CHAPTER 234: CHAPTER 234

My head was pounding from the back-and-forth, the mental whiplash making it hard to keep up. "Stop!" I shouted, stepping between them—metaphorically, at least, since it was all in one body. "Just... stop. You can relax—I won’t kill you. But if Drakar so much as harms an innocent person, I have no choice but to send you both back to your world."

Raphael’s face lit up, relief flooding his features. He reached out, clutching my hand with a grip that was warm, almost desperate. "Really?!" His eyes searched mine, hope flickering there for the first time in what felt like forever.

"As long as Drakar promises not to use dark magic or hurt an innocent person," I repeated, narrowing my eyes at him, trying to pierce through to the demon lurking inside. It was unsettling, searching those familiar features for any sign of Drakar’s influence, like trying to spot a shadow in a mirror.

Raphael—or was it Drakar?—flashed that sweet smile, the one that reached his eyes. "Yes, Remi."

Instantly, I knew who I was dealing with. Drakar was the only one who called me Remi; Raphael always used my full name, Remillia. It sent a shiver down my spine. I pulled my hand back, feeling awkward and off-balance.

"Let’s go back," I said, turning away, ready to put this mess behind us.

But he caught my wrist, his grip gentle yet firm, pulling me up short.

"What?" I asked, glancing back, curious and a little annoyed.

"Can’t we stay here for a while, Remi?" he said, his voice taking on that playful edge again. "Since we’re out here, we might as well enjoy it, right? Just the two of us?"

"No," I shot back quickly, pushing him back toward the wheelchair and grabbing up my Arcanum from where it had landed in the dirt.

"B-But—" he started to protest, his expression shifting to something almost pouty.

"I still need to get you back to your room," I cut him off, already dismissing the Void Space barrier with a wave. Time snapped back into motion around us—the wind rustling the trees, distant sounds filtering in like the world was waking up.

"Liar," he muttered under his breath, a smirk tugging at his lips. "I can see you created a barrier that stops time."

"Says the one who lied about having amnesia," I shot back with a playful grin, wheeling him along the path. "Besides, you’ll have plenty of time for outings soon enough—if you behave."

We were halfway back to the portal, the forest path crunching under our feet, when I felt it—a sharp spike of demonic energy flaring up like a warning siren. It hit me out of nowhere, thick and oppressive, making the air feel heavier. I froze in my tracks, spinning to check on Raphael, my hand instinctively going to his arm.

"What’s going on? Why are you suddenly acting up, Drakar?" I demanded, my voice edged with panic. His body was trembling, eyes darting around like he was fighting something internal.

"I-I don’t know," he gasped, his voice a mix of Raphael’s warmth and Drakar’s edge. "It just... burns inside and out." He clutched his chest, sweat beading on his forehead despite the chill.

When I reached out to steady him, my fingers brushed his skin—he was scorching hot, like touching a fevered flame. I helped lower him to the ground, my mind racing, unsure what to do next. "I thought you said you could control it! Why... why is this happening?" I asked, flustered, my words tumbling out. His eyes were already darkening, the blue fading to an inky black, and his nails were starting to elongate, turning the same ominous shade.

"Remi... I can’t hold it back," he groaned, blood flecking his lips as he coughed. "The mark’s acting up... it’s gotten stronger all of a sudden."

"What?! No! No!" I muttered, kneeling beside him, my hands hovering helplessly. He was transforming, the curse unraveling faster than I could process. "Tell me there’s another way—something, anything!"

Raphael shook his head weakly, more blood spilling from his mouth. "That’s the only way, Remillia. You have to kill me..."

"Quick—before I get even more dangerous... Someone altered the curse," Drakar said suddenly, his voice shifting as he wrestled control back from Raphael. His eyes fully darkened now, the black spreading like ink, and his body convulsed with the effort of holding it together. He was fighting it, but the transformation was accelerating, his nails lengthening into claws, the air around him thickening with that demonic energy.

I knelt there, frozen for a split second, my mind reeling. Altered? Who the hell could have messed with it—the author. Is it doing this so that the novel could progress?

