SPIRITBINDER: The Boy Without A Mark
Chapter 82: The Absurd Proposal

Chapter 82: The Absurd Proposal

Drevon’s whisper still echoed in Morvane’s ears, filling his mind with disbelief and fury. His body tensed, and without thinking, he pushed Drevon back slightly, his voice firm and resolute.

"I will never do that!" Morvane spat. "I want to be powerful, but not in that way."

Luna’s eyes darted between the two, sensing the gravity of the situation. "What is it, Morvane? What did Drevon tell you?"

Morvane clenched his jaw, unwilling to speak the unspeakable. But Drevon, ever calm and indifferent, answered for him.

"It’s obvious, isn’t it?" Drevon said coldly, his voice devoid of sympathy. "Meira is at the end of her life."

"You’re rude!" Luna snapped, anger flaring in her eyes. "Don’t say that!"

Meira, however, raised a hand, her expression calm despite the grim conversation. "No, Luna. Let him speak. I can take it."

Drevon’s eyes gleamed with intrigue as he continued. "I’ve been studying your condition for the past few days. It’s not an illness. Even the best healers couldn’t help you because it goes beyond natural or magical afflictions."

Luna’s heart sank as she processed his words. "What are you saying?" she demanded.

"It means," Drevon said, his voice chilling, "my theory is correct. No matter how many times you’re healed, you’ll never recover. Your very essence is unraveling. So, I have a proposal—"

The room tensed as his next words cut through the air like a blade.

"Let yourself be killed by Morvane."

"What?!?" Luna’s voice broke into a stunned shout.

Meira’s face paled, but she remained composed. Morvane, however, was livid. "You’re insane, Drevon!" he roared.

Drevon remained unfazed. "Hear me out," he said smoothly. "If Morvane kills you, he will inherit your power. It’s a rare and ancient transference nature of his power — only possible through such a method. But if you’re unwilling, there’s another option."

Luna’s voice was shaking. "What... other option?"

Drevon’s lips curled into a cold smile. "We can wait for you to die naturally. Once that happens, Morvane’s shadow beast can devour your spirit. However, there’s a catch—"

"If the shadow beast devours your spirit, the power it gains will be temporary and fragmented. Weak, unstable, and far from its true potential."

Silence fell like a heavy curtain. The weight of Drevon’s words pressed against everyone in the room.

Morvane’s fists clenched, his body trembling with rage. "Stop it, Drevon!" he thundered. "I’ll never do that. I’m not a murderer."

Drevon’s eyes glinted with amusement. "That’s what makes you weak, Morvane."

Morvane stepped forward, his voice fierce and unyielding. "No. That’s what makes me innocent."

The air was thick with tension, and even Drevon’s usual smug demeanor seemed to waver slightly under the weight of Morvane’s resolve.

Luna placed a hand on Morvane’s arm, her expression fierce yet compassionate. "We’ll find another way," she vowed.

Meira’s voice, soft but steady, broke the silence. "Please... let me think."

Drevon’s eyes narrowed, but he said nothing more. He melted back into the shadows, his parting words lingering in the air. "Think carefully. Time isn’t on your side."

As the group hears Drevon, the three of them were left with the crushing weight of an impossible choice.

Silence hung heavily in the room after Drevon’s chilling proposition. The weight of his words pressed against everyone’s chest like an invisible burden. Morvane turned to Meira, his expression resolute.

"You don’t need to think about anything, Meira, aside from recovering," Morvane said firmly. "I will never kill you or let my shadow beast devour your spirit. It feels wrong. Besides, you’re our friend."

Drevon’s lips curled into a mocking smirk. "You still let your emotions control you, Morvane? How quaint."

His crimson eyes glimmered with a sinister light as he continued, "You see, this isn’t just about friendship or sentimentality. This is about power. Imagine it—your shadow beasts, the wolf and the crow, me as your guide—a demon, and your bad manifestation magic. Now, add the power of an angel — the light itself. Killing her would grant you a divine magic most beings can only dream of."

Drevon’s voice dropped into a hushed, enticing whisper. "That would make you unstoppable."

The room grew colder, but Morvane’s determination burned brighter. He looked at everyone present, his voice steady and unwavering.

"Powerful... it’s something I’ve always dreamt of," he admitted, his gaze flickering with honesty. "But I don’t want to gain it like this. Not by betraying a friend."

Meira’s face softened, but there was a trace of sadness in her eyes. "I will die soon anyway, right?" she said quietly. "So what’s the matter?"

Luna’s heart clenched at those words. She stepped forward and grabbed Meira’s hands, her violet eyes fierce with emotion.

"Don’t say that," Luna said, her voice shaking with conviction. "As long as you’re breathing, there’s hope."

The warmth in her words filled the room, defying the darkness Drevon had cast.

Drevon arched a brow, clearly unimpressed. "Hope is a fragile thing, Luna. Easily broken."

Luna met his gaze head-on, unwavering. "But it’s also relentless," she shot back. "And that’s what makes it stronger than you’ll ever understand."

Drevon’s expression darkened, but he said nothing more. He lingered in the shadows, his presence still a reminder of the impossible choice looming over them.

Morvane tightened his fists. "We’ll find another way," he promised Meira. "I don’t care what it takes. We won’t lose you."

And in that moment, despite the uncertainty and the weight of fate hanging over them, hope glimmered like a fragile but unwavering light.

Morvane and Luna stood outside Meira’s room, their faces grim. The weight of the earlier conversation still lingered between them. Morvane’s fists clenched as he glared at Drevon.

"Let Meira rest for now," Morvane demanded, his voice firm. "She’s been through enough."

Luna crossed her arms, her expression stern. "If you have any decency, you’ll leave her alone."

