Bang!
A gunshot rang out.
Jayce collapsed, lifeless.
With his death, the entire spiritual world turned gray and black, like ink spreading across the sky, consuming everything. The darkness seeped into every corner, erasing all scenes and objects.
Raven stood behind his fallen body, her heart aching with unbearable sorrow. It felt as if something inside her was struggling to break free, but an invisible force trapped it within, leaving her breathless and heavy with grief. Tears welled up in her eyes and spilled down her cheeks.
She mourned for Bardi's suffering.
It was never worth it.
It had been a mistake from the very beginning.
He had poured his light, warmth, hope, and very soul into a woman unworthy of them. In return, he was left with only despair, an agony that would haunt him forever.
He would never forget the force with which he had severed the neck of the woman he once loved. Never forget the warm blood that splattered across his face, drowning him in torment and regret.
And so, his world turned eternally dark and gray.
Jayce had once been filled with hope.
Even when others spoke ill of him, he would only smile and tell Raven, "We don't live in the words of others."
Raven had stayed by his side for over a year and a half, witnessing his past firsthand.
He was not consumed by darkness, only by pain.
This was Bardi's suffering, the deep wound that never healed.
A pain that suffocated him.
And now, Raven had finally touched the very core of his despair.
The darkness around them thickened, pulling her under. It swallowed Jayce's body, erasing everything.
Then—
In the pitch-black void, a pair of brutal, terrifying eyes suddenly snapped open!
"Since I live again… I will reshape this meaningless world!"
The voice was chilling, domineering, laced with madness.
Raven gasped.
She could feel it, among countless drifting souls, one had awakened. Its eyes gleamed with frenzied determination, its mouth curling into a cruel smile. It exuded an overwhelming sense of power.
And then—
It was gone.
The darkness returned to silence, the presence vanishing.
The world remained completely black.
Boom!
A deep bell tolled, reverberating through the void.
Then—light.
Raven squinted against the sudden brightness.
A familiar scene unfolded before her.
A white Western-style church stood before her, its Gothic dome soaring high. The intricate spire, the elegant yet overwhelming grandeur of the architecture, it was all the same. Lush green trees lined the surroundings, their leaves swaying in the gentle breeze. A clean stone pathway cut between vibrant flowerbeds. Well-dressed men and women strolled toward the church, their conversations blending with the warm afternoon sun.
Raven narrowed her eyes.
She was here again.
Drawn along by the crowd, she found herself standing at the church's entrance.
She looked up.
Preparations for a wedding were underway.
Laughter, music, and the heat of the sun pressed against her skin, filling her ears with the sounds of joyous celebration.
Her expression faltered.
The cycle had begun again.
The endless pain was about to unfold once more.
A figure appeared before her, his back to the sun—his silhouette hazy, dark.
"Are you alright?"
Raven snapped back to reality.
She turned to Bardi.
He was beginning to blur.
Even with his immense willpower, he could not hold on forever.
By the time Raven had entered his spiritual world, Bardi had already suffered through millions of these cycles, repeating his torment over and over until even he was beginning to fade.
She couldn't let him fall into despair again!
But… how could she stop it?
Raven clenched her fists. She casually answered Bardi, then stepped aside, lost in thought.
She had never tried to save a spiritual world before.
She was a novice at this.
And the spiritual world was not something easily altered.
In reality, she only had one chance.
If she failed—if Bardi remained trapped in this endless cycle—then she, too, would be swallowed by the abyss, ceasing to exist.
Kill Sophia?
Kill Alex?
No.
Destroying them wouldn't help.
If she attacked the pain itself, Bardi's subconscious would only fight back, rejecting her. It would break the illusion and erase her existence.
The key was to wake Bardi up.
To cut off the source of his suffering.
Raven frowned deeply.
She had little real-world experience.
If this was something that could be solved with magic, she might have an answer.
But matters of the heart?
She had no idea what to do.
She just knew one thing, she couldn't let Sophia remain as his bride.
And then, inspiration struck.
The wedding march began.
Voices sang in high-pitched harmony.
The ceremony had begun.
Under the towering cross, the priest turned to the groom.
"Jayce, do you take her as your wife? To have and to hold, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, through good times and bad, for as long as you both shall live?"
Jayce straightened his posture.
He turned to look at his bride.
She was breathtaking in her snow-white wedding dress.
Her complexion was so pale that the faint traces of her veins were visible beneath her skin. Under the soft glow of the church lights, she appeared almost translucent, a delicate fragrance lingering in the air.
She looked fragile.
Dainty.
Beautiful.
Her bright eyes reflected innocence and purity.
He liked it.
He really liked it.
Without hesitation, he said—
"I do."
Raven let out a silent breath.
A heavy weight lifted from her shoulders.
She lowered the bouquet in her hands slightly.
As long as she wasn't discovered, it would be fine.
This was the only solution she could think of.
A way to plant the memory of happiness deep within Bardi's subconscious.
If he believed he had once known joy, perhaps she could pull him out of his suffering.
But from now on, she would have to work hard to maintain this illusion.
With Bardi's willingness, Raven completely replaced Sophia.
She had inserted herself into the narrative, weaving a new reality where she was his bride, his source of happiness.
The wedding proceeded without issue.
Bardi never noticed the substitution.
Sophia was gone, erased from this memory.
The priest finished the vows.
Raven whispered, "I do."
They exchanged rings.
Then came the kiss.
Raven stiffened.
She could feel the warmth of Bardi's lips.
And Bardi, he could feel the chilling coldness of hers.
The bouquet toss, the blessings from the guests, the celebration…
Raven felt dazed.
It was all so real.
More real than she had expected.
Because this wasn't just a dream.
This was a spiritual connection, a bond more intimate than any physical interaction.
This was…
Marriage.
That night, lying in bed, Raven was anxious.
Her entire body felt tense, her skin prickling with unease.
She hadn't thought this far ahead.
Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm her racing thoughts.
The flickering light of the wedding candles cast shadows across the room.
Raven and Bardi were married.
In his spiritual world.
(To be continued.)
***
Bonus chapter. Eid Mubarak ✨️ to my Muslim readers.
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