Mary Rose stood at the heart of her fortress, a ce where darkness seemed to manifest into almost tangible forms, writhing and twisting around a grotesque altar.


    Upon ity the colossal body of Tiamat, the Dragon of the End, bound by chains forged from magic so dark it glowed with a deep, ominous purple hue.


    The creature, once the embodiment of destruction and renewal, nowy utterly subdued, its primordial strength siphoned away to fuel Mary Rose''s insane n.


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    Before her, another grandiose scene unfolded.


    Fenrir, the legendary wolf, was imprisoned within a meticulously drawn magic circle, its blood-red runes glowing fiercely as spectral chains restrained the beast. Fenrir snarled furiously, its body thrashing with a power capable of shattering mountains. Yet, despite its immense energy, the wolf could not break free.


    ''Damn you, wretched witch! I can''t even return to my human form anymore! I''m dying!'' Fenrir''s thoughts were a whirlwind of rage and despair. The once-proud and wless woman had been reduced to a feral ck beast,pletely subdued.


    Mary Rose, her ck dress flowing like an extension of the surrounding darkness, observed it all with a malevolent smile. Her golden eyes shimmered with a calcted madness as she raised a hand, channeling even more magic to reinforce her hold over Fenrir.


    "Struggle all you want, miserable beast," she sneered, her voice dripping with disdain. "Nothing escapes my control. Tiamat is my battery, and you are the key to breaking the final barriers. With both of you, I will be the Incarnation of Negativity and reshape this world ording to my will."


    Fenrir let out a deafening howl, its razor-sharp fangs gleaming as it hurled its might against the chains.


    "HAHAHAHA!" Mary Roseughed, a triumphant yet unhinged sound, as if her descent into madness had been spurred by the prospect of ultimate power.


    Then, everything changed.


    A ripple coursed through the chamber, as though the very fabric of reality were being torn apart. Mary Rose''s smile faltered, her expression sharpening into alertness. Fenrir, too, ceased its howls, the air growing heavy and oppressive around them.


    ''Finally…?'' Fenrir thought, a flicker of hope in its eyes.


    Suddenly, a portal materialized in the center of the magic circle restraining Fenrir. Unlike anything Mary Rose had ever seen, it was a vortex of blue-silver energy, spinning with an otherworldly force.


    Before she could react, the spectral chains around Fenrir began to weaken. A sound like shattering ss filled the chamber, and in an abrupt motion, Fenrir''s body was pulled toward the portal.


    "No!" Mary Rose screamed, her voice echoing through the chamber. She thrust out her hands, unleashing a massive surge of dark magic at the portal. The energy streaked like lightning, but before it could connect, an invisible barrier formed around the vortex.


    The barrier pulsed with intricate, glowing runes, its structure clearly anti-magical. Mary Rose''s spell ricocheted harmlessly, dissipating into the air. Her eyes widened, and the fury in her expression was quickly reced with panic and disbelief.


    "Who dares interfere with my ns?" she roared, her voice filled with unrestrained rage.


    That''s when she saw her.


    A female figure emerged from the portal, floating gracefully in the air. Her silver cloak shimmered like moonlight, and her piercing blue eyes locked onto Mary Rose with a mixture of disdain and amusement. Her white hair billowed around her head as though caught in an ethereal wind.


    Alice Arcano.


    "You really outdid yourself, Mary Rose. It took me quite a while to track you down, but thankfully you were with Tiamat, so it was easy to follow the chaos you caused," Alice said, her voice soft yetced with sharp irony. "Capturing Tiamat and Fenrir? What ambition. Too bad you don''t know what to truly do with them."


    Mary Rose gritted her teeth, fury burning in her gaze. "Alice Arcano... you dare enter my domain?"


    Alice let out a light, almost mockingugh. "Your domain? Oh, darling... you still haven''t realized, have you? You don''t control anything. You''re just a pawn in a much bigger game. My husband will reward me greatly when I bring Fenrir back."


    ''Husband?'' Fenrir thought to himself... ''Don''t tell me she…''


    "Shut up!" Mary Rose hurled another st of magic at Alice, a surge of pure destructive energy. But the anti-magic barrier remained unshaken, not even trembling under the impact.


    Alice raised an eyebrow, as though she were bored. "Still not getting it? Your magic is useless against me. I''ve anticipated all your moves. While you y with destruction, I weave through the lines of fate. That''s why Fenrir is mine now."


    As if to emphasize her words, the portal began to close, and with it, Fenrir was freed from thest chains that bound him. The wolf threw onest look at Mary Rose, a mix of defiance and triumph, before vanishingpletely into the vortex.


