<p>The Shadow of Love</p><p><br/></p><p>In a forgotten village wrapped in fog and whispers, there lived two souls intertwined by fate: Lira, a healer with a voice that could calm storms, and Kael, a swordsman with eyes like thunderclouds. They were inseparable—two halves of the same breath, known by all as the couple who had tamed even the cruelest winter together.</p><p><br/></p><p>But their love was not born of peace. Years ago, Kael had been cursed by an enemy long gone, a vengeful spirit that shadowed his every step. By day, he was whole. But by night, he became something else—his body stiffened, his mind clouded, and a dark reflection of himself emerged: a silent, hollow version that could harm anything it touched… even Lira.</p><p><br/></p><p>She learned early on. One night, a touch from his cursed hand scorched her skin like flame. Yet she never left. Instead, she built charms, cast spells, and wove hope into every thread of their home. But the shadow grew stronger.</p><p><br/></p><p>One evening, standing beneath the blood moon, Kael wept.</p><p><br/></p><p>> “I can’t stay. I can’t risk you anymore.”</p><p><br/></p><p><br/></p><p><br/></p><p>Lira held his face in her hands, her eyes filled not with fear—but fire.</p><p><br/></p><p>> “Then I’ll walk with you into the dark.”</p><p><br/></p><p><br/></p><p><br/></p><p>So they fled—deep into the ancient woods where forgotten gods still whispered. For years, they searched for a cure. And when no cure came, they forged a way to live on the edge of day and night. They never touched after dusk, never shared a bed, never embraced under stars. But they stayed. They chose each other, again and again, even in silence and distance.</p><p><br/></p><p>One final winter, the curse demanded a price: Kael’s life or his shadow's freedom.</p><p><br/></p><p>He chose death.</p><p><br/></p><p>But love, ever stubborn, had other plans.</p><p><br/></p><p>Lira stood before the spirit, her voice unshaken.</p><p><br/></p><p>> “Take me instead. He has already lived in the dark. Let him feel the sun.”</p><p><br/></p><p><br/></p><p><br/></p><p>The spirit, moved by a sacrifice born not of desperation but devotion, shattered. The curse lifted. But Lira vanished—her body gone, her shadow lingering.</p><p><br/></p><p>Now, Kael walks with her shadow by his side. She doesn’t speak, but she dances in firelight, brushes leaves from his path, and holds his hand in the cold. Not all love ends in light. Some remain in shadow—not broken, but transformed.</p>