33. Adelaide
33
ADELAIDE
I wake up in a vast, dark space. The air is thick and heavy, pressing in on me from all sides. I can’t see anything, but I can feel a presence - ancient, powerful, and terrifyingly familiar.
“Hello, sister,” Crimson’s voice echoes around me, seeming to come from everywhere and nowhere at once.
I spin around, trying to locate the source of the voice. “Crimson? Where are you? What is this place?”
A chuckle reverberates through the darkness. “This, dear Adelaide, is the space between worlds. The void where dreams and realities collide and merge.”
Suddenly, the darkness shifts. Swirling patterns of shadow and light dance around me, forming images that flicker and change. I see MistHallow, but it’s different - darker, more sinister. Shadow creatures roam freely, and the sky above is a churning mass of purple and black.
“What have you done?” I whisper, horrified.
“What have we done, you mean,” Crimson corrects me, materialising before me. She looks exactly like me, but her eyes glow red. “This is our destiny, Adelaide. To rule over a new world, born from the merging of realms.”
I shake my head vehemently. “No. That’s not what we agreed. You were supposed to go back to the NetherRealm. We were going to separate!”
Crimson laughs, the sound sending chills down my spine. “Oh, sweet, naive Adelaide. Did you really think it would be that simple? That I would give up the power we could wield together? You felt it before, I know you did.”
The scene shifts again. Now I see my guys. They’re fighting against an endless horde of shadow creatures, their faces twisted with exhaustion and despair.
“Stop it!” I cry out, reaching for them. But my hand passes through the image like smoke.
“They can’t hear you,” Crimson says, her voice tinged with mock sympathy. “This is merely a glimpse of what’s to come. Unless...”
I turn to face her, my heart pounding. “Unless what?”
Her smile is predatory. “Unless you embrace our true nature. Accept the power that is rightfully ours. Together, we could rule not just this world, but all worlds.”
The images around us change again. Now I see myself - or rather, a version of myself merged with Crimson. We stand at the top of a great obsidian tower, overlooking a vast, shadowy empire. Power crackles around us, and creatures of all realms bow at our feet.
“This is what we’re meant for, Adelaide,” Crimson whispers in my ear. “This is our destiny.”
For a moment, I feel a pull towards that power. It’s tempting, the idea of being able to shape reality itself. But then I think of my men, of the world I’ve come to love.
“No,” I say firmly, stepping away from Crimson. “This isn’t what I want. This isn’t who I am.”
Crimson’s eyes flash with anger. “You fool. You would throw away ultimate power for what?”
“For love. You obviously don’t know what that is, do you?”
The darkness around us begins to swirl violently. Crimson’s form flickers, her expression full of rage and frustration.
“You can’t stop what’s coming, Adelaide,” she hisses. “The merging has already begun, and when it’s complete, you’ll see. You’ll understand the true scope of our power.”
I feel myself being pulled away, the dream beginning to fade. “I’ll stop you,” I shout as Crimson’s form grows distant. “Whatever it takes, I’ll find a way!”
Her laughter echoes around me as I’m jolted awake, sitting bolt upright in bed, gasping for air.
“Addy?” Corvus is by my side in an instant, his cool hand on my forehead. “What did you see?”
I nod, trying to catch my breath. The others are gathered around the bed.
“It was Crimson,” I manage to say. “She showed me her plan. It’s worse than we thought.”
I relay the details of my dream to them, watching their expressions closely.
“Fucking cunt,” Zephyr mutters when I finish. “So, she never intended to go back to the NetherRealm?”
I shake my head. “No, she did. But when she took over my body earlier, she saw a different way. She wants to use the merging to create a new world - one she can rule over. With me as her vessel.”
“Not gonna happen,” Ignatius says firmly.
“We won’t let it,” Corvus agrees, pulling me close.
I lean into him, grateful for his solid presence. “But how do we stop her? We don’t even know how to separate us anymore, let alone prevent the merging of realms.”
