Valex held her against his chest, rocking her slightly, as if he was trying to prevent her physical body from leaving him.

"My love," he whispered, pressing his forehead against hers. "I believe you can do this, and when you open your eyes, I will be here waiting for you."

...

Odesse opened her eyes slowly, looking around as everything appeared blurry. She focused her gaze upward and saw Valex’s face as he held her in his arms, but her vision was still unclear. She smiled weakly and raised her hand to touch his face. "My king," she said softly.

"Star child, you have arrived at last," an invisible voice whispered, carrying no trace of its owner. Odesse’s hand stopped mid-air, and she turned her head, only to be blinded by a bright light.

She screamed in agony, "My eyes!" Struggling to open them wider, she looked around and realized she was no longer in Valex’s arms; instead, she found herself in a forest clearing, with the Moon Spirit hovering beside her.

She stood up quickly, bewildered. "Where am I? Where is Valex?"

The spirit replied, "You are in a trance, child. You must break your husband’s curse to save him and the kingdom."

Odesse sank to the ground, collapsing in tears. "One minute I was in his arms, and now I’m here." She looked at her body in confusion, "Why am I wearing this cloth?"

The spirit said gently, "Didn’t you realize you have always worn the same cloth in this realm?"

Odesse dusted off the dirt from her garment and shook her head. The spirit’s voice became firm. "We must begin, child. Malrik has been there for a day; if we waste any more time, he may be lost by tomorrow night."

Odesse stepped closer to the spirit and asked, "What must I do?"

The spirit’s tone was calmer than before, like ocean waves lapping on the shore. "Are you ready for this, child?"

Odesse looked down, her shoulders slumped. "I do not know. I’m scared. If I fail, everyone dies, and if I succeed, I may die."

The spirit moved closer, "Then you must win, for if you die, you shall die with honor."

Odesse looked up, her eyebrows raised in irritation. "You’re not very good at this comforting thing, are you?"

The spirit pulled back slightly. "Human emotion is complex, which I don’t fully understand. But carry yourself with high self-esteem, child. Your weary heart holds you back, making it difficult to accomplish your goal."

Odesse raised her head, her eyes glistening with newfound determination. The spirit continued, "Even if you die, you shall die proud."

Odesse’s expression turned gloomy again as she said in a low voice, "Why are we still talking about death?"

The spirit responded, its voice contrasting with before, "Death is inevitable."

Odesse smirked. "Yeah, for Malrik, that is." She stood tall and firm. "I am ready. Now, what do I need to do?"

The spirit hovered around her. "You need to do is sit right here in this clearing and meditate. I shall take you to where Valex’s soul lies."

Odesse hesitated but eventually sat down in the clearing, her legs crossed and her hands touching the earth, the moonlight shining brightly upon her.

The spirit said, "Now, child, there is something you must be aware of."

Odesse looked up, asking, "What is it?"

The spirit replied, "There is something that keeps watch over Valex’s soul; it’s called a Soul Eater."

Odesse’s forehead wrinkled in confusion. "A Soul Eater? What is that?"

The spirit explained, "Just as the name suggests, once a soul is locked, the Soul Eater keeps watch over it and feeds on it. As it feeds, it weakens the soul of the human and strengthens itself."

Odesse’s eyes opened in horror, unable to speak.

The spirit continued, "This Soul Eater is a shapeshifter; it has no physical form. It can shape-shift into people the soul it binds has seen throughout its life. It is shadow-like and resides in darkness, so the only way to defeat it is with strong light from the moon. I will not be able to accompany you there, as moonlight does not reach that place."

Odesse exclaimed, "What! How am I supposed to do this without you?"

The spirit reassured her, "I shall be within you to help you, child. I will speak to you from within. Once you free your husband’s soul, return here with the Soul Eater, and I shall perform the final part."

There was a moment of silence, and the spirit warned, "Child, be careful—do not let the Soul Eater look into your eyes. If it does, it will connect with your soul."

Odesse, unable to speak because her mouth had gone numb, suddenly felt something comforting on her shoulder. "I may not fully understand your fear, child, but do not worry. Without fear, it cannot win against you. Now, close your eyes; I will guide you in everything you need to do from within."

She closed her eyes, breathing slowly and shakily as tears streamed down her face. The spirit turned into light and entered Odesse.

...

The world of the clearing vanished. One moment, Odesse felt the grass beneath her palms; the next, she was kneeling on cold, jagged stone that bit into her skin. The darkness here was thick, like a physical weight pressing against her chest.

"Stay calm," the Spirit’s voice resonated in her mind, vibrating through her teeth. "I am your light now."

