THE DEVIL'S BRIDE
Episode 49: The Binding Flame
By Rapwizzy Debaron
Darkness. Suffocating. Endless.
Evelyn felt herself sinking—pulled into the abyss by the shadow's grip. Her screams echoed into the void, unheard. The pressure in her chest tightened, her thoughts scattering like ashes. Memories collided, blurring what was real and what was cursed.
But then—
A flicker.
A whisper.
Lucien's voice.
"Fight it, Evelyn. You're stronger than this. You are not his."
Her heart clenched.
Somewhere inside the shadows, that whisper became a roar.
---
A surge of heat exploded from her chest. Light. Blazing, white-hot light erupted from her body, forcing the shadow to release her. Evelyn dropped to the unseen ground, gasping for breath. Flames danced on her skin, ethereal and silver—no ordinary fire.
Lucien reached her side in an instant, shielding her with his wings. "You did it," he breathed.
The Keeper of the Void appeared once again, her expression unreadable. "You've awakened it."
Evelyn's eyes widened. "Awakened what?"
"The Flame of Orias," she answered. "A power sealed within the bloodline of the First Bride… the only thing that can sever the original curse."
Kael stepped forward. "But at a cost, isn't there always?"
The Keeper nodded slowly. "Power of that magnitude demands balance. For the curse to break, something must be sacrificed."
Evelyn's stomach sank. "What… what kind of sacrifice?"
---
Before an answer came, the air split open once more.
From the rift stepped Aleir.
His eyes—no longer warm—were glowing crimson.
"You've unlocked it," he said softly, voice layered with something dark. "I knew you would. That's why I chose you."
Lucien tensed. "Aleir—"
But Evelyn raised a hand. "No. Let him speak."
Aleir's gaze softened. "You were always the key, Evelyn. The night I met you, I saw it in your soul. But I was bound too. By something greater. Something older."
He stepped closer. "I loved you. That part was real. But the curse… it's in my blood. And now, only you can destroy it. But you'll have to destroy me to do it."
---
The Realm Between Realms trembled around them.
Lucien's jaw clenched. "We can find another way."
The Keeper of the Void shook her head. "There is no other way. The curse was born from love tainted by betrayal. Only the purest love can end it—through sacrifice."
Tears welled in Evelyn's eyes. "I can't…"
Aleir smiled softly. "Yes, you can. Because this… this is your destiny. You are the Devil's Bride, but also the Cursebreaker."
He stepped into the flame that still glowed around her, unflinching.
"Do it, Evelyn. Set us both free."
---
The fire rose around them, swirling like a storm. Evelyn's hands trembled as she reached toward Aleir's heart. Their eyes locked one last time.
"I forgive you," she whispered.
And then—
The light engulfed them both.
A scream tore through the void.
When it faded… only Evelyn stood.
Tears on her cheeks. Flames gone.
And Aleir… gone with them.
---
Lucien stepped forward slowly, eyes filled with sorrow and pride.
"You did what none of us could," he said.
Evelyn turned to face him. "It doesn't feel like victory."
"It never does," the Keeper said. "But the curse is broken. The chains that bound the realms have shattered."
Kael nodded, stepping beside them. "The real war begins now."
Evelyn took a deep breath, her voice steady. "Then we fight. For those we lost. For the future we'll build."
Lucien took her hand.
And together, they stepped forward into the new dawn.
---
To be continued…
The curse is broken—but war is on the horizon.
What awaits Evelyn and Lucien beyond the realms?
🔥 Vote if you felt the power of this
moment
💬 Comment: Did Aleir deserve forgiveness?
🔔 Follow @RapwizzyDebaron — The Devil's Bride is only just beginning.