Nyx's eyes held his, an almost wistful gleam flaring in their crimson depths. She took a slow breath, the atmosphere thickening with her words unspoken, as if each syllable simmered in the tension. Her gaze shifted slightly, sweeping over her shoulder to the far reaches of the void, her expression hardening.
"Before I leave with you," she murmured, her voice laced with a hint of regret tempered by steely resolve, "there's something I must do." Her tone was resolute, yet beneath that, Adams could sense an undercurrent of pain—a weight carried in silence and solitude for far too long. "They took everything from me, tore apart everything I loved, left me adrift in the darkness. I will see it undone. I will see them unmade."
Adams' smile barely faded, his gaze unwavering, but a flicker of something—perhaps understanding, perhaps approval—passed over his features. He knew what this meant for her; he knew that the power she wielded was more than strength or vengeance. It was a reclamation, a final justice long overdue. He inclined his head ever so slightly, the smallest nod of acceptance, a silent affirmation of her need to face her past one last time.
"Of course," he replied softly, his words like a ripple through the void. "It is a journey we both understand."
Nyx's expression softened at his words, and for a brief, vulnerable moment, a flicker of something fragile surfaced in her eyes—gratitude, perhaps, or the comfort that came with being truly seen. She clenched her fist tightly, her fingers curling around the abyssal air as if holding something tangible, something precious. Then, the softness vanished, replaced with an unyielding glint of purpose, her jaw setting in determination.
Adams, watching her closely, allowed his expression to mirror her resolve, though his eyes still held a warmth that was rarely seen by those around him. His hand lifted in a quiet, restrained motion, hovering just above her shoulder. He paused, as if waiting for her approval, and when she gave him the faintest nod, his fingers came to rest gently on her shoulder, anchoring her in that moment. "Then let us give this world the conclusion it has long evaded," he murmured, his voice a low, quiet promise.
Stay updated via m-v l|-novelhall.net
Nyx's lips curved into a dangerous, almost feral smile, the crimson in her eyes blazing with renewed intensity. Shadows danced around her form, drawn to her call, swirling faster, their edges sharpening like blades honed for battle. Her hands pulsed with dark energy, veins of starlit silver glimmering faintly beneath her skin, glowing brighter as she drew upon her power. Her heartbeat echoed through the void, each thrum a challenge to the world that had tried to subdue her.
Her expression turned feral, her gaze darkening as she locked eyes with Aveline. "Family?" she spat, her voice raw with pain masked in rage. "They're gone. Slaughtered like animals, betrayed and abandoned, just like I was." Her aura flared, shadows coiling and lashing out like vipers, each one laced with her seething fury. "The world cared nothing for me then, and it will answer to me now. And if you dare to stand in my way, I'll make you suffer for every step."
Aveline watched her with quiet resilience, the faintest glimmer of pity shining in her eyes. Her hand twitched as though she wanted to reach out but held herself back, sensing that any misstep could fuel Nyx's wrath further. "Nyx," she said softly, "I understand your pain. But do you really think he would want you to lose yourself this way? To destroy all that's left of what you once loved?"
Nyx's gaze sharpened, her anger flickering, tempered with a glimmer of hesitation. Her hand clenched tighter, the knuckles turning white as she recalled that fateful encounter with the Ring of Chaos. Left for dead, betrayed, broken beyond repair, she had been offered a lifeline—a chance to rise again, stronger, unbreakable. All it had required was her loyalty, her acceptance of Chaos as her only constant, her husband.
A twisted smile crept onto her lips, her voice low, filled with dark amusement as she answered, "Perhaps Chaos chose me for this very purpose." She turned her gaze back to the world below, a world she'd once dreamed of protecting, now nothing more than a broken shell of what she'd loved.
Aveline, noticing the fleeting vulnerability beneath Nyx's hardened facade, inclined her head slightly, accepting that nothing she said could change Nyx's resolve in this moment. Still, her voice softened one last time, reaching for a fragile, buried part of Nyx's soul. "Just remember, Nyx, vengeance may soothe you for a time... but it is not the same as peace."
Without another word, Aveline faded, her presence dispersing into a gentle swirl of light that lingered in the air like an echo. Nyx watched, the crimson depths of her eyes flickering, her jaw set, her entire form radiating defiance and strength.
In that silence, she breathed deeply, reaching into the darkness around her, drawing power from the endless abyss within. A final thought drifted through her mind—a reminder of the promise she'd made to Adams. The fire in her eyes flared as her resolve crystallized into steel. This world, this shattered dream, would see her retribution. Only then would she be free to stand beside him, to finally be his.
With a fierce, unyielding gaze, Nyx descended toward the world below, shadows gathering around her like a shroud, her heart pounding with the rhythm of a reckoning long overdue.