Hellbound Heart

Gav was right there, standing quietly and seemingly immersed in a extreme concentration. His arms, stretched forward, were entwined with a massive circle of dark energy. It pulsed and swirled, a terrifying yet mesmerizing spectacle that seemed to breathe with a life of its own, imbibing the air with a forbidding and otherworldly majesty.

The dome-like energy, dark and potent, radiated an ominous illumination casting dim highlights upon Gav's features. He appeared untouched, a mysterious tranquility gracing his features. 

Before Elle could reach him, Gav's gaze met hers. His voice, steady yet tinged with an unspoken intensity, cut through the silence. "You promised me you're not going to move, young lady," he chided gently.

Elle's retort was immediate, a mix of relief and anxiety lending her voice a fervent edge. "You said you'd come back." 

Gav's smile, subtle and laced with a helpless amusement, broke through the seriousness of the moment. "I guess, you looked more patient than you actually are," he commented.

"Please… where is Seb? What is… going on?"

Gav's expression became a little grave. "Sebastian is inside. Still fighting with Elijah right now. And forgive me, but I cannot let you in. Too dangerous."

"Is he alright? He's doing fine, right?" 

"Well…" Gav's hesitation only amplified the erratic beats of Elle's anxious heart. "He's somehow holding on. That Elijah has gone mad it appears."

"Let's help him, Gav… please." Elle pleaded. Gav's answer was enough to shake her core.  Sebastian was supposed to be stronger than Elijah! Even if Elijah was mad, Sebastian could still take him down. Alexander had told her that before, that Sebastian was way stronger than Elijah. So why? How was Seb just somehow holding on? Did Elijah use some underhanded tactic on him again?

"I can't. I need to focus on this barrier to keep the two of them inside. It would be catastrophic if they get out. They would cause massive chaos outside if that happens." Gav told her honestly. "And Sebastian asked me himself to stay out of the fight and just make sure the barrier will not be breached no matter what. I can only do as he says since controlling my magic in this world is not as easy as I've expected. In fact, it's incredibly hard. I'm certain that I will only end up causing more trouble for everyone if I join this fight."

"But… Seb…" 

"I know you're worried but I'm certain the last thing Sebastian would want right now is you suddenly entering the danger zone and endangering yourself."

A resonant crash cut through their dialogue, causing Elle's breath to catch. 

…

Inside the barrier, the throne hall was reduced to a battleground. 

Elijah's chilling laughter, sardonic and haunting, rippled through the air. His eyes alit with the sinister glow of corruption, bore an unhinged semblance of power. Every movement was accentuated by a soffucating energy that pulsed and swirled around him, rendering the atmosphere thick with an indescribable menace.

Sebastian was visibly overpowered. His attire was now marred, bloodied and torn.

"Get up, Sebastian," Elijah taunted sardonically, his voice dripping with derision. 

Sebastian, though battered and weakened, attempted to rise from rubbles.

But before he could muster his stance, the corrupted vampire lunged forward with a savage glee. A force, dark and potent, accompanied his strike, and once more, Sebastian was crashed hard against the barrier.

As the haunting echo of the crash faded, a chilling silence reigned, broken only by Sebastian's ragged breathing and the sharp sound of his blood splattering onto the cold stone.

Pushing through the pain, Sebastian lifted his head. His eyes, ablaze with a fierce crimson glow, defiantly met Elijah's gaze. 

"How pathetic. Why do you keep standing when you know you're useless against me?" Elijah launched a swift kick, connecting with Sebastian's face. The force was so brutal it sent Sebastian sprawling across the hall, skidding painfully on the ground.

"This is boring! You're such a weakling, Sebastian!" Elijah's voice dripped with scorn. As he flexed his hand, his nails darkened and elongated, transforming into a very long and  razor-sharp blades, a grotesque manifestation of his corrupted power.

Walking like zombie, Elijah approached Sebastian with a predatory gleam in his eyes. "What must be done to a weakling? They must be chopped to death. Your royal body did entertain me for a bit. But it's time to move on to the next fool who dares to stand against a godly being like me! Hahaha! Perhaps... whoever is behind this formidable barrier will be next!"

Elijah, intoxicated by his own power and consumed by his newfound god-complex, was getting closer to Sebastian. The cold, metallic sheen of his dark elongated nails reflected the dim lighting of the throne hall.

Sebastian's world swirled into a mix of pain and darkness. And in the middle of all that, a familiar yet desperate voice cut through, a scream that stirred something primal within him. Elle?!!

His heavy lids barely lifted when the scene of horror unfurled before his eyes. Elle - fragile, brave, and defiant - stood between him and Elijah. 

With every ounce of strength he could muster, Sebastian croaked out a desperate, "N...no... Iza... stay back..." He tried to move, but his body was unresponsive and heavy like a chained stone. 

Elijah raised his dark, blade-like claws and lunged towards Elle. 

Time seemed to slow, and in a blink of an eye Sebastian saw a bright red splash of blood. Then Elle fell.

"No!!!" The scream that erupted from Sebastian's core was primal and gut-wrenching. 

Something dormant, something potent and primal stirred. A surge of energy then exploded from him, unrestrained and cataclysmic. Powerful, dark wings unfurled from his back, and tendrils of pure, demonic magic wrapped around him. It was as if the very essence of night had taken form.

Faster than a blink of an eye, Sebastian shot forward like a comet, colliding with Elijah. Their combined energies were so intense, they consumed the surroundings, plunging everything into complete and utter darkness.