A love forged in exile

Chapter 9: A Fateful Decision

The night air within the Forsaken stronghold was thick with the stench of dark magic and death. Kaelin and Tarin had managed to slip back into the shadows after witnessing the horrific sacrifices at the portal, but the weight of the situation bore down on them heavily.

The portal loomed in their minds, its dark energy pulsating, rippling like the surface of some cursed lake. It was the very thing they had been warned about, the gateway through which the Forsaken would pour into their world and wreak unspeakable havoc. They had to stop it-but the question of how weighed heavily on them.

"We don't have much time," Tarin whispered, her voice steady but filled with urgency. "That thing... it's feeding on them, Kaelin. We have to destroy it before it grows any stronger."

Kaelin nodded, his heart pounding in his chest. He knew she was right, but the thought of destroying the portal was quickly eclipsed by another realization: Eldra's prophecy. The witch had been clear-the blood of a Mage-Knight was the key to sealing the portal. It required a sacrifice.

One of them, or both.

Kaelin clenched his fists, fighting back the surge of emotions that threatened to overwhelm him. His mind raced, desperately searching for some way to avoid what seemed inevitable.

"We can't let it continue," Tarin said, her voice quieter now, her eyes burning with fierce determination. She stepped closer to him, her gaze unyielding. "I'll do it, Kaelin. I'll end this. It's the only way."

Kaelin froze, his blood running cold at her words. "No," he said firmly, shaking his head. "You're not sacrificing yourself, Tarin."

She didn't look away. "It's the only choice, Kaelin. You know it. I can do this-let me do this."

His heart ached at the resolve in her voice, at the thought of losing her. The weight of the prophecy hung between them like a blade ready to fall. Tarin had always been strong, always willing to do whatever was necessary for the greater good, but this... this was something Kaelin couldn't bear.

"I won't let you," Kaelin said, his voice low and fierce. "There has to be another way. We'll find it-together."

Tarin's eyes softened, but only for a moment. "Kaelin, you know what Eldra said. The portal can only be destroyed with the blood of a Mage-Knight. And if we wait too long, it'll be too late. This is bigger than us."

Her words cut deep, and Kaelin knew she was right. But still, he couldn't let her do this. He couldn't lose her.

"You don't have to do this alone," he said, stepping closer to her. "We can find another way-there's always another way."

Tarin shook her head, her expression hardening again. "No, Kaelin. You've always been the one to protect me, to fight for me. But this time, it's my turn. I won't let this world fall because we hesitated. I won't let them win."

Before he could respond, Tarin moved swiftly. She stepped toward the portal, her eyes fixed on the swirling dark energy that beckoned to her like some twisted force of fate. She unsheathed her sword, the blade glinting in the dim light as she prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice.

"No!" Kaelin shouted, his heart pounding in his chest. He couldn't lose her-not like this. Not after everything they had been through together. In a surge of desperation, he lunged forward, grabbing her arm and pulling her back.

"Tarin, stop!" he yelled, his voice filled with anguish. "You're not doing this!"

She struggled against him, her eyes blazing with a mixture of determination and sorrow. "Kaelin, let me go! It's the only way!"

But Kaelin refused to let her go. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly as he tried to find the right words, the right solution. He couldn't let her die. Not like this.

In that moment, something deep inside Kaelin shifted. The magic in his blood, the power that had always been there but never fully awakened, surged to the surface. His emotions fueled it-his love for Tarin, his fear of losing her, his desperate need to protect her.

A bright light flared around them, swirling with Kaelin's magic as he summoned something he hadn't even known he was capable of. His hands trembled as he pulled Tarin closer, and in the next heartbeat, the air around them rippled with energy.

The portal in front of them seemed to waver for a moment, but instead of feeding into it, Kaelin redirected the magic. His instincts took over, and with a roar of determination, he willed a portal of his own into existence.

The world around them blurred as Kaelin's magic surged, and before either of them could fully comprehend what was happening, the dark stronghold disappeared.

The two of them landed hard on the cold, snow-covered ground, Kaelin's body still trembling from the effort of summoning the portal. He gasped for air, the strain of the magic taking its toll on him. Tarin lay beside him, stunned and breathing heavily.

For a long moment, neither of them spoke. The shock of what had just happened, of being torn from the Forsaken stronghold and deposited in some unknown place, left them both disoriented.

Finally, Tarin pushed herself up, her breath coming in ragged gasps. "What... what did you do?" she asked, her voice a mix of confusion and awe.

Kaelin groaned as he sat up, his muscles aching from the strain. "I-I don't know," he admitted, his voice hoarse. "I just... I couldn't let you do it. I couldn't lose you."

Tarin stared at him, her eyes wide. "You-you summoned a portal. Kaelin, that's-"

"I know," he said, cutting her off gently. "I didn't know I could do it either. But I couldn't let you die, Tarin. Not like that."

They both sat in silence for a moment, the gravity of the situation sinking in. Kaelin's magic had saved them, but they were now miles away from the Forsaken stronghold, in a place neither of them recognized. The landscape was unfamiliar, the mountains towering around them, the snow falling softly from the sky.

Tarin let out a shaky breath, her anger fading into something softer, something more vulnerable. "You saved me," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Kaelin reached out, taking her hand in his. "We're in this together," he said softly. "I won't let you do it alone."

Tarin squeezed his hand, her eyes shimmering with emotion. For a moment, the weight of the world lifted, and all that remained was the two of them, side by side, fighting to survive.