LOGINThe dark mist flared in the corner of the living room and dissolved just as quickly, leaving Aidan leaning heavily against the wall. He was panting in deep, ragged gasps, his skin pale and slick with cold sweat, fresh dark blood trickling from the corner of his lip.The moment he appeared, everyone in the room moved at once."Aidan!"Alia didn't hesitate. She rushed to his side faster than anyone, her hands immediately coming up to support his trembling weight. Tears streamed down her cheeks, but her grip was tight and firm, refusing to let him fall. Tyrone and Daico reached them a second later, grabbing Aidan's arms and carefully helping him down onto the soft cushions of the couch."Aidan... oh god, Aidan, look at me," Alia sobbed, her hands gently framing his bruised face, her thumb softly wiping away the blood on his lip. "I know everything now. Tyrone told me. You don't have to keep hiding it from me."Aidan's dark eyes fluttered open, heavy with severe spiritual exhaustion. Heari
The second day of the trials brought a heavy, suffocating stillness to the city. While Aidan prepared to step back into the dark abyss of the Underworld, Alia was finishing her shift, completely unaware of the supernatural battle raging for his soul.After work, she decided to drop by a brightly lit convenience store to grab a few essentials for the house. The cool evening breeze greeted her as she stepped back outside through the sliding glass doors, a plastic bag swinging lightly from her hand.Before she could take two steps, a disheveled figure stepped out from the shadows of the alley beside the shop. It was an old beggar, his clothes worn and dirt-smudged, blocking her path and making her freeze in her tracks.Alia's heart skipped a beat as she instinctively tightened her grip on her bag, about to step around him when the beggar lifted his head. His eyes weren't dull or vacant like a normal vagrant's; they burned with an unsettling, ancient clarity."Stop him, Alia," the beggar
At the top of the stairs stood Alia. She had stepped out of her bedroom the moment she heard his voice, only to catch those final, secretive words echoing up the hallway.Aidan took a deep, silent breath and forced his posture erect, hiding the sharp, tearing agony in his ribs. In a fraction of a second, the limp vanished, replaced by a steady, effortless stride as if the brutal marks on his body were nothing more than a faint scratch.He didn't want her to carry the weight of his pain. He didn't want her to see him break.Aidan closed the small distance between them, reaching out to wrap his arms tightly around her waist, pulling her close into his chest. He buried his face into the soft crook of her neck, breathing in her warm, comforting scent—the one thing that could instantly clear away the suffocating ash of the Underworld.Alia stood frozen for a split second, surprised by the sudden intensity of his embrace. But as she felt the deep, subtle tremor in his breath and the fierce
The morning sun rose over the city, casting a warm, golden light through the bedroom window, but for Aidan, every passing hour felt like a ticking clock counting down to midnight.He spent the entire day by Alia's side. They walked through the quiet park near their home, holding hands, laughing at small things, and enjoying the simple peace they had fought so hard to win. To Alia, it was just a beautiful, quiet day spent with the man she loved. But to Aidan, every touch, every laugh, and every soft glance was being etched deep into his soul. He memorized the exact shade of her eyes under the sunlight, the warm sound of her laugh, and the gentle press of her hand in his. She was his tether to life, his reason to endure whatever horror waited for him in the dark.When night fell, the house grew quiet. Alia fell asleep peacefully, her hand still loosely resting against Aidan's chest. Aidan lay beside her in the dark, watching her soft, rhythmic breathing until the clock on the nightstand
They appeared instantly inside Phoenix's office through a flash of dark mist.The room was quiet and filled from floor to ceiling with giant bookshelves and glowing scrolls. Phoenix was standing behind a large stone desk, holding an ancient open book.She set the book down and looked at the three of them."I heard about your resistance to the council," Phoenix said, her voice calm and serious.Aidan took a step forward, his eyes locked on her. "If you already know why we're here, then tell us what you have to say. We only have three days."Phoenix let out a soft sigh and leaned against her desk. "Then you don't have much time to waste. You know the Council's enforcers are already preparing for your answer. If you fight them head-on, they will erase you.""We know the risks," Tyrone said, stepping up beside Aidan. "We just want to know if there's a real way out of this."Phoenix looked at Aidan with a sharp, meaningful glare. "There is a way to become mortal without being destroyed. Bu
Alexander's eyes hardened, the temperature in the vast room plunging until a thin veil of white frost bloomed across the edges of the dark mahogany desk."Worth everything?" Alexander repeated softly, the words dripping with dangerous disdain. He stood up slowly, his tall, imposing shadow stretching across the cold stone floor as dark spiritual energy flared around his shoulders. "You speak with the arrogance of a fool, Aidan. You speak as if your soul belongs to you to throw away."Aidan didn't flinch. He held his superior's piercing gaze, every muscle in his body braced, yet completely unshakable in his resolve. "I am not asking to abandon my honor, Alexander. I am asking for time.""There is no 'time' for a god of death!" Alexander's voice boomed through the cavernous hall, rattling the ancient ledgers. "You are a Grim Reaper! The blade that severs souls from flesh! You do not get to sit at their tables, laugh at their jokes, or love their fleeting daughters!"Alexander stepped out







