They stepped over several bodies strewn across the ground, blood soaking the earth around them. The stench of iron hung heavily in the air. Alexander quickened his pace, heading straight toward a severely injured soldier. A gruesome gash tore across the soldier’s chest, blood pouring out in a relentless stream. Alexander knelt, pressing one hand against the wound, the other glowing faintly as Essence flowed into the wound, momentarily slowing the bleeding.

Within seconds, medics arrived with a first-aid kit. Alexander took it, swiftly bandaging the soldier’s wound and stopping the bleeding. The soldier’s groans gradually lessened, his breathing becoming steady.

“Take him to the tent over there!” Alexander instructed two nearby soldiers. They moved quickly, lifting the injured man and carrying him toward a makeshift medical tent.

Alexander stood up, wiping the sweat from his forehead, his gaze quickly sweeping across the surroundings. The rear of the camp was in chaos, filled with the sounds of crying and groaning. The makeshift tents were crowded with the wounded, their pain almost palpable, like an invisible cry of despair hanging in the air. The smell of blood and the bitter scent of herbs filled the atmosphere, as if suffocating any remaining hope.

Suddenly, Alexander made a surprising move. He quickly walked through the noisy camp, his steps firm and urgent, heading straight for the woods in the distance. Once away from the battlefield's clamor, he stopped beneath a tall tree, leaning against the trunk before slowly sitting down. His hands were stained with blood, trembling slightly, a barely noticeable shake that betrayed the turmoil within him.

Aria approached quietly, asking softly, “Why did you leave so suddenly? The wounded still need you.”

“I can’t treat them anymore,” Alexander replied in a low voice, his tone tinged with a slight tremor. His face was pale, as if all the blood had drained from it. “I’m altering history… In the heat of the moment, I forgot our mission. We can’t interfere with others’ fates, or there will be consequences beyond our control.”

Aria crouched down beside him, her gaze gentle. “What are you going to do?” she asked softly.

“I don’t know,” Alexander said, his voice bitter. “Caught between death and fate, I don’t know how to choose. We came back to change our own destiny, but now everything seems so complicated.”

“I understand, this is hard for you,” Aria said sympathetically. She reached out and gently took his hand, trying to offer him some warmth and support. “Your duty is to save lives, but sometimes, hard choices have to be made. Even if Neven comes back, he might not be able to change the outcome. He’ll surely remember Sage Solon's warning.” She paused, a hint of hesitation and doubt flashing in her eyes. “But Alexander, there’s something that’s been on my mind: Why did Neven regain his Essence Power? What did you two go through?”

Alexander looked up, his emerald green eyes locking onto Aria’s, filled with complex emotions. He sighed deeply and said in a low voice, “We did tell Sage Solon the truth. After we left Voidmarsh, we didn’t encounter anyone else, but that’s not the whole story. Neven had me follow him because he wasn’t sure about the consequences of regaining his Essence Power… It involves a forbidden dark magic.”

Hearing this, Aria’s heart skipped a beat, cold fear clutching at her chest. Her voice trembled. “A dark spell? What has he done to himself?”

Alexander’s voice was urgent, laced with concern. “Neven did something very dangerous, Aria. He chose a path of taboo. I know it sounds wrong, but he believes it’s the only way to save you.”

Aria’s brows knitted in worry, her anxiety deepening. “Why? Why would he do that?”

Alexander took a deep breath, as if trying to find the right words. “Felix brought news of you via a raven. He said you were missing. But he couldn’t provide specific details about your condition.”

Aria shook her head in confusion. “Did Neven really believe Felix’s word alone?”

“No, actually,” Alexander continued, his expression heavy. “Neven has a highly trusted informant in the capital. He doesn’t want anything to happen to you, especially since his ex-girlfriend was once kidnapped and killed. That became a haunting memory for him.”

Aria’s breath caught, a look of shock crossing her face. “He’s been having someone follow me?”

