Chapter Text
When Aleksander opened his eyes, he found himself lying, relaxed, in a small clearing in the middle of a forest. The deep green of the plants was accentuated by the sunlight, and the sound of a rushing river flowing nearby filled his ears. It was a place he knew well, through his childhood memories. That region must have been inaccessible, for it was located in the heart of the Fold. But now the Fold was nothing more than ancient history, a distant past. In that place, everything had an air of calm, and he felt at ease...
No! Don't let your guard down, danger may be nearby.
Aleksander, despite his apparent state of tranquility, moved behind one of the bushes as quietly as he could. Aware that the river drowned out the sound of his footsteps, he began to explore his surroundings.
In a possible fight, his main weapon was his shadow power, of course, but until he knew what he was dealing with, he would need to be cautious. He had had enough of watching mighty Grisha perish in clashes with groups of raging otkazat'syas, back in the days when their people were hunted by them, long before the Second Army and Fold were formed. He himself, when he was just a child, lived like a fugitive, always afraid to reveal his powers to the people who might kill him...
Suddenly, Aleksander became aware of the presence of another person who was trying to hide behind one of the trees. Recognition came in the blink of an eye and he blurted out:
"Alina Starkov."
He felt his body instantly react, the power of the shadows stirring within him, preparing for the impending confrontation. However, when Alina poked her head out of hiding, a smile filled his face. That disarmed Aleksander's defenses. She, on the other hand, seemed to be amused by her stupefied state.
"Hey, you found me really fast!" she exclaimed.
He laughed, realizing that, after all, there was nothing to fear, it was all just a simple game of hide and seek.
When he came fully out from behind the tree, Aleksander saw that she was wearing the black kefta with gold embroidery, the stag's antlers sticking out at her neck. And yet, her skin glowed brighter than everything else around her, giving off a light that could have been mistaken for the sun itself.
I've waited so long for you.
Then they began to walk, side by side, towards the small clearing where Aleksander had awakened. Without any fear, she absently laced her hand with his. A stream of power coursed through the two of them, showing that they were in complete accord. After all, they were the two most powerful Grisha who ever lived and between them there was no envy, no feeling of superiority, or even political quarrels (as Aleksander had often seen in the Little Palace), for they were equals, they ruled together. Now Ravka was united again, a nation at peace, a refuge for all Grisha. This was all he ever wanted.
When they reached the clearing, Alina released her hand and announced, in a playful tone:
"You may have been quick, but now it's time for my revenge." Her expression was one of false solemnity. "Aleksander, it's your turn to hide."
* * *
Of course, it had all been a dream.
Still lying on the bed and with his eyes closed, Aleksander remembered one of the conversations he'd had with the real Alina, right before he'd put the amplifier on her neck. That was the first time he had revealed, aloud, the future he had planned. Together, Aleksander had told her, and Alina's expression had made it clear that she wanted him too. But it was equally obvious that there was a struggle inside her to accept the reality that only the two of them were eternal, and the rest of the world didn't deserve them. Then Aleksander had noticed that he too had been in an internal conflict, not being able to distinguish between the lies and manipulations he himself had created from his real feelings for Alina.
And in the end, after everything they'd been through, she'd chosen to betray him…which, come to think of it, wasn't all bad, considering it brought her even closer to him. However, if she had made the effort to understand him, she would certainly have agreed with his actions.
Over the past few hundred years, Aleksander had closely followed the numerous conflicts between the Grishas and the otkazat'syas, who would later form the Second and First Armies to fight Ravka's enemies. However, even being on the same side of the battle, the moment the Fold was destroyed, it would be a trigger for a civil war, which for some time had already given indications of happening. Thus, the nation would weaken, opening a gap for the Shu Han and the Fjerda to come at them with everything.
And in the midst of this situation was General Kirigan, the only one capable of mending a nation split in half.
With that in mind, he'd had to make the decision to use the Fold as a weapon against the insurgent otkazat'syas, aware of the collateral damage, of the countless lives that would be taken, but knowing it wouldn't be in vain. He would show everyone that Ravka would not fall easily, ensuring the stability of the realm, and the King would have no choice but to hand him the crown. The Darkling was prepared to play the villain if that was what it took to achieve his goals.
