CHAPTER TEN
THE SHADOW KING'S RETURN
The Shadow King attacked Aetheria.
The sky turned black.
Magical creatures fled.
The crystal towers cracked.
Queen Seraphine ordered everyone to evacuate.
But Elara stayed.
"This is my fight."
Kael stood beside her.
"Our fight."
They entered the ancient portal chamber.
The Shadow King waited there.
He looked almost human.
Tired.
Broken.
Lonely.
"Why do you want to destroy emotions?" Elara asked.
He answered,
"Because emotions destroyed everything I loved."
"You lost someone."
His eyes darkened.
"Her name was Lyra."
Elara stepped closer.
"You loved her."
"More than life."
"What happened?"
"She died."
His voice cracked.
"And I discovered that grief was worse than death."
Elara understood.
"You didn't destroy emotions because you hated them."
He stared at her.
"You destroyed them because you were afraid of feeling pain again."
Silence.
The Shadow King looked away.
For the first time, he looked less like a monster.
And more like a broken man.
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