**EPISODE 25 — "The Night She Chose Him"**
The moment the Council's army filled the cave entrance, Isha felt Lucian's entire body tense in front of her.
He didn't speak.
Didn't breathe.
Didn't blink.
His instincts sharpened—every muscle ready to tear through soldiers if even one moved toward her.
Isha grabbed his arm.
"Lucian… we can't fight all of them."
He didn't look back.
"I can."
No arrogance.
Just truth.
He *would*.
He would tear through a thousand soldiers if they touched her.
Adrian, Lucian's brother, stepped forward quietly—eyes heavy with sadness.
"I didn't want it to come to this," he said softly.
Lucian's voice was steel.
"You brought an army into my territory. Explain."
Adrian didn't raise his voice.
"Lucian… you're breaking the treaty. Humans cannot be—"
"Don't."
Lucian's words were a warning.
"Don't call her human like she's beneath you."
Adrian swallowed hard.
"I don't think she's beneath us. I think she's dangerous."
Isha's heart stung.
Dangerous… to him?
To their world?
To herself?
But before she could process it, Lady Corvina stepped forward again, smirking.
"How touching. The prince protecting his little pet."
Lucian's aura exploded.
In less than a blink, he was in front of Corvina—hand around her throat.
"Call her that again," he growled, "and I'll rip your heart out."
Corvina's soldiers moved—
But Adrian raised a hand.
"Stay back."
Lucian threw Corvina aside like a ragdoll.
She crashed into the cave wall, coughing, furious.
Adrian sighed.
"Lucian… I'm *begging* you. Hand her over peacefully."
The cavern went silent.
Lucian stepped back toward Isha slowly.
Then he pulled her behind him again, protectively.
"No," he said.
The entire army stiffened.
Adrian's face fell.
"Lucian—"
Lucian's voice dropped lower.
"Isha stays with me."
Corvina hissed.
"She is not one of us."
Lucian looked straight into Corvina's eyes.
"She is mine."
Isha froze.
Her heart screamed.
Her breath stopped.
But Corvina snarled, "She is the reason you will fall."
Lucian's lips curled in a faint smile.
"Then I fall happily."
Before Corvina could retort, she snapped her fingers.
"Seize the girl!"
Everything broke at once.
Vampire soldiers blurred forward—fast, deadly, silent.
Lucian moved like a dark storm—faster than all of them.
He blocked two soldiers with his arms, kicking another back so hard he shattered a stalagmite.
"Stay behind me!" Lucian yelled.
But Isha saw what he didn't—
A soldier appearing behind him.
"Lucian—behind you!" she screamed.
Lucian twisted, catching the attacker by the throat and slamming him down.
But they kept coming.
Twenty soldiers.
Thirty.
Forty.
They swarmed toward Lucian—and through him, toward her.
Isha's panic rose.
Lucian couldn't keep this up forever.
Not alone.
Her pulse roared like a drum.
Her vision blurred.
The symbol on her wrist began to glow—
No, not glow.
*Burn.*
Lucian fought like a demon unleashed, ripping through soldiers with white-hot fury.
But there were too many.
One soldier got past him—
Isha stepped back, stumbling.
"ISHA!" Lucian's voice cracked.
The soldier grabbed her arm—
And the moment he touched her—
A blinding light exploded.
The soldier screamed.
Smoke rose from his skin.
His hand burned like fire.
He dropped instantly, agony twisting his features.
Lucian froze.
So did the entire army.
Adrian whispered, horrified:
"…She's awakening again."
Isha stared at her own hands—glowing, shaking.
"I'm—I'm not doing anything—" she gasped.
Lucian rushed to her, grabbing her shoulders.
Isha flinched.
"Lucian—I'll burn you—"
He cupped her face.
"You could never hurt me."
Her power roared inside her, swirling like a rising storm.
Lucian pressed his forehead to hers.
"Breathe. Stay with me."
Her chest trembled.
Her breaths were shallow.
"I—I don't know how to stop it—"
"You don't have to. I'm here."
But the soldiers began backing away.
Corvina stepped forward, fury replaced by fear.
"No… no, impossible. A human cannot hold that much vampire energy—she'll explode."
Adrian whispered:
"She'll take the cavern—and everyone inside—with her."
Isha's heartbeat stuttered.
"I'm… going to die?"
Lucian gently held her chin, lifting her eyes to his.
"Not tonight."
Her power surged again—dangerous, unstable, ripping cracks through the stone floor.
The cavern trembled.
Adrian yelled, "Lucian! Get away from her! She'll take you down with—"
"AND I WILL DIE WITH HER IF I HAVE TO!" Lucian roared.
Everyone went silent.
Even Isha.
Lucian gripped her tighter.
"Look at me, Isha."
She did.
"You're not dying. I won't allow it."
Her voice cracked.
