Eclipse Love

The golden realm shuddered.

A deep, resonating boom rolled through the sky, splitting the silence like a war drum. The very air around them trembled, flickering like an illusion on the verge of collapse.

Selene's heart pounded.

He's coming.

She could feel Lucian's energy—a force unlike anything she had ever sensed before. It wasn't just fire. It wasn't just ice. It was something older.

Something unstoppable.

Vale felt it too. His golden eyes flickered as he turned toward the shifting sky, his expression unreadable.

For the first time—he looked uncertain.

Selene took the chance.

"You feel that, don't you?" she said, her voice like a blade. "You thought you could keep me here. You thought you could break me. But you forgot something."

Vale turned back to her, his jaw tight. "And what's that?"

Selene's lips curled into a slow, defiant smile.

"I was never alone."

And then—

The realm shattered.

Lucian's Arrival

The golden gates of Vale's domain stood tall, unyielding. A fortress built beyond time, unreachable by mortal hands.

But Lucian was not mortal.

His body pulsed with energy, his silver eyes blazing. The bond between him and Selene was no longer a whisper—it was a roar in his chest, calling him forward with an urgency that burned hotter than any fire.

"Are you sure about this?" Astrid asked beside him, her own stance tense.

Lucian didn't blink. Didn't hesitate.

"There's no other way," he said.

He took a slow breath—then raised his hands.

Fire and ice surged through his veins, clashing, merging, twisting into something new.

The power within him cracked the air.

And then, with a single step forward—

He struck.

The golden gates—once thought indestructible—exploded outward in a blinding flash of light.

The Breaking of Vale's Realm

Selene shielded her eyes as the world around her tore apart.

The golden walls splintered, cracks racing through the marble like veins of light. The ceiling above twisted and fractured, revealing a sky that no longer held its shape.

Vale took a step back, his breath sharp. "Impossible."

Selene's pulse raced.

Lucian had found her.

Vale turned sharply, his golden eyes flashing with something dangerous.

"This isn't over," he said, his voice dark.

But before he could act—

The ground shook violently.

And then—Lucian stepped through the broken gates.

Selene's breath caught.

His presence filled the space like a storm, raw and unrelenting. He looked different—his silver eyes now streaked with fire, his entire body radiating a power that had never been there before.

He had changed.

And the moment his gaze locked onto hers—

Everything else ceased to exist.

Vale vs. Lucian

"Let. Her. Go."

Lucian's voice was low, deadly.

Vale exhaled slowly, his golden gaze assessing. "You shouldn't have come here."

Lucian stepped forward, his movements measured, deliberate. "I don't care." His voice dropped, every word laced with fury. "You took her. And now I'm taking her back."

Vale smirked. "You think it's that simple?"

Lucian didn't answer.

He moved.

The air cracked as he lunged, faster than lightning. His fist collided with Vale's chest, sending the golden-haired ruler flying backward.

Vale crashed into the shattered pillars, the force of the impact cratering the ground.

Selene's breath hitched.

Lucian was stronger. Faster.

And something in his power had become... unstable.

Vale slowly rose from the wreckage, wiping a thin line of blood from his lip. For the first time—his golden eyes darkened with rage.

"So that's how it is, then?" he murmured.

A golden aura erupted around him. His power surged, twisting the air into something sharp and unnatural.

"If you want war," Vale said, his voice like thunder, "then war it shall be."

Lucian's eyes burned.

"Good."

And then—

The battle began.

Selene's Choice

Selene barely had time to react before the two forces collided.

Lucian's fire burned through the golden light, Vale's power retaliating in shimmering waves. The entire realm quaked under the force of their clash.

But Selene didn't run.

She couldn't.

Because something wasn't right.

She could see it in Lucian's movements—his power was wild, uncontrolled. Every strike, every surge of magic carried an intensity that threatened to consume him.

He wasn't just fighting Vale.

He was losing himself.

Selene's chest tightened.

No.

She wouldn't let that happen.

As the battle raged, she stepped forward, ignoring the chaos, ignoring the danger.

Then, with a single breath—she called his name.

"Lucian!"

The moment the word left her lips—

Lucian froze.

His body trembled, his silver eyes flickering between rage and recognition.

"Selene…" His voice was hoarse, his breath uneven.

And for just a second—Vale saw his opening.

Golden light gathered in his palm, crackling like a storm.

Selene's heart stopped.

He's going to strike.

Lucian was distracted.

Selene didn't think. She acted.

With a burst of adrenaline, she threw herself toward Lucian, her arms wrapping around his waist just as Vale unleashed his attack.

Golden energy ripped through the air.

It hit—

But not Lucian.

Selene took the full force of the blast.

The Fall

Pain erupted through her body.

She felt the impact like fire spreading through her veins, like ice freezing her bones.

Lucian's arms caught her before she hit the ground.

"Selene!" His voice was raw, broken.

She gasped, her fingers clutching his shirt, her vision swimming.

The world blurred—gold and silver, fire and ice.

Lucian's grip on her tightened, his entire body shaking.

Then, slowly—he lifted his head.

And something inside him snapped.

His silver eyes darkened, his power roaring to life.

He turned to Vale, his expression void of anything but pure, unfiltered fury.

"You just made your last mistake," Lucian whispered.

And then—the storm truly broke.

End of Chapter Twenty-Eight