Kamrynn’s POV
The cavern seemed to grow colder as Xoria’s words echoed in my mind. I stood frozen for a moment, torn between despair and determination. The sorceress had every reason to be bitter, but as I recalled the pain in Kyven’s and Thalia’s eyes-their love trembling under the weight of a curse they didn’t deserve-I knew I couldn’t leave without trying harder.
I squared my shoulders and met Xoria’s glowing green eyes. “You’re right,” I said, my voice firm. “The things Corvis did to you were despicable, and nothing can ever make up for it. But Kyven and Thalia are innocent. They’re just two people in love, caught in the crossfire of a crime they didn’t commit.”
Xoria’s expression remained cold, unmoving. “Innocent or not, Thalia bears his filthy blood. She carries his sins. Why should I let her or anyone else from that family find peace when I never can?”
Her bitterness was palpable, but I forced myself to stand firm. “Because this needs to end,” I countered. “Corvis’s generation has been paying for his sins for centuries, and countless innocents have died because of this curse. But it’s enough now. Please, let it end.”
Xoria’s lips curled into a bitter smile, but there was no joy in it. “Enough for you, perhaps. But not for me. I am still tormented, even in death. And as long as I suffer, so will they.”
Her words felt like a punch to the gut. I wanted to scream, to cry, to shake her and beg her to see reason, but I knew it was pointless. She was adamant, her resolve carved from centuries of pain and rage.
Xoria waved her hand dismissively. “Go, child. Leave this place and never return. Your time here has been wasted.”
I hesitated but nodded, turning slowly toward the entrance of the cave. Each step felt heavier than the last, but I reminded myself that I had tried. There was no reasoning with someone so deeply scarred.
But as I reached the mouth of the cave, a thought struck me, igniting a fire in my chest. I stopped abruptly and spun around, storming back toward Xoria.
“No,” I said, my voice shaking but resolute. “I’m not leaving. Not like this.”
Xoria raised a brow, her chains clinking softly as she shifted. “Stubborn, aren’t you? What more could you possibly say?”
I drew a shaky breath, my hands curling into fists at my sides. “I understand some of your pain,” I began, my voice cracking. “I’ve been punished too-for things I didn’t do, for simply loving a man that was never meant to be mine. I hate the injustice of it but what I went through is nothing compared to your suffering. I hate that you had to suffer so much. And if I could, I’d take away all your pain and help you get revenge. But…” I paused, my throat tightening. “…I can’t just walk away knowing you’ll keep suffering like this.”
For the first time, Xoria’s hardened expression softened. A sad, almost genuine smile curved her lips. “You have a good heart, child,” she said quietly. “But that heart will be your undoing. Protect it, and protect those you care for. Your path is riddled with betrayal.”
Her words sent a chill through me, but I pushed it aside and glanced at the glimmering Amethysts embedded in the cave walls. One in particular-a large, sharp shard that seemed to glow brighter than the rest-caught my eye. Without thinking, I grabbed it and began pulling with all my strength.
It took effort, my fingers aching as I yanked the jagged crystal free. Returning to Xoria, I raised the Amethyst and aimed for the chains.
“What are you doing?” Xoria’s voice broke the silence, laced with disbelief and a flicker of exasperation. Her glowing green eyes locked on me as I hefted the jagged Amethyst shard in my trembling hands.
“Freeing you,” I growled through gritted teeth, slamming the shard against the chains with all the strength I could muster.
The sound of metal meeting crystal echoed through the cave, but the chains didn’t so much as flinch. Again, I struck, harder this time, my hands blistering from the sharp edges. But no matter how hard I swung, the enchanted bindings remained unscathed, mocking my efforts.
Xoria sighed, almost amused, though her tone carried a weight of defeat. “You’re wasting your time,” she said, her voice soft but cutting. “These chains are not physical. They’re merely a manifestation of Corvis’s spell. You can’t break them with brute force.”
Her words stopped me mid-swing, the Amethyst shard trembling in my grasp. My arms ached, my chest heaved, and frustration clawed at my insides. But her words sparked an idea-an ember of hope in the storm of futility.
I lowered the shard slowly, staring at the unyielding chains. “Then they’re not real,” I whispered, the realization taking hold like a lightning strike.
