Natasha’s POV

The shadows pressed against me, their cold tendrils seeping into my skin. The cavern was suffocating, its walls pulsating with ancient power. I could feel Aries beside me, her presence a flickering light amidst the darkness. Alexei’s betrayal cut deep, but there was no time for anger or regret. We had to survive.

“Aries,” I whispered, my voice barely audible over the oppressive silence. “Stay with me.”

Her grip tightened on my hand, a small reassurance in the overwhelming void. “I’m here, Natasha. We’ll get through this.”

The darkness surged again, pulling us deeper into the cavern. I felt the shadows creeping into my mind, whispering of despair and surrender. But I fought back, drawing strength from Aries and the bond we shared. We had come too far to be defeated now.

“Focus on the light,” I said, my voice steadier than I felt. “We can’t let the darkness win.”

Aries nodded, her eyes closed in concentration. Together, we began the incantation Devereux had shown us, our voices blending in a harmonious chant. The shadows recoiled, their forms flickering in the dim light. For a moment, hope flared within me.

But then, Alexei’s voice echoed through the cavern, cold and unyielding. “You should have stayed in bed, Natasha.”

The shadows surged with renewed ferocity, their tendrils wrapping tighter around us. I could feel Aries slipping, her strength waning under the relentless assault. Desperation clawed at my heart. We couldn’t give up. Not now.

“Aries, stay with me,” I pleaded, my voice breaking. “We can fight this.”

Her eyes opened, filled with a mix of determination and fear. “I’m trying, Natasha. But it’s so strong.”

The cavern seemed to close in around us, the air thick with malevolence. I could feel the shadows probing my mind, seeking to exploit my deepest fears. Memories of my family’s death flashed before my eyes, their screams echoing in the darkness. I pushed them away, focusing on the bond with Aries, the only thing anchoring me to reality.

“We need to finish the incantation,” I said, my voice a mere whisper. “It’s our only chance.”

Aries nodded, her grip on my hand tightening. We began again, our voices rising in defiance against the encroaching darkness. The shadows writhed, their forms flickering as if in pain. But it wasn’t enough. I could feel Alexei’s power, guiding and strengthening the shadows. We needed more.

“Natasha,” Aries said, her voice strained. “I don’t know if I can hold on much longer.”

A surge of panic threatened to overwhelm me, but I forced it down. “You have to, Aries. We can do this. Together.”

She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. “Together.”

As we continued the incantation, I felt a shift in the darkness. It recoiled, as if in fear. Hope surged within me, a bright light in the oppressive void. But then, something changed. The darkness around Aries seemed to thicken, growing more tangible and menacing.

“Aries?” I called out, fear creeping into my voice.

She didn’t respond. Instead, her grip on my hand loosened, her body tensing. I could feel the bond between us straining, the darkness seeping into it. Panic gripped me as I watched her, her eyes closed in concentration, her face contorted in pain.

“Alessandra, what’s happening?” I asked, my voice trembling.

She opened her eyes, and what I saw chilled me to the bone. Her  eyes were dark, almost black, filled with a malevolent energy. The bond between us flickered, a dying flame amidst the darkness.

“Natasha,” she said, her voice cold and distant. “I can’t fight it.”

“No,” I whispered, shaking my head. “You have to. Don’t let the darkness win.”

But it was too late. I could feel the change in her, the darkness taking hold. She pulled away from me, her movements jerky and unnatural. The bond between us snapped, leaving a hollow ache in its place.

“Alessandra, please,” I begged, tears streaming down my face. “Fight it. Don’t let it consume you.”

She looked at me, her eyes filled with a cruel, twisted amusement. “It’s too late for that, Natasha. The darkness is in me now.”

Despair threatened to overwhelm me, but I forced it down. I couldn’t give up. Not yet. “Alessandra, listen to me. We can still stop this. We can still save you.”

She laughed, a harsh, grating sound that echoed through the cavern. “Save me? I don’t need saving. The darkness has shown me the truth. It’s you who needs saving, Natasha.”

Fear gripped my heart as he stepped towards me, her movements predatory. “Alessandra, please. This isn’t you. Fight it.”

But she didn’t listen. The darkness had taken hold, turning her into something unrecognizable. She raised her hand, dark energy crackling around her fingers. I could feel the malevolence radiating from her, a palpable force that threatened to crush me.

“Goodbye, Natasha,” she said, her voice a cold whisper.

As she struck, the darkness surged around us, engulfing the cavern in an inky blackness. Pain exploded through me, and I felt myself falling, the world around me fading into nothingness.

But in the midst of the darkness, a spark of light remained. The bond between us, though broken, still held a faint glimmer of hope. As I succumbed to the darkness, I clung to that spark, refusing to let it go.

The world around me faded, and I was left with one final thought: I would save Alessandra. No matter the cost.

As the darkness consumed me, I felt a tug, pulling me back from the brink. The cavern faded, replaced by a cold, sterile room. I was strapped to a table, harsh lights glaring down at me. Aries stood beside me, her eyes filled with dark malevolence.

“Welcome back, Natasha,” she said, her voice cold and cruel. “It’s time for the real ritual to begin.”

The lights flickered, and in that brief moment of darkness, I felt the bond between us flare to life once more. Aries’s eyes widened, a moment of clarity piercing the darkness within her.

“Natasha?” she whispered, her voice filled with a mixture of hope and fear.

But before I could respond, the lights snapped back on, and the darkness reclaimed her. Her grip tightened on the knife in her hand, her eyes once again filled with cold malevolence.

The ritual had begun, and the outcome was far from certain.