Drevon’s lips quirked into an amused smirk. "As you wish," he said smoothly. "For now."

Morvane and Luna dragged him down the hallway, their steps heavy with frustration. The tension lingered, but for the moment, peace returned to Meira’s room.

She sat quietly on the bed, her fingers tracing invisible patterns on the blanket. Her thoughts swirled with everything that had been said — about her impending death, about Morvane’s refusal, and about Drevon’s twisted proposal.

A bitter smile curved her lips. "The gods have really abandoned me, haven’t they?" she whispered to herself.

The room grew colder, and shadows flickered along the walls. Meira’s heart skipped a beat as Drevon materialized from the darkness, his presence as unnerving as ever.

"You’re thinking about it, aren’t you?" he said, his voice smooth and persuasive.

Meira met his gaze without flinching. "You don’t give up, do you?"

Drevon chuckled. "Not when I see potential. And believe me, Meira, I see it in that boy." He took a step closer, his eyes gleaming. "Think about my proposal. The gods have already betrayed you, abandoned you to this fate. So why should giving your power to Morvane be a problem? I see greatness in him. He is the future of Baltalaha."

Meira’s lips curled into a faint, ironic smile. "You’re wasting your time convincing me."

Drevon’s brows furrowed slightly. "Oh? Why is that?"

"It’s not me you need to convince," Meira said calmly. "I’ll die anyway. I don’t care how I go. It’s Morvane who doesn’t want your proposal. He’s the one you should be talking to."

Drevon’s eyes narrowed. "He’ll come around eventually. People always do when they’re desperate enough."

Meira’s gaze softened. "You underestimate him."

Drevon said nothing, his expression thoughtful. As he melted back into the shadows, his parting words echoed through the room.

"We’ll see."

Meira let out a weary sigh. Despite her resolve, doubt gnawed at the edges of her heart. Would Morvane’s determination be enough to defy fate? Or would desperation drive him down a path he vowed never to take?

.

.

.

The moonlight spilled gently through the windows, painting the hallways of the house in silver. The quiet hum of the night surrounded Meira as she silently slipped out of her bed, careful not to wake Luna, who was fast asleep nearby.

Her footsteps were soft, barely a whisper against the floor as she wandered through the corridors, guided by an unseen pull. Her fragile frame moved with a purpose she hadn’t felt in days, her eyes searching until they landed on a door she instinctively knew belonged to Morvane.

She opened the door quietly and stepped inside. Morvane was there, sleeping soundly, his chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm. His face, usually tense with determination, seemed softer, almost vulnerable in the dim light.

Meira moved closer, her bare feet brushing against the cold floor. She stood at the edge of his bed, her heart heavy.

But Morvane’s instincts were sharp, honed by his training and also power. Even in the stillness of the night, he stirred. His eyes snapped open, locking onto Meira’s figure.

"Meira?" he asked, his voice groggy but alert. He sat up, his eyes narrowing with concern. "What are you doing here?"

She didn’t answer immediately, her gaze lowering as she took a shaky breath. Finally, she spoke, her voice soft but trembling.

"I couldn’t sleep," she admitted, her tone carrying an emotion he couldn’t quite place. "I’ve been thinking... about everything. About what Drevon said."

Morvane stiffened, his eyes narrowing. "You’re not seriously considering—"

"I’m here to talk about that," Meira interrupted, her voice firmer now. "I came to say something too."

Her words hung in the air, tension growing as she stepped closer. Her hand reached out, trembling, until it lightly touched Morvane’s.

"You need to understand," she said quietly, her voice thick with emotion. "No matter what happens, you need to do what’s right for you. Even if it means..."

Before she could finish, the room grew unnaturally cold. Shadows twisted and churned at the edges, and an ominous presence filled the space.

Drevon stepped out from the darkness, his expression unreadable but his presence suffocating. "A midnight conversation," he drawled, his voice dripping with amusement. "How touching."

Both Meira and Morvane turned to face him, their hearts racing.

"Drevon," Morvane hissed, his voice low and threatening. "What are you doing here?"

Drevon ignored him, his eyes locked on Meira. "You’ve made your decision, haven’t you?"

Meira’s expression faltered, and Morvane immediately stepped in front of her, shielding her from Drevon’s gaze.

"I told you to stay away from her," Morvane growled.

But Drevon merely smirked, the satisfaction in his eyes palpable. "And yet here she is, sneaking into your room in the middle of the night. Perhaps she’s ready to do what you refuse to." His voice dripped with insinuation, the words meant to wound, to twist the knife in a place only Morvane’s heart could feel.

Morvane’s breath caught in his throat, the air thickening around him as confusion and disbelief stormed through his mind. "Meira... what’s he talking about?" His voice was sharp, the question hanging in the air, desperate for an answer he didn’t want to hear. He turned to her, eyes wide, searching her face for some sign of understanding, for something that could make sense of Drevon’s cruel words.

Meira, however, remained silent. The silence between them stretched like a chasm, the weight of it more crushing than any response she could have given. Her eyes avoided his, and that refusal to meet his gaze spoke volumes louder than any explanation.

Drevon’s smile widened, the satisfaction in his eyes turning darker. He leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a whisper, as if savoring every moment of the destruction he was causing. "She came to say goodbye. Isn’t that obvious?"

The words landed like a slap, ringing in Morvane’s ears long after they were spoken. The room around him seemed to darken, the shadows growing deeper and heavier with each passing second.

Time itself seemed to slow, stretching in a way that made the world feel unreal. Morvane’s heart hammered in his chest as the weight of Drevon’s words sank in. The realization hit him with the force of a thousand blows, and in that moment, Morvane’s world seemed to shatter, crumbling into pieces too fragile to ever be put back together.

Luna breaks the silence. "Morvane, I want you to..."