The attic was heavy with silence, the echoes of Iver’s rage lingering in the air like a distant storm. Avriel stood her ground, heart racing as she met his gaze, searching for any sign of the ghost she had come to know or the man he once was.
“What… what was that?” she finally managed to say, her voice trembling but determined. “You almost let the darkness take me.”
Iver ran a hand through his hair, frustration evident in the way he paced the room, shadows flickering around him. “You don’t understand,” he snapped, anger still simmering beneath the surface. “You can’t just waltz in here and expect to fix everything. You have no idea what you’re dealing with!”
“I know you’re hurting,” she replied, trying to keep her tone steady. “And I know you’re scared. But you don’t have to fight this alone anymore. I can help you.”
His laughter was bitter, echoing off the attic walls. “Help me? You’re just a mortal girl with no power over what’s been done to me. You can’t change my fate.”
“Maybe I can’t change it,” she admitted, taking a step closer, her heart pounding. “But I can help you face it. You don’t have to be a monster, Iver.”
He stopped pacing, turning to face her fully. The shadows swirled around him, and for a brief moment, she could see the internal battle raging within. “You think you can save me?” he challenged, voice low and dangerous.
“I think you’re worth saving,” she replied, surprising herself with the strength of her conviction. “I see the pain you carry. I see the man you could be if you let go of the darkness.”
The air between them thickened, charged with unspoken words and a fragile tension. Iver’s eyes flickered with uncertainty, but the anger was still there, simmering beneath the surface. “You don’t know what I’ve done. What I am.”
“Tell me,” she urged, her voice steady.
“Help me understand, so I can help you. What happened to you?”
He hesitated, shadows flickering as he weighed his options. Finally, he sighed, the sound heavy with resignation. “It’s not a story for the faint of heart. But if you insist…” He trailed off, his gaze distant as if looking into the past.
“I want to hear it,” she said softly, her heart racing at the thought of unraveling the mystery that had become Iver Killian.
He leaned against the wall, arms crossed over his chest as he began to speak. “I was once a man, a long time ago. Full of ambition, desires, and dreams… but I was also a fool. I dabbled in things I didn’t understand, dark forces that promised power and immortality.”
Avriel listened intently, captivated by his raw honesty. “What did you do?”
“I made a pact,” he said, his voice heavy with regret. “I sought to become something more, something beyond death. But the price was steep. I became bound to this house, this darkness. My soul was tethered to its shadows, and I was left to wander, a wretched ghost forever haunted by my choices.”
“What kind of pact?” she asked, the curiosity mingling with fear. “With whom?”
“A sorceress,” he replied, the bitterness creeping back into his tone. “She was beautiful and dangerous, and I thought I could control her power. But I was wrong. I lost everything, the life I had, my family, my humanity. All because of my greed.”
Avriel’s heart ached for him, but she could see the resentment in his eyes, the way it twisted his features into something dark and menacing. “You’ve been suffering for a long time,” she murmured. “But you can still choose to break free from this cycle.”
“Choose?” he scoffed, shadows swirling more violently around him. “You think it’s that simple? There are forces at play here that you can’t begin to comprehend. I’ve tried to escape before—each time, I failed, and it only drew me deeper into the darkness.”
She took a deep breath, grounding herself in the moment. “Then let’s work together to find a way. I refuse to believe you’re beyond saving, Iver. We can face the darkness head-on.”
A flicker of uncertainty crossed his features, and for a moment, the shadows receded slightly, as if reacting to his inner turmoil. “What do you propose?” he asked, the edge of his voice softening, curiosity piqued.
“Let’s find the sorceress,” she suggested, determination igniting within her. “We need to confront the source of your pain. Maybe she holds the key to your freedom.”
He stared at her, the shadows around him flickering uncertainly. “You’re suggesting we seek her out? After everything she did to me?”
“Perhaps she’s not the same person she once was,” Avriel said, her heart pounding at the thought of their confrontation. “People can change. And maybe, just maybe, she can help you break this curse.”
Iver hesitated, the battle within him playing out across his features. “It’s dangerous, Avriel. You don’t know what you’re asking.”
“I know it’s dangerous,” she replied firmly. “But staying here, trapped in this darkness, isn’t living either. You deserve a chance to reclaim your life.”
A long pause hung between them, the tension thickening as Iver weighed her words. “And if we fail?”
“Then we’ll face it together,” she said, her voice unwavering. “I won’t let you go through this alone. You’re stronger than you realize, Iver.”
Finally, he nodded slowly, a flicker of resolve sparking in his mismatched eyes. “Very well. But know this, Avriel: if we pursue this path, you must be prepared for the worst.”
“I’m ready, when I came here first, my mind was already prepared for the worst but still I confronted you and stood on my feet in front of you!,” she replied, a surge of determination coursing through her. Together, they would confront the shadows, face the past, and fight for a future that felt just beyond their reach.
As they stood together, a fragile alliance forged in the darkness, Avriel felt the weight of their journey ahead. It would be perilous and fraught with danger, but she was no longer afraid. Iver’s darkness was formidable, but so was the light of their shared resolve.
With a newfound sense of purpose, Avriel and Iver turned to leave the attic. The shadows lingered behind them, but now they felt different, less like a cage and more like a path yet to be traversed. As they descended the stairs, a low whisper echoed in the air, a warning that would haunt them both:
"You think you can defy your fate? You have no idea what awaits you."
___________________________________________
Hii loves!
I hope you guys like the story, this is my first fiction so I have no idea if y'all will like it or not!
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LOVER OF THE DEAD
ParanormalWhat if the one you were destined to love was trapped between two worlds? Avriel Abbott is drawn to the mysteries of the supernatural, but nothing could prepare her for the enigmatic ghost Iver Killian. As their connection deepens, they uncover secr...