"Dammit, hold on!" I shouted, steadying myself with the dagger in hand, its glow cutting through the dim forest light. My heart raced, every second feeling like an eternity as I tried to figure out my next move.

"Remillia, kill us!" Raphael’s voice broke through, raw and desperate, his eyes flickering between blue and black as he fought for control. "Everything Drakar said is true—he doesn’t want this. He just wanted to make something of himself in this world, but the mark’s taking over. If Drakar fully seizes control, you’ll have to end it—kill us both!" His plea hung in the air, pleading and terrified.

I opened my mouth to respond, to buy time and think, but it was too late. In a flash, Drakar surged forward, shoving Raphael aside internally. His claws slashed out, aiming straight for me with brutal speed. I parried the strike with my dagger, the impact jarring my arms as I leaped back, putting distance between us.

"Drakar! Wake up!" I yelled, my voice echoing off the trees, but he didn’t even hesitate. His eyes were fully consumed now, pitch black and unyielding, as he charged again, relentless and wild. I dodged, the dagger’s light magic flaring brighter, but the fear gnawed at me—he was losing himself, and if I didn’t stop this, there’d be no coming back for either of them.

But he wouldn’t listen anymore, his eyes locked in that unyielding black void as he kept charging at me, claws slashing through the air like blades. There was no reasoning with him now—no trace of Raphael’s warmth or Drakar’s teasing, just raw, primal fury driven by the mark. I had no choice but to end it there and then, my heart shattering even as my instincts took over.

I gripped the Arcanum dagger tighter, its light magic surging brighter, and sidestepped his next lunge, using his momentum against him. With a swift, calculated thrust, I drove the blade forward, aiming for the center of the mark on his chest—the source of the curse. The impact was sickening, a jolt that ran up my arm as the dagger pierced skin, light magic flaring like a starburst to combat the darkness.

He staggered, a guttural roar tearing from his throat, but I held firm, whispering a plea under my breath. "I’m sorry, Raph...Drakar... I’m so sorry." The energy exploded outward, a clash of light and shadow that lit up the forest, shaking the ground beneath us. His body convulsed, the mark fracturing like cracked glass, and for a split second, I saw his eyes flicker back—blue, pleading, then gone.

As the light faded, he collapsed to the ground, the demonic aura dissipating like mist in the sun. I knelt beside him, my hands trembling as I pressed my fingers to his neck, searching desperately for a pulse. It was faint, but there—Raphael was still breathing, his chest rising and falling in shallow hitches.

"You have to finish it," he whispered, his voice a mix of Raphael’s warmth and Drakar’s edge, the two souls bleeding into one.

"I can still save you both," I said, my voice breaking, tears stinging my eyes as I cradled his head. The weight of it all crashed down—the guilt, the confusion, the impossible choice.

Raphael managed a weak smile, his eyes flickering with that familiar blue. "It’s alright. I’ve already met Angela, bonded with her, even if it was just for a little while. That’s enough for me."

"What about you, Drakar?" I asked, my throat tight, searching his gaze for any sign of the demon.

He switched in that eerie way, Drakar’s smirk surfacing. "It’s just sad we didn’t get married and experience love, but hey, I’m glad it’s you ending this—not some stranger. At least it’s on our terms."

I choked on my sobs, the dagger in my hand feeling like lead as I raised it, the light magic dimming with my resolve. "Goodbye, Raphael... Goodbye, Drakar," I muttered, my voice barely audible over the forest’s silence. With a final, shuddering breath, I plunged the dagger deep into his heart, the glow flaring one last time before it extinguished.

"I hope in my next life, I get to live with my family once more," Raphael said, his words fading into a whisper.

"And I hope in my next life, I’ll be born as a human and get to meet you again," Drakar added, his voice overlapping in a haunting echo.

With that, they were gone, their final breath slipping away as I let out an anguished cry, the sound echoing through the empty woods like a broken promise. The forest fell silent, leaving me alone with the weight of what I’d done, tears streaming down my face as the reality sank in.