faintly in the fading light. For a while, it felt normal—peaceful. Something Adrian hadn't felt in a long time.
> Ella: "You know, I never thought I'd actually enjoy walking through a creepy forest at night."
Adrian (smirking): "You're with me. What's the worst that could happen?"
Ella: "That sounds like something people say right before the worst actually happens."
She nudged him playfully, and he laughed. They stopped near a fallen log where moonlight cut through the branches above. She leaned against it, smiling up at him. The air between them was charged—warm, teasing.
Ella (whispering): "You really are different, Adrian."
Adrian: "Different how?"
Ella: "I don't know… there's something about you. Something… Attractive."
Her tone was flirtatious, but her eyes lingered longer than they should have—curious, almost reverent. Before Adrian could respond,
A faint whisper of movement. A crack of branches, too deliberate to be the wind.
Adrian stopped. His instincts screamed.
Ella noticed his change in demeanor.
Adrian: "Do you hear that?"
Ella: "Hear wh—"
A shape moved between the trees—too fast, too deliberate. The laughter died on her lips. The forest had gone completely still.
> Adrian (tense): "Stay behind me."
Ella: "Adrian, what is that—"
Before she could finish, a gust of black smoke swept across the clearing. The air turned cold, frost creeping along the bark of nearby trees. Then, from the shadows, a woman stepped forward.
She was breathtaking—tall, elegant, and terrifyingly beautiful. Her gown shimmered like liquid obsidian, her eyes two burning rubies set in pale skin. A cruel smile touched her lips.
Reya: "Well, well… the famous infinite I've heard so much about."
Adrian (defensive): "Who are you?"
Reya (mocking): "You don't know me, but I know exactly what you are."
Adrian took a step forward, shielding Ella. "Stay back!"
Reya tilted her head, eyes glimmering. "How adorable," she said mockingly. "Trying to play hero for your little toy."
Reya: "An abomination. The child of betrayal. The blood of the firsts… tainted by humanity."
Adrian's eyes widened. "What—what are you talking about?"
Reya smiled faintly, tilting her head. "You don't even know, do you?" She chuckled softly. "How precious."
Then, faster than a blink, she vanished. The next instant, Adrian was on the ground, her hand pressed to his chest, pinning him. He struggled, gasping, but her strength was inhuman.
Ella (panicked): "Adrian!"
Ella screamed.
Terrified, she turned and ran.
"Ella!" Adrian called after her, reaching out, but she didn't look back. She vanished into the darkness, her footsteps fading fast.
Reya chuckled lowly, eyes following the direction Ella ran. "See?" she said with a smirk. "That's what I love about humans. "selfish"... Always saving themselves first."
He tried to fight back, but dark tendrils of shadow began to rise from the ground, curling around her like living smoke. Adrian tried to push her off, but the shadows lashed out, slamming him against a tree. His bones rattled; his vision blurred.
Reya: "Let's see what makes you so special."
The shadows surged again, striking his chest and arms, burning into his skin like ice. Pain flared white-hot; he screamed as the world went dark.
"Poor little infinite," she mocked. "So much potential… so little control."
When Adrian regained consciousness, he was no longer in the forest. The air was cold and heavy, thick with the scent of iron and ash. He tried to move, but chains clinked, his body screamed with pain.
The room was dim—massive stone walls, black marble floors, and chandeliers that burned with blue flame. The air was heavy with incense and something metallic—blood.
And then she entered.
Reya.
Her dark gown shimmered like liquid night, her hair cascading down her shoulders. She smiled as she approached, her eyes gleaming with cruel delight.
Adrian (hoarse): "Where… am I?"
"Awake already?" she teased. "You're tougher than I thought."
She extended her hand—and the shadows obeyed. They twisted, forming long, slender rods of pure darkness. The first one pierced his shoulder.
Adrian gasped, a strangled sound escaping his lips.
"Oh, don't hold back," Reya cooed. "Scream. I love it when humans scream."
The second spike drove through his thigh, then his other arm. The pain was blinding, unbearable, and yet she looked… entertained.
"I've always wondered," she said, tilting her head, "how much pain an infinite can endure before they break. Let's find out, shall we?"
Adrian: voice trembled, his teeth gritted. "Why… are you doing this?"
Reya: "Because your kind disgusts me. Because your mother defied us. Because you… are living proof that our blood was tainted."
She twisted one of the rods, and Adrian screamed again, the sound echoing through the vast chamber.
---
Then—
The doors burst open.
"Stop!"
Reya turned, annoyance flickering across her perfect face. "Well, if it isn't my darling little sister."
Adrian lifted his head weakly. "Selene?"
Selene stood at the doorway, her silver eyes burning with fury. "Let him go, Reya."
Reya smirked. "So you've taken a liking to this human, hmm?"
"He's my—" Selene began, but Reya cut her off.
"Don't insult me, Selene. I can see it in your eyes." She gestured lazily toward Adrian. "You've grown soft. Tell me, do you plan to keep him as a pet?"
Selene's jaw tightened. "I said let him go."
"Oh, little sister," Reya sighed dramatically. "Always so compassionate. Always so weak."
And then she lunged.
The chamber erupted. Reya's shadows lashed forward, spiraling into blades, while Selene's light exploded in a shockwave of silver fire. The two collided midair—shadow against light, fury against fury.
Adrian could barely see through the chaos—only flashes of movement, the clash of power shaking the room. Selene darted forward, striking her sister across the face with a burst of light. Reya retaliated instantly, shadows twisting into whips that lashed across Selene's back.
Reya laughed through it all, her voice echoing over the sound of their powers colliding. "So, you're really going to fight me over a human? How precious."
Reya (laughing): "You'd fight your own sister For a human?"
Selene struck forward, her energy slicing through Reya's shadow constructs. "He's not just anyone," she hissed. "He's my friend."
Reya's grin widened. "Friend? Or something more?"
The two sisters collided again, their powers clashing in a violent dance of light and darkness. Marble shattered beneath their feet. Flames and shadows tangled in the air like warring spirits.
Then—
A deep voice thundered through the hall.
Lord Valen: "Enough!"
Their father stood at the entrance, his expression cold, commanding. His presence alone silenced the chaos.
Both sisters froze, their powers dissipating instantly.
"Is this how you honor your bloodline?" he demanded. "By fighting each other like savages?"
Reya's expression softened, though her smirk never left. "Father," she said sweetly, "we were just having a little disagreement."
"Settle your disputes," he said sternly, "without violence. Do I make myself clear?"
Both sisters bowed their heads in silence.
He turned and left, the door closing with a heavy echo.
The silence that followed was thick, broken only by Adrian's ragged breathing.
Reya turned toward Selene again, her expression unreadable. Then she sighed dramatically, rolling her eyes.
"Fine," she said finally, waving her hand. The chains holding Adrian melted away into mist. "Take your precious human, little sis. I'll let him go—for you."
Her tone dripped with mockery, but beneath it, there was something else. Something almost… fond.
Selene hurried to Adrian's side, catching him as he slumped forward, unconscious.
Reya watched them quietly, her red eyes glowing faintly in the shadows.
"Enjoy your time with him," she murmured, her smile faint, dangerous. "Because when the truth comes out… not even you will be able to save him."
---