Pact of jealousy

The moonless night sky cast an inky shroud over the desolate castle of the Arie family. In the soft embrace of moonlight spilling through the window, the girl lays upon her bed like a figure from a dream.

Moonlight bathed her in a silvery glow, tracing the contours of her body with delicate fingers of light.Time seemed to stand still in her presence, as if the universe itself paused to appreciate this moment of serenity.

The tranquility of the room was abruptly shattered as darkness swept in like an insidious tide. What had been a scene of serenity now morphed into a realm of foreboding shadows. The girl, who had been nestled in peaceful sleep, was now enshrouded in an abyssal blackness that seemed to swallow her form.

Amidst the encroaching darkness, the girl's eyes fluttered open, a pair of luminous orbs that seemed to pierce through the shadows.

The girl's lips curved into a faint, almost imperceptible smile, as if she had gleaned something from the encounter, some understanding hidden within the layers of darkness and light. Her poise remained intact, her gaze unyielding, as she absorbed the essence of her surroundings with a quiet intensity.

As Isolde's steely gaze surveyed the barren surroundings, an unsettling chill crept up her spine. She couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched. Her instincts whispered that this was no ordinary night. The wind carried whispers of a long-forgotten power, and the silent night seemed like an eerie prelude.

She closed her eyes, and suddenly, the world shifted. The familiar ground beneath her feet vanished, replaced by a void of darkness. An ethereal presence loomed before her, shrouded in an aura of ancient malevolence. This was the ancient demon that had haunted the dreams of Hoaqin and now confronted her in this surreal realm.

The demon's voice was a whisper that crawled into her mind, "Isolde Arie, descendant of the Silver-Haired Bloodline, what do you desire?"

Isolde's lips barely moved as she replied, her voice as stoic as her demeanor, "I seek a blade that can strike from any angle, beyond the limitations of my lineage. I yearn for talents that transcend the boundaries of my blood."

The demon's crimson eyes glowed with an eerie light. "A blade and talents beyond reach. A dangerous request, don't you think?" it mused."A sacrifice of equivalent value or more is a must for me fullfil your wish little girl"the demon mocked.

Isolde's gaze never wavered as she spoke, "I understand the price you ask. But I offer you something in return—a promise that I shall never be fully cured from my condition."

"HAHAHAHAHAHA"the demon laughed as it ridiculed her"you are already a cripple and recovery seems far from reach,I won't gain anything from this little promise of yours".

"I don't think you understand,what I'm offering isn't a guarantee of never being cured from my condition. Instead, I'm presenting the hope that I will someday recover," the girl solemnly declared to the demon.

The demon's sinister smile widened, "Hope, a fragile emotion. The crux of countless tragedies and triumphs."

"Indeed," Isolde replied, her voice steady. "And it is that very fragility that fuels determination."

The demon's laughter resonated through the void, a chilling melody that sent shivers down Yara's spine. "Very well, Isolde Arie. Your resolve intrigues me. I shall grant your desires. The Sword of Jealousy will be yours,with it talents beyond your lineage will be awakened."

As the demon's words echoed, an essence of pure white light materialized in front of Isolde. It radiated an aura of malice and whispered promises of power.

"But remember," the demon hissed, "you must keep your promise".

Isolde's gaze remained unflinching as she nodded in acknowledgment. "I understand."

"Very well," the demon murmured, its voice a melodic echo in the chamber of shadows. "A pact is forged, bound not only by the tangible price, but by the very essence of what you offer—the unwavering hope that burns within you."

The girl's stoic demeanor remained unshaken, her gaze locked with the demon's. In her eyes danced the reflections of countless possibilities—of the sacrifices and the aspirations that had converged to form this unspoken promise.

"With this," the girl affirmed, her voice carrying a weight that surpassed its soft timbre, "our fates intertwine. May the hope I offer serve as the anchor for the path we tread together."

The realm quivered with an otherworldly resonance—a testament to the pact that had been sealed.

The darkness of the void began to retreat, and Yara found herself laying on top her bed again.The weight of the pact settled upon her like an unforgiving burden, the gravity of sacrifice sinking deep into her being.

Her fingers, which had once held the poise of a stoic warrior, now grasped at her chest as if trying to anchor herself against the tumultuous emotions that surged within. The chill of the room seemed to seep into her very bones, mirroring the chill that crept up her spine—a manifestation of the reality she had embraced.

The shell of her cold and emotionless demeanor cracked, revealing the fragility that lay beneath. The corners of her lips trembled, and her lashes glistened with unshed tears that betrayed the stoicism she had clung to for so long.

With each heartbeat, the weight of her sacrifice pressed harder against her chest, a reminder of the pact she had willingly entered. And yet, amidst the tumult of emotions, a steely resolve remained, unwavering even as her heart ached.

She understood the necessity of this sacrifice, comprehended that the path she had chosen required her to pay this price. Her dream of ascending the tower, of surpassing the limitations of her lineage, demanded nothing less. The tears that welled in her eyes were not borne of regret but of the recognition that every step forward came at a cost.

As the night deepened and the room remained cloaked in shadows, her sorrows found voice. Soft sobs echoed in the stillness, a lament for the innocence hope she had surrendered.

And so, as the stars above seemed to bear witness to her anguish, the girl cried herself to sleep.