"Alannah!" Adrian shouted, his chains snapping toward the cage, only to be deflected by a barrier of shadow magic.

Marcus's smirk widened as he saw the look of horror on Adrian's face. "You've fought well, Adrian. But this is where it ends."

Adrian's eyes narrowed. "What are you doing, Marcus?"

Marcus's expression darkened. "A precaution. You see, I've linked her life to mine. Anything you do to me, she feels. And trust me, the pain will be... excruciating."

Adrian's fiery chains flickered uncertainly as Marcus's words settled over him like a suffocating weight. The smirk on Marcus's face deepened as he yanked free of the chains Adrian had previously used to bind him to the ground.

The effort seemed effortless, his dark aura flaring with malicious glee.

"You're bluffing," Adrian said through gritted teeth, his fiery chains coiling tightly around him in preparation for another attack.

Marcus raised an eyebrow, his grin turning cruel. "Am I?"

With a swift motion, Marcus drove his blade into his own leg, the sharp edge slicing through his shadow-infused armor and drawing dark, viscous blood. The sound of the impact was sharp, echoing through the chamber.

What followed next was Alannah's scream, tearing through the air like a knife, and she collapsed to her knees within the cage, clutching her leg in agony.

Adrian froze, his chains slackening as he stared at her. The disbelief and anguish in his eyes were clear as Alannah gasped for breath, her face pale and contorted in pain.

"You bastard," Adrian growled, his voice trembling with barely suppressed rage.

Marcus shrugged nonchalantly, as if her suffering were an afterthought. "I told you. Her life is tied to mine now. Every cut, every bruise, every shred of pain—it all transfers to her."

"Don't," Adrian said, his voice low and dangerous. "Don't you dare hurt her."

Marcus chuckled darkly. "That's up to you, isn't it? You want to keep fighting? Go ahead. Let's see how far you're willing to go for victory."

Adrian's grip on his blade tightened as he stared at Marcus, his mind torn between rage and despair. The goddesses, still battling the Shadow Court soldiers, glanced toward Adrian, their expressions shifting from determination to concern.

"What's he doing?" Hera shouted, her spear piercing through an enemy soldier.

"He's playing dirty," Lilith growled, her whip cracking through the air. "Adrian! Don't listen to him!"

But Adrian couldn't ignore Alannah's anguished cries as Marcus pressed his advantage.

"Adrian!" Alannah gasped, her voice strained. "Don't... Just… Stop him!"

But Adrian couldn't bring himself to act. His chains wavered, their fiery glow dimming as he hesitated.

Marcus sneered, sensing his victory. "You see now, Adrian? Your strength means nothing. Your resolve means nothing. You've already lost."

Adrian's mind raced, desperate for a solution. But with Alannah's life tied to Marcus's, every option seemed like a trap.

Adrian's fiery chains dimmed momentarily as his mind raced for options. He can't keep this up forever. There has to be a way to sever the link.

"This is just another one of your mind games," Adrian said, trying to regain control of the situation.

Marcus's smirk widened, and he pressed his hand against the glowing cage. Alannah screamed again, her hands flying to her chest as if an invisible force were crushing her.

Adrian's heart pounded as he watched helplessly, his chains writhing in agitation around him. "Stop it!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the chamber.

Marcus chuckled darkly, stepping back from the cage as Alannah crumpled to the ground, her breathing shallow but steady. "Now you see, Adrian. You can't fight me without hurting her. What will you do, oh noble king? Sacrifice the woman you care about to save the rest? Or let me win and spare her life?"

Adrian's fists clenched tightly, his nails biting into his palms. Think, Adrian. Think.

He couldn't attack Marcus directly without harming Alannah, but retreating or surrendering wasn't an option either. The goddesses were still battling the remaining Shadow Court soldiers outside, buying him precious time.

But that time was slipping away fast.

"You've always had a weakness for people, Adrian," Marcus sneered. "It's what made you a great king, and now, it will be your undoing."

Adrian raised his head, his fiery gaze locking onto Marcus. "You've gone too far, Marcus," he said, his voice steady despite the storm of emotions roiling within him. "This isn't vengeance. It's madness."

Marcus laughed, his blade glowing with dark energy. "Call it what you will. But it's effective, isn't it?" He motioned toward Alannah, her weak breaths audible even from where Adrian stood. "What's the plan now, my old friend?"

Adrian didn't respond immediately.

Instead, he closed his eyes, focusing on the faint hum of power that connected Marcus to Alannah. He could feel it, a dark thread of energy that tethered their lives together. If I can sever the link…

"You're too quiet," Marcus taunted, stepping closer. "What's wrong, Adrian? Has the Champion of Meridia finally realized he can't win?"

Adrian's chains flared to life, their fiery light illuminating the chamber. "You talk too much," he said coldly, launching a chain toward Marcus's feet.

Marcus leapt back, dodging the strike with ease. "So predictable," he said with a smirk.

But Adrian wasn't aiming for Marcus. The chain coiled around the base of the cage, igniting in a burst of fire. The flames raced upward, forcing Marcus to step back as he raised a hand to shield himself from the heat.

"What are you doing?" Marcus demanded, his voice edged with irritation.

Adrian's chains pulsed with energy as he worked to analyze the spell binding Alannah to Marcus. The dark thread of magic vibrated faintly under the pressure, but it didn't snap. Instead, it seemed to strengthen, feeding off the tension in the air.

"I'm ending this," Adrian replied.

Marcus's expression twisted with rage. "No, Adrian. This ends on my terms."

He pressed his hand against the cage once more, and Alannah cried out, her body convulsing with pain. Adrian's chains faltered for a moment, the flames dimming as he hesitated.

"Stop it!" Adrian shouted, his voice raw with desperation.

"Make me," Marcus replied, his tone mocking as he lowered his blade, daring Adrian to act.

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