“That informant reported seeing you being taken by a group of people, and confirmed Mara was among them. He described the scene, saying he saw you knocked unconscious, tied up, and taken away on horseback. These details matched Felix’s account.” Alexander paused, looking at Aria with sympathy. “Neven’s intelligence network is very thorough. He had long suspected someone was planning a resurrection ritual. One of the crucial elements of that ritual is your blood, the blood of a mortal. That’s why he had his informant keep a constant watch on your safety.”

Aria’s face turned pale, as if an invisible hand were squeezing her heart. Neven’s deep-seated fears were magnified by this information, and she could hardly imagine the panic and pain he must have felt.

“Neven was desperate at that time. He knew time was running out and he didn’t have the opportunity to seek Sage Solon’s permission to leave temporarily. You have to understand, the situation here was as chaotic as it is now, and as a commander, he couldn’t just leave.”

“What did Neven do to himself?” Aria pressed on.

“He thought it might be the only way to save you,” Alexander explained with difficulty. “He’s willing to sacrifice everything for you, even his soul. He’s turned himself into... Mara.”

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

“Mara...” Aria’s voice was faint and trembling, her complexion as pale as paper. The dreadful word echoed in her mind, like a cold hand slowly tightening around her heart.

Silence spread between them, Alexander’s words reverberating in Aria’s mind. She knew Neven’s nature, understood her place in his heart. But she couldn’t bear the thought of him descending into darkness because of her.

“Alexander, you have to take me to him,” she said, her voice weak but unwavering. “No matter the rules of this timeline, I can’t just watch Neven fall into darkness. I have to try to stop him. Even if there’s only a slim chance, I can’t give up.”

Alexander looked at Aria, his expression a mix of concern and reluctance. He hesitated for a moment, as if struggling internally, then shook his head. “No, Aria, you can’t interfere with his past. Have you forgotten what Sage Solon said? We traveled back to this timeline using the Reversal Stone. We can’t alter our fates. If you interfere with Neven’s past, we could lose our memories, and you might even vanish from this world.”

Aria's heart pounded violently, her voice trembling with urgency. "But if I don’t go, he’ll destroy himself! I can’t just stand by and watch him become part of Mara! If we don't stop him, what hope do we have left?"

Alexander sighed, his expression weary and resigned. "If Neven doesn’t undergo the transformation, he won't be able to recover his Essence Power, and he won’t be able to save you. Do you understand? He made this choice for you. If you interfere with his past now, you will die, and the current you will cease to exist. As for Neven, he can still remain conscious and rational for the time being."

"Isn't there any way to restore him?" Aria asked urgently. "Alexander, where did you go? I need to see it. There must be a way to reverse his transformation."

Alexander looked at Aria, his eyes filled with deep concern and inner conflict. He understood Aria’s determination, but he also knew that things were far more complicated and dangerous than she realized.

"Aria," Alexander finally said, his voice tinged with a heavy resignation. "You have to understand that Neven’s current state is very unstable. Transforming into Mara is not something that can be easily undone. Even if we go back, there may be no way to save him. But I do find it strange..."

"Strange? How?"

"How did he know how to become Mara?" Alexander said, puzzled. "When we reached that building, he walked in alone, as if someone inside was waiting for him, knowing he would come. I distinctly heard another voice."

"Another person?"

"I'm not sure. By the time I heard Neven’s shout and rushed in, the transformation had already taken place. That’s when I realized he had turned himself into a Mara."

A glimmer of curiosity sparked in Aria’s eyes. "Take me there," she said, her voice firm with determination. "I won’t interfere with our history. Maybe we can find some answers from the shadows. If there's really someone there, they might be able to undo Neven’s transformation."

"Aria, do you really believe there’s still hope?" Alexander asked, a hint of doubt in his voice.

"I'm not sure, but we need to find out what's going on. Neven clearly doesn’t want to confront us directly, so we have to uncover what’s really happening on our own."