However, other people dared to interfere with his plans, convincing the suncaster that the myth of "Sankta Alina" would be able to unite the Grisha and the otkazat'syas in a common faith. Alina still hadn't given up on the completely outlandish idea that she belonged to these two groups. The truth was, there was no one in the whole world who resembled her and Aleksander, and he knew it well.
All his life he had lived surrounded by lesser Grisha, without the slightest ability to understand him. For everyone else, the tireless efforts to find the suncaster were justified by their own commercial and political interests, in addition to the many benefits that the destruction of the Fold would bring. But for Aleksander, it was much more than that. It was a search for the only person who could fill a void in his being, and he was willing to look for hundreds more years if need be.
So when Alina Starkov had appeared, he'd quickly realized that she was nothing like he'd imagined. There was a huge chasm between them. She could, with the right time and training, become just as powerful. However, until that moment, it was Aleksander who had deep knowledge about the Little Science and about Merzost, the forbidden magic.
His body shifted uncomfortably on the bed as a shiver ran through him from end to end at the mere sound of that word in his thoughts. He had learned the hard way that messing with Merzost always had unimaginable consequences. In his quest for a superior power capable of crushing all his enemies, he had created the Fold and the volkras. Inside it, Aleksander's Grisha power was simply useless, he couldn't even use his slashing skill against the volkras.
However, with Alina's help, he could have used the Fold as a weapon. Not forever, of course. The time would come when it would need to be destroyed. It was like a double-edged sword: you can use it against your enemies, but eventually you will get hurt. And Fold had always been the Darkling's greatest weakness…but not anymore. Now, he had acquired a new power, which would soon make it possible to create an army of dark creatures ready to obey him.
With that thought, Aleksander finally opened his eyes. Her new "pets" almost blended in with the darkness of the room, but his presence was impossible to ignore.
"Nichevo'yas, approach," Aleksander commanded the creatures, a faint, almost unrecognizable voice ringing in his ears.
He waited a few moments, however, they didn't seem to have heard. He tried one more time and nothing happened. Could madness be taking hold of him?
Just a day ago, he was in great condition. After nearly being killed by the suncaster, Aleksander had acquired the power to summon the Nichevo'yas, who, he'd promptly discovered, were a veritable killing machine. Shortly after leaving the Shadowbending, for an entire day he had led them in carnage against the otkazat'syas who crossed his path. He had ended up creating a trail of bodies, not caring about the consequences.
By now, the story of the Darkling surviving the Fold would have reached Alina's ears. The prospect that she would be rallying her allies to start a real war against him excited him, because if he were in her position, that's what he would do. However, at the present moment, he could not face a single insect. Aleksander looked more like an invalid, confined to the bed of some house, the veins in his body pulsing black, as if he had been stricken with a deadly plague. To summon and command his Nichevo'ya, he had expended an immense amount of energy. It would still take some time for him to recover before he could face the sun caster.
While he was in such deplorable conditions, the Nichevo'yas, on the contrary, did not look the least bit prostrate. That was because they fed on Aleksander's Grisha power to exist, without worrying about a balance, and there was nothing they could do. That was the price to be paid for his newfound power.
If Alina appeared, he would only have to order, loud and clear, that the few Nichevo'yas with him sacrifice themselves in a direct confrontation with her, buying enough time for Aleksander to escape. Of course, he would then have to spend some time in hiding to continue his recovery. However, once he was at the peak of his strength again, nothing and no one would be a match for him. His future would not be anything like his dream, for Alina was also a double-edged sword that needed to be destroyed.
So, with that last thought, he felt his mind wander as sleep overtook him.
* * *
Aleksander had hidden in a strategic place. As much as Alina tried to be stealthy, as they were far from the river, he could hear the sound of twigs breaking and leaves crunching under her feet, which gave away her location. So it was easy for him to dodge, especially since he had the advantage of familiarity with the terrain. However, Aleksander hadn't anticipated that she would also be paying attention to his movements. At last, the moment came when he couldn't avoid being cornered against a stone obstacle.
