Page 393 of Evil Hearts

Aldric tensed, his eyes flashing with defiance. “Lucien.” The name meant nothing to him aside from their last encounter, but the way Lucien looked at him gave Aldric the confidence that he knew this man. Somehow.

Lucien chuckled, the sound devoid of warmth. “It’s time to embrace your true destiny.”

“I forge my own path,” Aldric snarled. “I won’t be a pawn in your twisted games anymore than I was in Cassandra’s. I will protect this church and those within it.”

Lucien’s eyes glinted beneath his hood. “We shall see.” He turned to his followers. “Seize him.”

The cultists surged forward, their movements fluid and precise. Aldric lunged to meet them, his body a whirlwind of motion. He struck with devastating force, sending robed figures flying across the rooftop.

Elena’s heart raced as she watched the battle unfold. Aldric’s strength was awe-inspiring, but the sheer number of attackers threatened to overwhelm him. She had to do something, anything, to help him.

Aldric’s fists connected with flesh and bone, his rage fueling every blow. He fought with the ferocity of a cornered lion, determined to protect what mattered most. But the cultists kept coming, their relentless assault wearing him down.

“Aldric!” Elena cried out, her voice laced with fear and desperation.

He spared a glance in her direction, his eyes filled with a fierce protectiveness. “Run, Elena! Get to safety! Leave the cathedral!” he never would have sent her away under other circumstances, but Cassandra’s power lived on, it was the only explanation for the strength of their attack.

“Not a chance.”

He turned to see her firsts balled up as she danced lightly on her feet.

“That’s surprising,” Lucien spat. “Your wife was never one for fighting in her last three lives.” He snickered. “No matter, I ended her each and every time. Her lack of memories does not save her this time.”

At the mere mention of a wife, something primal snapped within Aldric.. With a ferocity that seemed to come from some hidden well of power, he attacked with a force that defied logic. His movements were swift and precise, fueled by a rage that seemed to emanate from his very soul. This was not the work ofmortal strength, but rather the manifestation of ancient magic surging through his veins. The air crackled with energy as he unleashed all of his pent-up anger and frustration, his body a blur of motion as he fought with the fury of a man possessed. It was a sight both terrifying and awe-inspiring, a glimpse into the depths of his untapped power. And in that moment, Aldrice realized that he was capable of so much more than he had ever imagined.

But so were his enemies.

As the fight raged on, Aldric’s movements began to slow, the weight of exhaustion and the cultists’ dark magic began to take their toll. He staggered, his chest heaving with exertion. The cultists seized the opportunity, closing in like a pack of ravenous wolves.

Elena’s scream pierced the night as she watched Aldric disappear beneath a swarm of black robes. Her heart shattered, the gravity of their situation crashing down upon her. She had to find a way to save him, to break the cult’s hold and unravel the curse that bound him.

With tears streaming down her face, Elena steeled herself for the fight ahead. She would not let Aldric’s sacrifice be in vain. She would find the strength within herself to confront the darkness and bring him back from the brink. Their love, forged in the crucible of adversity, would be the light that guided them through the shadows.

Elena’s fingers closed around a loose chunk of stone, its jagged edges biting into her palm. She hefted it, her eyes narrowing as an advancing cultist broke away from the fray, his sights set on her.

Time seemed to slow, her heartbeat pounding in her ears. She drew back her arm, channeling every ounce of fear and fury into the throw. The stone hurtled through the air, a desperate prayer for salvation.

It struck the cultist square in the temple, sending him reeling. A surge of triumph coursed through Elena’s veins, mingling with the adrenaline that propelled her forward.

Aldric seized the momentary reprieve, his movements a blur of deadly precision. He fought with the intensity of a cornered lion, his emerald eyes blazing with determination. Each blow carried the weight of centuries, a testament to the guardian’s unyielding spirit.

But the cultists regrouped, Lucien’s voice rising above the chaos. His chant wove a sinister tapestry of dark magic, the ancient words twisting the very air around them.

A wave of malevolent energy surged toward Aldric, slamming into him like a physical force. He staggered, his knees buckling under the onslaught. The world tilted, his vision blurring as the curse’s power sought to drag him into oblivion.

Elena watched in horror as Aldric struggled against the invisible bonds, his face contorted in agony. She knew the curse’s hold was tightening, threatening to tear him away from her forever.

“No!” she screamed, her voice raw with desperation. “Aldric, fight it! Don’t let them win!”

Her words seemed to reach him through the haze of pain, a flicker of recognition sparking in his eyes. He gritted his teeth, drawing on the last reserves of his strength to resist the dark magic’s pull.

But the cultists seized the opportunity, their hands grasping at Aldric’s arms, seeking to restrain him. Elena’s heart raced, her mind desperate for a way to turn the tide. She couldn’t lose him,not like this. Not when they had only just begun to unravel the secrets of their entwined fates.

Elena knew she had to find a way to break the curse, to free Aldric from the chains of stone that bound him. She would scour every ancient tome, seek out every whispered legend, until she found the key to his salvation.

For now, all she could do was fight, to stand alongside the man she apparently had a history with if she ever wanted to learn that past.

With a cry of defiance, Elena launched herself back into the fray, her heart ablaze with the fire of determination. She would not let this be their end.

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