Alexander was silent for a moment. Finally, he slowly nodded, as if making a difficult decision. "Alright, Aria. I’ll take you there. But you must promise me, no matter what you see, you won't act rashly. We are only going to observe, not interfere."

"I promise, Alexander," Aria said, her eyes shining with a flicker of hope.

Alexander sighed and stood up. "Come with me. I’ll take you to meet Neven from this timeline."

Aria followed him, her heart filled with unease and anticipation. She didn't know what she would face, but one thing was clear: she had to find a way to save Neven, no matter the cost.

They left Voidmarsh. To save time, Alexander took a vial of shimmering blue liquid from his saddlebag and fed it to their horses. The horses' eyes instantly gleamed with renewed vigor, their hooves striking the ground like the wind as they galloped across the wilderness.

Alexander led Aria to an ancient building. Though dilapidated, it still exuded a chilling sense of authority. It stood beside the royal city, once a prison that held the most heinous criminals. Now abandoned by time, the thick black stone walls were covered in moss and ivy, and the crumbling spires seemed to whisper tales of endless pain and despair.

Standing before the dark and ominous building, Aria shivered. This was the place where she had almost lost her life, where the raging Stormblade and the demigod's attack still haunted her memories. The overcast sky seemed infected by the gloom of the structure, growing even more oppressive. The air was thick with a mix of decay and blood, suffocating and heavy. She turned to Alexander, her brows furrowed, and asked softly, “Where's Neven?”

“Not yet,” Alexander replied simply, his voice steady but his eyes betraying a hint of wariness. “We should go inside first. I need to confirm if there’s anyone in there.”

Aria stared nervously at the building ahead. They approached the prison's main door, which was tightly shut. The faint scent of rot wafted through the door cracks. Alexander tried pushing it, but it didn’t budge. Aria’s gaze swept over the door and noticed a faint glow—traces of runes, barely visible. Her heart sank. “This door is enchanted. We can’t get in.”

Alexander frowned, studying the runes, and muttered, “Someone doesn’t want us inside. We’ll have to find another way.”

They cautiously circled the building, searching for an alternative entrance. Every door and window was securely sealed, as if declaring they were unwelcome here. Finally, they retreated into the shadow of a dense grove of trees nearby, crouching in the shadows to observe.

“What if we can’t see anything from out here?” Aria asked anxiously, her eyes still fixed on the tightly closed door.

“There’s still a chance to get in,” Alexander replied calmly. “I remember last time, when I was keeping watch outside, I felt like someone was following me, so I left for a moment.”

“Who was following you?” Aria pressed, her voice low, not wanting to break the eerie silence.

“I didn’t see anyone, but I saw a white shadow, like a phantom,” Alexander said, his brow furrowed as he recalled the moment.

“A shadow?” Aria’s heart skipped a beat. A white shadow? Could it be some kind of ghost?

Alexander contemplated for a moment, then shook his head. “Maybe it was just a trick of the light, but I’m certain it was white.”

“Alright, maybe we’ll find out what it is,” Aria murmured, a nameless unease rising in her chest. The mention of the white shadow indeed sounded like the stuff of legends.

They crouched silently in the shadows, the air around them seeming to freeze, silence pressing down heavily. Aria's heartbeat thundered in her ears, a frantic rhythm against the backdrop of stillness. Her gaze was locked on the door, her mind awash with questions like waves crashing against the shore: Who were the people inside that building? What were they plotting? And where was Neven in this timeline?

Alexander gently patted Aria’s shoulder, his eyes still fixed on the building ahead. He whispered, “Aria, no matter what we see, don’t act rashly.”

Aria nodded, taking a deep breath, striving to steady herself. She knew they couldn’t change what had already happened, but she had to hold onto the hope that there might still be a glimmer of light in the future.

Time passed slowly in the silence, the tension around them thickening, as if something ominous was brewing, foretelling an impending threat yet to reveal itself.