"I don't know how to control it—"
"I do," he whispered.
And then—
Lucian kissed her.
Not soft.
Not gentle.
It was desperate, consuming, burning.
The moment his lips touched hers—
Her power exploded outward—
And Lucian absorbed it.
He held her face in both hands, kissing her deeper, drawing every drop of unstable magic into himself.
Her glow dimmed.
His grew brighter.
Isha felt the energy draining from her chest, through her lips, into him—painfully, beautifully, blindingly.
When he finally pulled away, breathless, he collapsed onto his knees, coughing blood.
"Lucian!" she screamed, holding him.
The soldiers backed away in horror.
Adrian stepped forward, shocked.
"You idiot—you took her power into your own body?"
Lucian smirked weakly.
"Better me than her."
Isha cradled his head in her lap, tears falling onto his face.
"Lucian… why would you… you could've died—"
He reached up with a trembling hand, brushing her cheek.
"I told you… I'd fall happily."
Her tears hit his palm.
He inhaled shakily.
His strength was fading.
The cavern shook again.
The Council realized.
Now was their chance to take her.
Corvina pointed.
"Grab the girl! Lucian is too weak to—"
Lucian snarled painfully, trying to stand—
He couldn't.
And Isha saw it.
For the first time—Lucian was too weak to protect her.
Which meant only one thing.
She had to protect him.
Isha slowly stood up.
Lucian's hand slipped from her arm.
"No— Isha—don't—"
But she stepped in front of him.
Her posture straightened.
Her eyes hardened.
She turned toward the army—
And her wrist ignited again.
The mark glowed like a brand.
Symbols crawled up her arm.
Her hair lifted in the energy wind.
Corvina stumbled back.
"What—what is this?!"
Adrian whispered, horrified and amazed:
"She's… activating a full-blood seal. A rare one."
The air around Isha crackled.
She didn't scream.
She didn't cry.
She simply said:
"You touch him… you die."
Her voice was not human.
It echoed like ancient thunder.
The soldiers flinched.
Some dropped to their knees.
Isha raised her hand.
Her energy surged like a tidal wave.
The army staggered.
But then—
Adrian moved.
He stepped in front of Corvina.
And whispered:
"STOP!"
Isha froze.
Lucian stared, confused.
Corvina gasped.
"Adrian—what are you—"
Adrian turned his back on the Council.
He looked at Isha.
Then at Lucian.
And finally lowered his sword.
"I didn't come to capture her," he said quietly. "I came to warn you."
Lucian's eyes narrowed.
"Warn us?"
Adrian nodded slowly.
"The Council isn't after Isha because she's dangerous."
Corvina hissed, "Adrian, don't you dare—"
Adrian continued louder:
"They want her because she's powerful enough to complete the prophecy."
Isha froze.
"What prophecy?"
Adrian exhaled, defeated.
"The curse that destroyed our world a thousand years ago."
Silence fell.
Lucian's eyes widened.
"No… Adrian—tell me you're lying."
"I'm not."
"And the prophecy says—" Adrian's voice cracked.
"If the girl with the crescent mark falls in love with the Vampire Prince…
**she will either save the world—
or destroy it.**"
The cavern's air dropped to freezing.
Isha felt her heart stop.
Her love for Lucian…
Her feelings…
Her choices…
Would change the fate of an entire species.
Lucian dragged himself upright, leaning against Isha for support.
He shook his head fiercely.
"I don't care about prophecies. I choose her."
Adrian looked at him with a mix of sorrow and admiration.
"I know. That's why I didn't attack you."
Then his voice softened.
"But the Council won't stop. Not now. Not ever."
Lucian pulled Isha close.
"Then let them come."
Adrian nodded.
"There's only one way for the two of you to survive."
Isha whispered, afraid to ask.
"What is it?"
Adrian looked at Lucian first.
Then at her.
"The Immortal Binding."
Lucian froze.
Isha's blood ran cold.
"What… what is that?" she whispered.
Lucian closed his eyes, pain twisting his face.
"It's the ritual," he said softly. "The one that… makes you immortal."
Isha gasped.
"And binds your soul to mine," Lucian finished quietly.
The cavern trembled softly.
Adrian's voice was filled with warning.
"If you do it… you will be connected forever. You will live forever. And you will never be able to break the bond."
Isha's breath shook.
Lucian looked down at her.
His voice was low, aching, vulnerable.
"Isha… this is a choice only you can make."
She swallowed.
"If I don't?"
Adrian answered:
"Then the Council will kill you."
Isha trembled.
Lucian touched her cheek.
"I won't force you. Even if my heart breaks… the choice is yours."
Her chest tightened painfully.
She looked at Lucian.
She looked at Adrian.
She looked at the army.
Then she whispered:
"I choose—"
**END OF EPISODE 25**