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I couldn't believe my eyes as I stared at the page in front of me. The words blurred for a moment, and I had to blink hard to focus. There, in the middle of the ancient text, was Riven's name. The ink was faded, but the meaning was clear.
"The heir of the Crimson Dynasty, bound by blood and darkness."
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I flipped the page, my heart hammering. This book was older than I had imagined, the language archaic, yet something in the back of my mind told me it was important. There were mentions of old rituals, unbreakable oaths, and curses passed down through generations.
---
Me (whispering to myself):
"Crimson Dynasty? What is this?"
---
The words seemed to taunt me, pulling me deeper into a world I wasn't ready for. I traced the faded ink, my fingers trembling as I read the next line:
"The firstborn of the Crimson Dynasty will inherit the legacy of power, but the cost is steep. To rule, they must break the chains of their own soul, sacrificing the one they love the most."
---
I felt a chill crawl up my spine. The words were heavy with meaning. Was this referring to Riven? Was he the firstborn, the heir to something dark and powerful? The mention of sacrifice sent a shiver through me.
---
I was so absorbed in the book that I didn't hear the door open.
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Riven (his voice cold and low):
"Did you think you could just run away from me?"
---
I spun around, the book still clutched in my hand. Riven was standing in the doorway, his figure a dark silhouette against the soft light of the hallway. His eyes were locked on me, intense, unreadable.
---
Me (nervously):
"What is this? What does this book have to do with you?"
---
Riven stepped into the room, his movements slow, deliberate. His gaze flickered to the book in my hands before his lips curled into a smile. But it wasn't a warm smile. It was dark, dangerous.
---
Riven:
"You shouldn't have read that."
---
I stood up, backing away slightly. "Why? What's in it?"
---
He didn't answer right away. Instead, he closed the distance between us, his presence overwhelming, suffocating. He was so close that I could feel the heat radiating from his body. His hand reached out and gently took the book from my hands, his fingers brushing mine.
---
Riven:
"That book holds the truth of my bloodline. It's not meant for someone like you to see."
---
I swallowed hard, the weight of his words sinking into my chest. "What does it mean? What is the Crimson Dynasty? Why did you want me to read this?"
---
Riven's eyes darkened, his jaw clenching. "It means that I am bound to something far darker than you can imagine. A legacy of power and blood that has cursed my family for generations. And now, it's my turn to bear that curse."
---
I took a step back, the reality of his words sinking in. "A curse?"
---
He nodded, his gaze never leaving mine. "Yes. To rule, I must break the chains of my own soul. The cost of power is too great. I've already lost part of myself to it. But there's one more thing. One last thing that will seal my fate."
---
I felt my breath catch in my throat. "What is it?"
---
Riven stepped even closer, his voice dropping to a whisper, as though sharing a secret with me that no one else should hear.
---
Riven:
"I must sacrifice the one I love the most."
---
The words hit me like a slap. My heart stuttered in my chest, and I could feel the blood drain from my face.
---
Me (in a shaky voice):
"You… you want to sacrifice me?"
---
Riven didn't answer immediately, but the coldness in his eyes spoke volumes. I wanted to back away, but my legs felt like they were made of stone, frozen in place. The air around us felt thick, suffocating.
---
Me (fighting to stay calm):
"Why me? Why did you bring me into this?"
---
Riven took a deep breath, his expression shifting slightly, almost as though he were trying to gather his thoughts. "Because you're the only one who's ever mattered to me. You're the only one who has made me feel something real. But that doesn't change the fact that I'm bound to this curse. And I don't know how to escape it."
---
I shook my head, disbelief swirling in my mind. "So, you're telling me that in order to gain power, you have to destroy the one person you love?"
---
Riven's eyes flickered with pain, but it was gone in an instant, replaced by the familiar coldness. "Yes. The curse demands it. And no matter how much I want to fight it, I don't know if I can."
---
I couldn't breathe. The weight of his words pressed down on me like a thousand tons of stone. I thought I understood what Riven had been through, but this… this was something else entirely.
---
Me (whispering):
"Is that what this is? All of it? A game to you? A sacrifice?"
---
Riven's hand shot out, gripping my wrist with surprising strength. "Don't say that. This is not a game. And you're not just a sacrifice to me. You mean more than that. But the world I'm bound to—it's dark, and I can't change that."
---
His grip softened slightly, his thumb brushing against my skin in a gesture that felt almost… tender.
---
Riven:
"You're the one person who could break me, and that's why it has to be you. But I can't let you go. Not without a fight."
---
His words hung in the air, and for a moment, I didn't know whether to trust him or run as far away as possible. But deep down, I knew. I knew I couldn't escape. Not from him. Not from the curse that bound him.
---
Me (quietly):
"What if I don't want to be your sacrifice?"
---
Riven's gaze hardened. "You don't have a choice."
---
His voice was final, and in that moment, I realized that everything I thought I knew about him was a lie. The Riven I had come to care for—he didn't exist. The man standing before me was someone trapped by forces far greater than either of us.
---
And now, I was trapped too.
---
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[End of Chapter 24]
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