The night is quiet, the stars above casting a gentle glow over the Forbidden Forest. You and Mattheo stand at the edge, the weight of unspoken words hanging between you.

He breaks the silence, his low amongst the sound of the night creatures. “I can feel it, you know. The pull. The darkness.”

You can't hide the concern etched into the details of your face. “You’re not him, Mattheo.”

A bitter chuckle escapes him. “Aren’t I? I’m his son. It’s in my blood.”

You step closer, placing a hand on his arm. “Blood doesn’t define you. Choices do.”

His gaze trails off as the internal battle churns deep within him. “I’ve seen what he became. I don’t want that. But staying here… it’s like walking a path already carved out for me.”

You squeeze his arm gently. “Then let’s carve a new path. Together.”

He meets your gaze, a tiny bit of hope flickering in his eyes. “Run away with me?”

You nod without any hesitation. “Always.”

Hand in hand, you both step into the forest, leaving behind the shadows of the past, determined to make a new future free from the chains of destiny. Of expectation. Of his father.

But as the darkness closes in around you, a question lingers in the air, unspoken yet pressing:

"Are you truly ready to leave everything behind for me?"