Chapter 18: Chapter Eighteen..His Form!

Taliya gulped, her body stiff as she instinctively took a step back.

"I want to show you something, Miss Taliya," Rylan said softly, stretching his hand toward her with surprising gentleness. But Taliya flinched, her body recoiling instinctively from his reach.

"No," she whispered, shaking her head. Her heart was still pounding from the chase. Her hands were trembling. She didn't trust anyone here. Not even the one with kind eyes.

"It’s really important," he continued, eyes steady on hers. "Just... please follow me."

Taliya glanced behind her—the long stretch of creepy-ass hallway that led out of this freak show of a castle. Every bone in her body screamed to make a run for it.

"You won’t be able to make it out," Rylan said as if he read her mind. "But I can show you something… something that might make you change your mind."

She looked at his hand again. Nah. Still not taking it.

So she just nodded.

He sighed and dropped his hand, then turned and started walking away. Taliya trailed behind him, her heart still thumping like crazy. Her eyes scanned everything—this place was like a haunted nightmare.

They didn’t speak. He led her through a different corridor this time, one far more quiet, far more… ancient. The statues they passed made her skin crawl—stone figures of beasts, warriors, and creatures with wings and horns. Their eyes followed her, or so it felt.

"Where are you taking me to?" she asked cautiously, her voice echoing a bit in the silence.

But Rylan didn’t say a word. Just kept walking.

Up ahead, she noticed a large stone building that looked way older than everything else. Like it had been buried in secrets for centuries. Her steps slowed as she stared at it. The closer she got, the more her skin crawled.

“Rylan?” she called again, more hesitant this time. He still didn’t respond. She followed him inside. And the moment they crossed the threshold of the dungeon, she heard it.

A low, angry growl rumbled through the walls.

The floor literally shook beneath her.

Taliya stopped in her tracks. “What was that?” she breathed out, her voice barely audible.

"You’re safe," Rylan said calmly, without looking back.

She wasn’t convinced.

Her steps became slower. The deeper they went, the colder it got. The hallway flickered with torches, their flames dancing like shadows of something darker.

Then he stopped before a massive door made of old stone and thick iron bars. It pulsed with silence. Heavy. Ancient.

Taliya stopped too, her arms folded over her chest, her legs tense.

Rylan turned to her, his gaze a little softer now. “Taliya,” he said quietly, “please don’t run. Whatever you see in there… don’t run.”

“Huh?” she frowned, not even getting time to fully process before he pushed the heavy door open and stepped in.

The groan of the hinges made her ears ring.

Her heart stopped as she stepped in behind him.

The scent hit her first—raw, thick, something like smoke and heat and iron.

Then her eyes adjusted.

And she saw him.

Kaidon.

But not the way she remembered.

His body had grown in size, Chained, shirtless, and glowing like fire had kissed his skin.

His body was bigger, taller… dangerous. Muscles rippled across his chest, veins beneath his skin glowing red like lava..

His hair was messier, longer, wild. And his eyes… hell, his eyes were blood-red.

The veins under his skin burned red, glowing like magma, and his eyes—were no longer human. They were blood-red and slitted, glowing with fury and pain.

He wasn’t just a man.

Not even close.

He was a demon.

Her heart stopped.

He was kneeling in the center of the room, but the moment she entered, his head lifted… slowly. And those crimson eyes locked onto her like a predator spotting prey.

“…Liya..” he rasped, his voice hoarse. Broken. Burning. A snarl disguised as a whisper.

Taliya’s breath caught in her throat and she stumbled a little, her chest rising and falling fast.

His black hair fell in messy strands over his face, wet with sweat and magic, as he fought to control the monster clawing from within.

Every breath he took was heavy, primal, his chest rising like a beast caged too long. Black claw-like markings crawled up his arms and neck, licking his skin like tattoos made from shadows.

"W-Why did you bring me here?" Taliya asked, her voice trembling as she instinctively began backing away, fear creeping into her every move.

Rylan glanced at Kaidon, then turned his eyes back to her. “To show you why you’re needed.” he said calmly.

Taliya blinked, confused. Needed? What does that even mean—?

“You’re Kaidon’s soulmate.” Rylan said simply.

Her breath hitched. What the actual hell?

This Soulmate thing?

What is with them and this soulmate thingy? she thought, terrified, her eyes darting between Rylan and the beastly figure in chains.

“No… no, no..” she mumbled, stepping further back, her voice rising. “Soulmate to… that? That demon?”

Kaidon’s head snapped toward her, those glowing crimson eyes locking onto hers with terrifying intensity.

“Ta…liya.” he growled.

“Soul…mate.”

The way he said it, like it was sacred. Like it meant everything.

Taliya’s eyes watered. Her chest tightened. This wasn’t happening. No way.

“No.” she whispered shakily, shaking her head. “Please, I don’t want this—I’m not even from this world!”

Rylan’s jaw tensed at her words. He could hear the panic in her voice, but before he could even respond, Kaidon let out a deep, spine-shaking roar.

The sound echoed through the entire dungeon like thunder cracking against stone.

Rylan instantly lifted his hand, his power forming a barrier around them as flames sparked around Kaidon's chains.

“STOP that, Kaidon!” Rylan shouted, fist clenched tight as he held the magic in place.

But Kaidon wasn’t listening. He was yanking hard at the massive chains holding him down, his muscles bulging, veins glowing red.

Rage painted across his face—rage that Taliya was afraid. Rage that she was close to another man.

“Soulmate!” he bellowed again, a furious desperation lacing his voice.

Taliya cried out in fear and grabbed onto Rylan’s arm without thinking. Her whole body was shaking.

That was the final straw.

Kaidon let out another deafening roar, the stone floor beneath him cracking as the chains groaned and sparked. His power was rising.

Rylan cursed under his breath. “Damn it.”

Without wasting another second, he gripped Taliya’s wrist and pulled her with him, rushing out of the chamber. He slammed the door shut behind them and sealed it with a glowing glyph, locking Kaidon inside with layers of ancient magic.

Silence finally returned… only broken by Taliya’s trembling breath.

“Maybe… bringing her to him was a terrible idea.” Rylan muttered to himself, exhaling.

He turned to her, noticing how pale she looked, her entire body shaking uncontrollably.

“I-I want to leave here.” she stammered.

Rylan swallowed hard, his jaw clenched. He nodded, then gently guided her away.

Behind them… Kaidon’s distant roar echoed again.

He was still calling her name.