Odesse looked up. She wasn’t alone. Ten feet away, bathed in the eerie silver glow radiating from her own skin, sat Valex. He was bound to a pillar of shadow by chains that looked like they were made of frozen blood. He appeared so small, so broken.

"Valex!" she cried out, her voice echoing into the endless dark.

Before she could move, a cold hiss came from the corner of the room. A shape slinked out of the gloom, shifting and bubbling until it stood before her in the guise of her teacher, Azure. The false Azure crossed her arms, her eyes dark and hollow.

"Imagine how you shout; you are not fit to be a queen," the monster sneered. Odesse’s brows lifted as she said in a low voice, "Azure?"

The moon spirit spoke within her, "No, child, that is no human. It is a fake."

The monster walked closer, a smirk tugging at its lip, and said, "Your soul smells really nice, queen," its voice distorting.

The spirit cautioned, "Child, do not let it come close to you. Do not let it come close to your eyes."

Odesse, panicking, asked, "What do I do?"

The spirit replied, "Close your eyes, child. I’ll be your eyes."

Odesse closed her eyes, trusting the spirit. The darkness was deep, but she shone with a radiant light. "What about when it comes close to me?" Odesse asked.

"It cannot," the spirit reassured her. "Because of the light that radiates from you, it keeps its distance."

Odesse’s mouth wavered as she asked, "How do I get to Valex?"

The monster laughed and said, "Who are you talking to, Odesse?" It walked slowly towards her, and the spirit urged, "Run, child, run forward!"

"Are you sure?" Odesse asked.

"Yes, now!" the spirit commanded.

Odesse ran, unable to see where her legs took her but trusting the spirit’s guidance. As she ran, the monster stepped back, changing form and retreating into the shadows.

The spirit said, "Stop, child, but do not open your eyes. It could come any minute. Now walk slowly."

Odesse walked cautiously, her body shaking. "Now you are in front of your husbands’ soul, child," the spirit informed her. Odesse smiled, and her eyes quavered open a little bit.

The moon spirit’s voice came like heavy thunder: "Shut them now, child!"

Odesse quickly closed her eyes, and immediately the monster appeared before her. It was in it’s shadow form, but it had a face; its smile was wide, with tiny, pointy teeth that seemed unclosable. Its eyes were as red as a blood moon.

"Wow, queen, I almost got you," it taunted, moving around her. It moved around her from a distance to shield itself from the light. "You are really weak for someone who wants to break a curse," it said. "I can sense your fear." It then brought out its tongue and added, "I love it."

Valex hung from the shadow-pillar, a mere ghost of the man he once was. With agonizing slowness, he lifted his head, his weary eyes fixed on Odesse’s closed lids. Dark blood traced paths down his skin, and a rhythmic purple radiance pulsed from his chest, perfectly in sync with the weak thrum of his heart. He was so gaunt that his bone structure pushed sharply against his skin, a hollowed-out warrior. He parted his lips to speak, but only a dry, silent rasp escaped.

"Do not listen to its tongue, child," the Moon Spirit’s voice vibrated against Odesse’s skull, steady as a drum. "It speaks with the voices of the dead, but it has no heart of its own. Focus on the heartbeat in front of you. That is your only compass."

Odesse forced one foot in front of the other. The Soul Eater hissed, its shadow form bubbling and knitting together until it took the shape of a tall woman with ink-black hair that seemed to bleed into the darkness.

"Do you really think you’ll be different from the rest of us just because you feel ’special’?" the monster sneered, its voice like glass grinding on stone.

Odesse faltered, her heart hammering.

"Keep walking, child," the Spirit urged.

Odesse pressed on, the silver light of her skin flickering with her fear. Behind her, the monster’s laughter morphed into a jagged, mocking sound. "You won’t be different. You will wither in this dark. You will die here tonight."

She ignored the taunts, keeping her "internal eyes" locked on the steady thump-thump of Valex’s soul. She was so close. But then, a new sound tore through the silence—a weary, jagged cry of pain coming from right behind her.

It wasn’t a monster’s hiss; it was the voice that lived in her dreams.

"My love... please," Valex gasped, thick with agony. "It hurts. Help me..."

Odesse’s breath hitched. A sudden, piercing scream followed—a sound of such pure torment that her instincts overrode every warning she had been given. Her eyes flew open, the silver light of the trance meeting the pitch-black void of the chamber.

In that heartbeat of a moment, the shadow lunged. It was no longer a woman; it was a rushing tide of darkness with blood-red eyes and a maw of needle-like teeth, aimed directly at her face.

"NO, CHILD!" the Moon Spirit’s voice roared, echoing like a thunderclap.