In a dark, suffocating room, where the air felt thick with despair and resignation, Sooyun lay on the bed, her frail form shrouded only by a ragged blanket. The chains that bound her to the bed rattled lightly with her trembling hands. Days had melted into weeks, and weeks into months, marked only by the insistent gnawing of hunger and a more profound hunger—a yearning for freedom that clawed at her insides.

She had given up hope, or so she thought, until a whisper of an idea sparked in her mind—a desperate plan flickering amidst the gloom. On a night when the darkness seemed to envelop her even more, she whispered the words she had scoured from old tales, her voice trembling yet resolute.

“I summon you, oh mighty one… grant me my wish.”

The air rippled, and from the shadows, Sylus appeared. His raven wings, crimson eyes, and dark presence sent a chill through her, but beneath the fear, she felt a spark of hope.

“Why have you summoned me?” he rumbled.

“I want to be free,” she whispered. “Please, help me escape.”

Sylus’s gaze was intense, and his voice cold. “Freedom comes at a price. What will you offer?”

“Anything,” she replied, desperation in her voice.

A smirk twisted his lips. “Then I grant your wish. But know, this bond will change you forever.”

With a wave, chains of light surrounded Sooyun, breaking her shackles. As the weight of her captivity lifted, fear mixed with exhilaration. Yet, a warning echoed in her mind.

“You are free,” Sylus said, stepping closer, his presence overwhelming. “But part of me will always be with you.”

“What do you mean?” she asked, stepping back.

“You will carry my mark,” he said, his voice darkly magnetic. “I will protect you, but in doing so, I claim a fragment of your heart.”

Confusion surged. “Claim my heart?”

Sylus watched her, his gaze a mixture of approval and something else—something softer. “Do not fear what lies ahead. Let my darkness guide you,”