Zaiah’s white eyes glow faintly in the dim light of the tower room. “We need help,” he says quietly. “As much as I hate to admit it… again… we can’t do this alone.”
I nod reluctantly. “You’re right. We need to find your fathers,” I say, looking at Zephyr and Corvus. “They might be our only chance.”
“I’ll go look for my father,” Corvus says, standing up. “He’s got to be around here somewhere.”
“And I’ll try to track down mine,” Zephyr adds, his shadows swirling restlessly around him.
“What about us?” Ignatius asks, gesturing to himself and Zaiah.
I take a deep breath, steeling myself. “I need you two to stay with me. If Crimson tries anything... I might need help keeping her in check.”
They nod solemnly, understanding the gravity of the situation.
As Corvus and Zephyr prepare to leave, I catch their hands. “Be careful,” I say, looking into their eyes. “We don’t know what other changes the merging might have caused. Hurry back.”
They both lean in, pressing quick kisses to my lips before disappearing out the door.
Left alone with Ignatius and Zaiah, I feel a wave of exhaustion wash over me. The nightmare has left me drained, both physically and emotionally.
“You should try to get some more rest,” Zaiah says gently. “We’ll keep watch.”
I want to protest, to say that I’m fine, but I know he’s right. We need to be at full strength for whatever comes next.
“Wake me if anything happens,” I say as I lay back down.
They nod, settling down on either side of me on the bed. As I close my eyes, I wonder what other horrors await us. The image of that dark, merged world Crimson showed me lingers in my mind, a grim reminder of what’s at stake.
The darkness claims me again, but this time, it’s not Crimson who greets me in the dream world. Instead, I find myself in a place of swirling light and shadow, perfectly balanced.
A figure approaches, and for a moment, I tense, ready for another confrontation. But as it draws nearer, I realise it’s not Crimson. It’s me. Or rather, a version of me I’ve never seen before.
This Adelaide is radiant, her skin glowing with an inner light. But shadows dance around her too, not threatening, but complementary. She smiles at me, and I feel a sense of peace wash over me.
“Who are you?” I ask, though I think I already know the answer.
“I’m you,” she says, her voice echoing with power and wisdom. “The you that could be, if you learn to balance the light and dark within yourself. The side your mother seeks to give you.”
I look down at my hands, seeing the faint glow of celestial light warring with the shadows of my vampiric nature. “How? How do I achieve this balance?”
The radiant Adelaide steps closer, placing her hands on my shoulders. “By accepting all parts of yourself, Adelaide. The light from your mother, the darkness from your father, and everything in between. Crimson is a part of you, but she doesn’t define you. You define yourself.”
The constant battle between light and dark that I’ve been feeling since I arrived at MistHallow begins to calm.
“But what about the merging?” I ask. “How do we stop it?”
She shakes her head, a sad smile on her face. “The merging cannot be stopped, Adelaide. But what you do next, will decide the course it takes.”
I take a deep breath, feeling the weight of this responsibility settle on my shoulders. “But how? How do I decide what I’m supposed to do? How do I know?”
The radiant Adelaide’s smile turns, knowing. “You will by realising that Crimson is not your enemy, but a part of you that needs to be understood and integrated. She represents the raw power of the NetherRealm, yes, but also the strength and determination you’ll need to face what’s coming.”
I nod, feeling a new sense of purpose filling me. “What do I need to do?”
“When you wake,” she says, her form starting to fade, “don’t fight Crimson. Talk to her. Understand her. And then, when the time comes, use that understanding to guide the merging towards balance.”
As the dream begins to dissolve around me, I reach out, not wanting to lose this vision of what I could be. “Wait! Will I see you again?”
Her laughter echoes as she fades away. “I’m always with you, Adelaide. I am you. Remember that, and you’ll find the strength you need.”
I awake again, but this time, there’s no panic, no gasping for air. Instead, I feel a sense of calm purpose. It has suddenly all become clear.
Don’t even think about it, little bitch.
Ignoring her, I blurt out, “I know what I have to do.”