    "DAMN IT!!!!!!" Mary Rose screamed, her voice filling the space with pure frustration. She tried again to break the barrier, but it was futile. Her magic couldn''t even scratch it.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Alice, still floating with the calmness of someone who knew she had full control, gazed at Mary Rose with a cold smile. "You know, you should really reconsider your ns. Because as things stand, you''ll only end up destroying yourself. And that would be... so predictable."


    With onest disdainful nce, Alice waved lightly, and the portal closedpletely, leaving Mary Rose alone with Tiamat, who remained trapped.


    The room fell silent, save for Mary Rose''s heavy breathing. She kneeled, her fists clenched, trembling with rage. Her entire body seemed to burn in a frenzy of hatred and impotence.


    "ALICE!" she screamed, her voice echoing off the chamber walls. "You will pay for this! I will destroy you, every fiber of your being!"


    But deep down, she knew Alice had turned the game. Fenrir was lost, and without him, her n was iplete. Rage boiled inside her, but for the first time, a shadow of doubt began to creep in.


    ~~~


    The Eternal Light Courtyard – Alice Arcano''s Castle


    The air in the courtyard was filled with an almost ethereal tranquility. Surrounded by marble columns that seemed to capture the glow of the moon, the ce emanated an aura of ancient, unquestionable power. The sky above was a tapestry of stars, pierced by a full moon that seemed to shine only for that moment.


    In the center, the silver portal finally dissipated, and a colossal figure began to take form. Fenrir, the legendary wolf, materialized, his fur ck as the night, gleaming with a supernatural glow. His golden eyes burned with the intensity of a beast finally freed, but still struggling to find its bearings.


    Alice stood before him, as serene as ever. Her light blue eyes studied the wolf with a mix of curiosity and satisfaction. With a smile barely touching her lips, she murmured to herself:


    "My husband will like this..."


    Fenrir, still breathing heavily from the effort of escaping Mary Rose''s grasp, rose up majestically. For a few seconds, his fierce golden eyes locked onto Alice, as if evaluating the figure before him. But something changed. The intensity in his eyes softened, and the wolf''s body began to emit a silver glow.


    His paws transformed into delicate hands, and the vastness of the creature gave way to a slender, feminine figure. The transformation was graceful, as if it were natural to her. The woman now standing before Alice had ck hair cascading down to her waist like a shimmering waterfall. Her eyes still held that same golden gleam, but her gaze was now human, albeit still carrying the fierceness of her lupine nature.


    Fenrir ran a hand through her hair, taking a deep breath as her posture rxed. "Finally... free." Her voice was soft, but with a rough, primal tone, as if every word carried the strength of her true form.


    Alice crossed her arms, observing the newly transformed woman with an evaluative gaze. "You were a handful, you know? It wasn''t easy getting you out of that crazy woman''s hands."


    Fenrir turned fully toward Alice, her expression a mix of skepticism and gratitude. "And why would you do that? What do you gain by freeing me?"


    Alice gave a slight smile, as if the question were expected. "Let''s just say I like to bnce things out. Besides…" She paused, turning for a moment to gaze at the moon. "I have a debt to someone you''ll surely meet soon."


    Fenrir narrowed her eyes but didn''t press further. Instead, she stretched out her arm, flexing her fingers as if testing her newfound freedom. "It doesn''t matter the reason… I have to admit, it''s good to be free from that nightmare. Tiamat is still there…"


    Alice raised an eyebrow, her tone slightly ironic. "Tiamat is another matter. A problem, I hope, will be dealt with soon. For now, focus on regaining your strength. You''ll have an important role in what''s toe."


    Fenrir sighed, crossing her arms. "I hate being used as a pawn… But given what I just went through, I guess I don''t have much room toin."


    Alice took a step forward, her presence both authoritative andforting. She ced a light hand on Fenrir''s shoulder. "You won''t be a pawn. You''ll be a force. And with the right help, you might even be a catalyst to change the destiny that Mary Rose is trying to impose on this world."


    Fenrir''s gaze met Alice''s, and for a moment, there was a silent understanding between them.


    "Either way," Fenrir said, raising her chin with a determined expression, "I want revenge. For everything she did to me."


    Alice smiled, a smile full of confidence. "You''ll get your chance. But for now, rest. When the time is right, you''ll be ready."


    Fenrir nodded and turned to explore the courtyard, her presence still heavy with the weight of her original form. Alice remained standing, watching her with a thoughtful gleam in her eyes.


    "Dante is going to love this…" she murmured again, before turning her attention to the horizon, where the next move in the great game of fate was already beginning to unfold.