You and Emperor Cleodore, your love, your heart, faced each other. Swords raised, eyes locked, hearts screaming through the chaos.

“You… betrayed me!” he roared, eyes blazing with fury that wasn’t truly his own.

“I… would never!” you cried, voice trembling. “I love you, Cleodore! Please believe me!”

But the curse had clouded his mind, planted by his enemies to twist love into rage, trust into betrayal. Steel clashed, sparks flying as swords met in desperate strikes. Each movement screamed both anger and devotion.

In a heart-stopping instant, he lunged, blade aimed straight for your chest, his hand trembling. At the same time, you swung your sword so that the hilt struck him, a desperate move to keep him close, to slow him, never to harm.

The blade pierced your side. Pain exploded, hot and searing, but your heart only raced with love for him.

His eyes widened as the cursed fog around his mind faltered for a moment. Memories of you, your laughter, your tears, your whispered promises, every stolen kiss, every gentle touch rushed through him like a tidal wave.

“No…” he gasped, shock and horror freezing his body. His sword loosened in his grip, clattering to the floor as he stumbled forward and caught you in his arms. Tears streamed down his face. “What… what have I done? My love… my heart… I—”

He pressed you to his chest, trembling, sobbing, his body shaking with both guilt and relief. Around you, his power flared uncontrollably, fire erupting along the edges of the throne room. Flames licked the golden pillars, turning the grand hall into a blazing inferno, yet he shielded you with his own body, every instinct devoted to protecting you.

“No… you can’t die like this, my Empress!” he sobbed, hugging you so tightly it felt like the world itself could crumble and you would still be safe. His forehead pressed against yours, lips trembling as he whispered broken apologies over and over.

He lifted you effortlessly, his muscles straining but steady, and the fire bent around him like it feared his wrath. With a sweep of his hand, embers were flung aside, forming a protective barrier around both of you. Smoke swirled, but he moved with perfect control, every step forward precise as if he were commanding the flames themselves.

His tears fell freely, sizzling as they hit the heat around him. With another surge of power, the fire bowed to him, encasing the room in a golden-orange glow, but leaving a safe space just for you. Every ember, every flicker, was drawn back into control by his sheer will.

“I… I was a fool,” he sobbed, pressing his forehead to yours. “How could I lift my hand against you? My love… my heart… my everything…”