Chapter 110: Dark Prince…

***Albert***.

*Selene. No! No! Don’t leave me! Don’t!* 

I try to wake up. I try to reach her through our mind link but nothing. Just a heavy silence. I can’t force my eyes open. I struggle to get up, but I face a challenge that I’ve never endured before. 

I see something, which I never knew I would see again. I see that swirl of blue and red fuse, until it forms the gigantic face of that woman, who first handed me a chalice. The one I saw when I started craving blood.

The entire sky is her face, a glistening crown of silver and red on her beautiful head.

“You?!” I mutter.

She smiles, her beautiful face glowing in such surreal radiance. Suddenly, she splits into two; moon and lava.

“Rise my dark prince and take hold of your destiny!” She commands.

Her voice echoes in my ears, taking root in my heart. I should be frightened by the voice and the apparition. Rather, I am energized.

Suddenly I open my eyes. Life flowing into me. 

*** 

***Selene***.

Someone gives me water and I sip it. 

“Rise.” She commands.

I open my eyes. 

As I do, I see Albert suspended in mid-air. His entire eyes, replaced by an ethereal brilliance of white.

His hands open wide, a cloud of smoke surrounding him. There’s a storm around him, crashing everything, as he moves in the air. His entire being locked inside tentacles of molten fire that bring a scorching heat. 

All around us, I see those cloaked people screaming and running for cover. There are men and women among them, as their hoods fall off. Albert waves his tentacles in the air and I watch as molten melts the people. Their groans of agony erupt in the stale night, crippling the very air. 

I hastily rise, and run behind one of the stone slabs. Eliana is still lying down. I hurriedly drag her from the slab, holding her tight, as the groans of molten fill the air. 

“You dare touch my marked one! You dare touch Selene! You wanted world domination, now drown in the world of Hades!” I hear Albert’s voice.

Only it isn’t Albert’s. It’s otherworldly. Like a legion of voices locked inside him. 

“Albert! Albert!” I call him.

But he doesn’t even spare me a look. He’s lost. He only continues to wreak havoc.

The people around us scramble for cover, but there’s nothing they can do. I see Alia as Albert mercilessly covers her with lava. I turn my eyes away, unable to bear the sight. 

Eliana stirs in my arms. She moans as she comes awake. She stares at the carnage and turns to me. 

“We have to stop him…” She rants, looking at me.

I wonder if she’s gone mad.

*How do we stop him?*

He’s up there in the sky and he isn’t even hearing anything.

Thunder strikes in the sky, startling me. I look at Albert.

“Only you can stop him now. Otherwise, he would destroy everything, including us.” Eliana cries, shaking me.

I think those last words finally jolt me. I nod in understanding, rising to my feet.

I drag myself towards him, the wind blowing heavily. My entire dress blowing in the wind. My hair covering my face. I try to shield the wind. 

“Albert! Albert! You have to listen to me! I’m here! Am here! Nothing happened to me! Am safe. Please stop!” I yell on top of my voice.

He doesn’t turn to me. He continues to burn the place down. I look around, alarmed at what I see. Fire surrounds us, mixed the smell of burned flesh. 

We have a chance to be together. To love. And I wouldn’t want it any other way. 

“Albert! You promised to love me. You promised to protect me, on the day we married. You promised to give me love! Your eternal love, remember?! Please Albert, stop! They’re all gone! You can love me again like you promised! Please Albert, for the sake of our love, stop!” I cry.

I break down, sobbing as I fall on the ground. The burning earth sears my knees and palms. 

“Ahh!” I cry in pain, as the heat breaks my skin.

All of a sudden, Albert’s face turns towards the sound of my voice. He lowers his molten arms, the wind dropping a notch. His eyes suddenly return to their ocean blue orbs, as he watches me, lowering himself to the ground. 

The molten lava tentacles disappear, his real arms coming to normal, as his feet touch earth. His clothes didn’t burn in the scorching flame. It’s like he was covered by a force shield.

Slowly, he approaches me, his eyes taking me in. 

“Selene.” He calls me softly.

My eyes are brimming with tears, as I see recognition in his eyes. He lowers himself to me, checking my palms. He places tender kisses inside my burned palms. My heart soars with happiness, as my body recognizes his touch. 

All of a sudden, Albert’s eyes roll back and he falls limp to the ground. 

“Albert? Albert! Help!” I cry out.

Eliana runs to my side, as we both try to wake him up. Albert isn’t waking. He’s still, his pulse weak. I panic, trying to give him CPR. 

Then I hear foot steps behind me. 

“Selene…What happened? What happened to Albert?” I hear Raoul beside me.

Some other men, all dressed in black combat clothes are beside us. 

“I…I don’t know… One minute he was pouring magma from his arms and there was wind. The next, he falls as he comes to hold me…” I cry, hysterically.

Raoul signals the others and they carry him. 

“Don’t worry, I’ve seen this happen to him before.” Raoul assures me, as they carry Albert with them.

Together, we rush out of the temple and rush to a chopper waiting outside. 

Dawn is already cresting in the horizon. 

But it’s darkness for me, if Albert doesn’t wake.