The silence that filled the grand hall after Seraphim's death was heavy, but it was fitting. I needed this silence, this moment. In front of me, Serena stared at me with eyes weighed down by loss and anger, but deep within them… fear. Fear was what I sought.
I stepped toward her slowly, the shadows following me as if they were a living entity, surrounding me, completing my merciless presence. I fixed my gaze on her and then spoke in a quiet voice that carried the weight of mountains:
"The era of Seraphim is over, but you know this is only the beginning. I have questions, and you will answer them."
She lifted her head with false pride, though she was on the verge of collapse. "I don't know anything about what you're looking for," she said in a confident tone devoid of strength.
I let out a cold laugh, like someone listening to a child trying to lie for the first time. "Liar. You were his right hand, his hidden blade. Don't tell me he didn't trust you enough to reveal the secrets of this world."
"Secrets?" she whispered, trying to sound confused.
"Nirvana," I said sharply, cutting off her feeble attempt at evasion. "The force that governs this world, its true source. What is it?"
She hesitated for a moment, then regained her composure. "There's nothing to find. Seraphim was the source of everything. You killed him, and now it's all over."
I stepped toward her quickly, the shadows coiling around her feet like serpents, forcing her to kneel before me. I leaned in until my face was close to hers and spoke with intensity:
"If you think I'm foolish enough to believe this nonsense, then you're worse than I thought. Now, speak."
I felt her hesitation, her inner conflict. I knew she was hiding something, and as the tension grew, I chose to play my final card.
"Serena… the price of silence with me is higher than you can imagine. But the price of cooperation? It might grant you a chance to leave this castle alive."
My words were a knife piercing through her hesitation. Finally, she gave in.
"There is a place… a secret hall underground. Seraphim guarded it himself. But if you think I'll lead you there willingly, you're mistaken."
I smirked and gestured for the shadows to tighten their grip on her.
"I didn't ask for your permission. You will take me there, and I will decide what happens next."
Serena led me into the depths of the castle, where the stone walls turned into smooth marble, and the silence grew heavier, as if carrying secrets centuries old. We stopped before a massive door adorned with strange symbols, unlike anything I had ever seen.
"Open it," I said, my sharp tone making it clear I had no patience for games.
She hesitated for a moment, then raised her hand and uttered a spell. The door creaked open slowly. What I saw inside was astonishing. A vast hall, its walls encrusted with gold and silver, and in the center, a glowing magical cube, floating two meters above the ground. The light emanating from it was intense, but it wasn't just light. It was energy, an overwhelming presence beyond comprehension.
"What is this?" I asked, my voice carrying a mix of curiosity and control.
Serena looked at the cube, then back at me, and said, "This is the heart of Nirvana. Its source of power, its soul. Seraphim hid it because he knew that his fall meant an even greater danger to the world. If it falls into the wrong hands…" She paused, then continued firmly, "You cannot take it. You won't understand its power. You won't be able to control it."
I stepped closer to the cube, feeling the energy pulling me toward it as if it was calling my name.
"You think I can't control it?"
"If you take it, this world will collapse. Everyone who lives here will be erased. Even I… won't be able to save them."
I hesitated for a moment. Not because of her warning, but because of the idea forming in my mind. This power wasn't ordinary. It was something that exceeded even my ambitions. If I couldn't control it, I might have made a fatal mistake.
I turned to her and looked straight into her eyes.
"This time… I won't take the cube. But don't misunderstand me, Serena. I will not leave a single inch of this universe without claiming my right to it. We will meet again, and when that happens… I will leave nothing in my path alive."
I left her standing there, staring at me as I exited the hall. The shadows surrounding me faded with each step, as I left behind another world I had not yet finished, but had set the stage for the chaos to come.