Elena's heart pounded so hard she thought it might break through her chest.The stranger stood motionless on the balcony, the moon outlining his figure like a memory wearing flesh.
The crimson glow from the necklace pulsed faster.
"Elena," he whispered again — gentle — as if speaking to someone precious.
Liora shifted in her sleep behind her. Elena dared not answer loudly.Her voice trembled in a whisper only he could hear.
"Who… are you?"
He smiled — not cruelly, not coldly — heartbreakingly soft.
"You really don't remember." His voice cracked. "I prayed you would forget the pain, but… I hoped you would remember me."
The necklace glowed brighter — a warning, a recognition.
Elena stepped back. "Did you… hurt me? In my past life?"
His expression twisted painfully. "I didn't want to. I swore I never would — but you left me no choice."
Her skin crawled. "You killed me."
He didn't deny it. He looked shattered by the truth.
"It wasn't supposed to happen like that," he whispered. "You were going to leave me. You were going to choose someone else. I thought if I ended it… we could be reborn together."
The room swayed; Elena clutched the wall to stay upright.
"You took my life because you loved me?"
His eyes blazed — not with malice but obsession.
"No one else in the world could love you the way I did. I would destroy kingdoms for you. I would burn continents. I did. And I would do it again."
Her blood went cold.
"Get away from me."
He didn't move. "You're not safe here. They'll use you until you break — again. I came to take you back. To protect you from everyone."
"By killing me again?" she snapped.
His eyes softened tragically. "If dying is the only way we can be together forever… then yes."
Elena's breath locked inside her throat.She had to wake Liora — she had to scream — she had to run.
But the moment she opened her mouth—
He stepped through the glass without breaking it. Magic warped the air around him.
Liora jolted awake instantly.
"Elena?! What—"
The moment he saw Liora, something inside him sharpened.
"You," he hissed, "you always got in the way."
His hand rose — magic pulsing.
Before he could strike, Elena screamed:
"NO!"
A burst of invisible force exploded from her body — faster and stronger than in the arena.The stranger flew backward through the balcony — landing on the railing but catching himself gracefully.
He looked stunned — but then he smiled with pride.
"You're awakening."
His voice became almost serene.
"When your power fully returns, no one will be able to stop us — not even fate."
Then he disappeared — dissolving into black feathers scattered into the night.
💗 Aftermath
Elena collapsed. Liora grabbed her, breath trembling.
"Elena — who was that?"
Elena shook. "I think… I think he was the one who killed me."
Liora hugged her tightly, voice fierce with love:
"He tried before, he won't succeed again. I won't let him."
But in the hallway — footsteps were already approaching. Heavy. Fast.
Kael burst into the room first — sword glowing, eyes blazing.
"Elena — I felt your magic spike—"
He froze when he saw the shattered balcony, the glowing necklace, and fear in her eyes.
"What happened? Who was here?" he demanded.
Before she answered, Lucian stormed in next — armor disheveled, power radiating.
"I sensed dark magic — is she hurt?!"
They both moved toward her at once — protectively, possessively — but Liora stepped in front of Elena like a barrier.
"She needs space! Back up!"
Kael and Lucian froze — but didn't retreat emotionally.
Elena whispered, voice barely audible:
"He found me."
Both men stiffened instantly.
Kael's voice dropped to a growl. "Describe him."
Lucian's expression went deadly cold. "Did he touch you?"
Elena wrapped her arms around herself."I don't know his name. But the necklace turned red. It reacted to him."
The reactions were immediate:
Kael slammed his fist into the wall.Lucian's magic exploded like a storm behind his eyes.
Kael spoke first — dangerously low:
"We're killing him."
Lucian nodded, same conclusion, same fury. "No second chances."
But Elena shook her head violently.
"If you kill him, we'll never know why I was reborn — or what he wants. There might be a bigger reason."
Kael looked like the idea physically hurt him.Lucian looked ready to break the laws of magic to keep her safe.
"Elena," Lucian said softly, "we will protect you with our lives. But don't ask us to protect him."
She didn't answer — because she didn't know.
🌑 Later — Alone for a moment
Elena stood on the balcony where he had appeared. The feathers he left behind shimmered with black magic. She touched one — and saw a flash of memory:
A ballroomA slow danceHis lips on her foreheadHer laughingHis eyes soft with devotionHer saying, "I'll always come back to you."
And then — the memory of her death again.
She gasped and dropped the feather.Her heart was a battlefield between terror and something else:
Recognition.
Behind her, someone stepped quietly onto the balcony.
She didn't look — she spoke shakily:
"Please don't touch me."
There was a pause — then a soft, heartbroken reply:
"…I would never touch you without permission."
She turned — it was Kael.
His eyes were full of pain he never let anyone see.
"Elena… I don't know what we were in your past life. But in this one, I won't let anyone hurt you. Not even yourself."
He didn't reach for her. He just stood there — close enough to protect, far enough to respect.
For the first time that night, she didn't feel hunted.
She felt… safe.