Xoria’s brow furrowed, a flicker of confusion crossing her face. “What are you talking about?”
I stepped closer, gripping the shard tightly as if it could lend me courage. “Corvis is dead. He’s been dead for centuries. His spell should have broken long ago. The only thing keeping these chains in place is you.”
She flinched, her lips parting slightly.
I pressed on, my voice steady but urgent. “You still believe he has power over you. You believe you’ll never be free of him, that you’re trapped here forever because of what he did. But that’s not true. You’re the only one holding yourself here.”
Her scoff echoed through the cave, bitter and dismissive. “You’re delusional,” she muttered, shaking her head as though trying to dispel my words.
“Maybe,” I admitted, my grip tightening on the shard. “But what if I’m right? What if the chains only exist because you believe they do? Just try it. Imagine yourself breaking free from him-from his chains, his control, his shadow. What do you have to lose?”
Her piercing gaze met mine, a storm of doubt and buried hope swirling in her eyes. For a moment, she was silent, her expression unreadable. Then, slowly, she closed her eyes.
The cave seemed to hold its breath as Xoria stood still, her face tense with concentration. The glow of the Amethysts lining the walls dimmed slightly, as if the entire space were waiting for her next move.
Seconds stretched into a minute, each tick of time pressing heavily on my chest. I watched her, silently willing her to believe, to try.
Then it happened.
The chains binding her began to glow, faintly at first, then brighter, a pulsating light like cracks spreading through glass. The fractures grew, webbing across the length of the chains until, with a resounding shatter, they exploded into a cascade of glittering Amethyst fragments.
Xoria gasped, stumbling slightly as the remnants of the chains disintegrated into nothingness. Her form began to glow, radiating light that intensified with each passing second. The entire cave trembled, the walls groaning as the ceiling crumbled away, revealing the vast, desolate expanse of the underworld above.
She stepped forward, her once-bound body now free, her movements light and unburdened. Her glow intensified, bathing the space in a warm, golden light. She turned to me, her eyes shimmering with gratitude and disbelief.
“You… you’ve done it,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “I’m free.”
A lump rose in my throat as I took a shaky step toward her. “No,” I said softly. “You freed yourself.”
Her glowing form knelt before me, taking my hands in hers. “Thank you,” she murmured, her voice thick with emotion. “Thank you for reminding me of my strength, for granting me freedom after centuries of torment.”
I shook my head, tears stinging my eyes. “If you want to thank me,” I said, my voice firm despite the quiver in it, “then end the curse. Lift the burden from the Amethyst bloodline. They’ve suffered enough.”
Xoria rose to her full height, her radiant form towering above me. She nodded solemnly and raised her hands. A glowing rune-like seal appeared in the air, pulsating with dark energy.
With a swift motion, she clenched her fists and shattered the seal. It disintegrated into shimmering particles, scattering like stardust before vanishing into the void.
“It’s done,” she said quietly, her voice carrying the weight of finality.
Relief flooded through me, my knees nearly buckling. “Thank you,” I whispered, my voice cracking. “Thank you for giving them a chance. Rest in peace, Xoria. Go reunite with your loved ones.”
Xoria smiled, a serene and genuine expression that transformed her face. She leaned down, pressing a warm, glowing kiss to my cheek. “And you, Kamrynn-be strong. The road ahead will not be easy.”
With that, she ascended, her light fading into the void above.
I didn’t have time to dwell on the enormity of what had just happened. I needed to get back.
Ignoring the voices of my departed loved ones that called to me-Sherelle, my parents-I sprinted toward the entry point- the place I’d found myself when I first got here. When I reached it, I collapsed to the ground, closed my eyes, and regulated my breathing. I ignored the sounds of the monsters slithering around, tried to block out the noise all around and free my mind of all fear.
Slowly, my mind began to drift, and I felt a familiar whoosh as my soul was pulled upward.
When I opened my eyes, I was back in the Grand Hall, surrounded by the worried faces of everyone I’d left behind.
“Kamrynn!” Rmonica cried, pulling me into a tight embrace.
I hugged her back, my heart swelling with relief. “I’m home,” I whispered, tears streaming down my face. “I’m home.”