Mark stood in the dim light of the underground library, his shoulders tense, his mind racing. Tong was nearby, silent but alert. The ancient texts and fragmented notes spread out before Mark whispered secrets he couldn't fully decipher, but one phrase burned into his mind like a brand: "Kill the angel, or kill the demon. Then all will return."
Kael's presence was an ever-looming shadow in Mark's thoughts. The man wasn't just a rival; he was the manifestation of everything Mark hated about his cursed existence—cruel, calculating, relentless. And now, Kael was here, somewhere in the castle, seeking to tear everything apart.
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"Mark," Tong's voice broke through his thoughts, soft but steady. "What's the plan? You know he's coming for you."
Mark glanced at him, his gaze softening for a brief moment. Tong's resilience in the face of danger was something Mark admired, but it also filled him with dread. He had dragged Tong into a nightmare, one with no escape.
"The plan," Mark said, his voice low but firm, "is to end this before Kael can get to you. If I can figure out the truth about the altar, about the curse, I can stop him."
Tong crossed his arms, leaning against a cracked pillar. "And if you can't?"
Mark didn't answer. He couldn't bring himself to say the words, not when Tong's warm, unyielding presence reminded him of what he was fighting for.
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Kael stopped in a dark corridor, his hand trailing along the cold stone walls. His fangs glinted in the faint moonlight as he turned to his followers. "Hold your positions," he commanded. "Let him come to us. The Ventore beast always fights better when cornered, but I won't give him the satisfaction."
One of his underlings hesitated. "But, my lord, if we don't strike now—"
Kael's hand shot out, gripping the vampire by the throat. His voice dropped to a venomous whisper. "You think I don't know how to break him? Killing Mark is not the goal. Breaking him is. If we crush his spirit, he'll destroy himself. Understand?"
The vampire nodded frantically, and Kael released him with a sneer.
Kael's grin widened as he thought of the vision that haunted Mark's existence. Aeon's death. The Moon Drop curse. The altar. Every piece was falling into place, and Kael had no intention of rushing the final act. He would draw it out, make Mark relive every moment of his failures until he begged for the end.
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Mark's hands stilled as his eyes landed on a familiar page buried beneath a pile of loose parchment. The symbols were faint but unmistakable—a diagram of the Moon Drop ritual, surrounded by fragmented phrases in the ancient language. His breath caught as his eyes scanned the words.
"'The angel,'" he murmured, tracing a line of text, "'is bound by light. The demon, by shadow. To end the curse, sever the bond.'"
Tong leaned in, squinting at the page. "Sever the bond? What does that mean?"
YOU ARE READING
MY GOLDEN BLOOD - JossGawin FanFiction
Fiksi PenggemarI wrote this story as a bit of a vent for when I was feeling a bit down about My Golden Blood. I thought there might not be another novel I could read. Moreover, even if there is, it will be very disappointing because it must be written in Thai, so...