"I found you!" Alina said triumphantly, and he couldn't hide his proud smile.
Then, she started walking towards him, slowly. A few moments passed, which felt like an eternity. Aleksander felt the memory of him taking him to the first time they'd met, in a tent at a military camp. Initially, he hadn't believed that this simple girl in front of him could be the great sun caster he'd been looking for centuries. However, over time, she ended up surprising him in many ways. Aleksander hated to admit it, but the truth was, from the moment they'd met, she'd seemed to have taken over his world. Alina Starkov was his obsession, never really letting go of his thoughts, both in real life and in his dreams.
Now, the person in front of her was proof that, after all her dedication and effort, he had managed to mold her into his own image. Thinking about it made her eyes sparkle, however Alina seemed to have had another interpretation as she stopped walking and inquired:
"Am I a threat to you?"
Aleksander found himself shaking his head emphatically in denial.
"We are part of a perfect balance," his words rang with unshakable certainty. "Nature herself created us this way, destined to be together. Alina, we belong together..."
However, she didn't seem to be listening. Her face slowly changed into an expression of astonishment, and she leaned back, away from him. Aleksander didn't hesitate as he stretched his arms toward her, aware of the space, which now looked more like an abyss, between them. He felt his heart race in his chest. Her next words were like a punch to his stomach:
"I don't…don't believe you."
And with a movement of his hands, high above, the sun went out. Aleksander looked around him, his mind confused by what he was witnessing, the dream starting to turn into a nightmare.
Within seconds, the air around them had completely transformed. Now they were inside the Fold, the only place where Aleksander's Grisha power was useless, where he'd barely made it out alive the last time.
If he kept still, he sure as hell wouldn't escape death again.
Aleksander forced himself to put his feelings aside to focus. Consuming almost entirely the energy of his being, he summoned his Nichevo'yas, and they came. After a few moments, there were already dozens, which soon became thousands, scattered all around them. But when he turned his triumphant gaze on Alina, she didn't look the least bit shaken.
"Love...Hate...Power...", she uttered each word with disdain. "They gave birth to the Fold, and even after all this time, they still guide your decisions..."
A howl came from the darkling's mouth, and the Nichevo'yas surged forward, ready to rip the suncaster to shreds. Commanding an army of shadow creatures didn't allow him to recover the energy spent summoning them, leaving him in an especially vulnerable position. Sweat was running down his forehead and his body was shaking uncontrollably, to the point that he thought he was going to pass out from all the effort. His eyes, however, did not leave Alina's.
Now, a light had formed behind her, acting as a kind of barrier, keeping her away from the monsters. At that moment, she looked like a true sankta. Sankta Alina.
Without even looking around, she nodded and the nearest Nichevo'ya crumbled to the ground, emitting grotesque screams as its shadowy body slowly evaporated, being consumed by white light.
At that sight, the Darkling ordered his army of Nichevo'yas to throw themselves against the light barrier. Not even the mighty sun caster alone could contain the incomparable strength of thousands of dark creatures.
However, the Nichevo'yas did not move. Apparently, there wasn't any kind of obstacle, they just didn't respond to his command. The Darkling, again, gave the order for them to attack, which caused the monsters to come out of their daze and advance, only towards him.
But... how was that possible? He was the incomparable General Kirigan, and those creatures were part of his army. Only he was able to command them.
"You, Aleksander, are so predictable," Alina spat out the words.
The Nichevo'yas had already surrounded him on all sides. The Darkling felt fear gripping him, knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that this was the end of him, for he was no match for those monsters. They were his greatest vulnerability. However, he never took his eyes off Alina. Her next words were lost in the sound of the beasts' screams, but he managed to follow the movement of her lips.
In the next instant, his vision blurred.
* * *
Aleksander's eyes widened, taking in a gulp of air. As if he hadn't woken up from the nightmare, he found himself closely surrounded by several Nichevo'yas, the largest number of them yet. His heart was racing inside his chest and his breathing was unsteady. It had all felt so real, especially the part of the Nichevo'yas revolting against him. But that was far from reality, right? The day before, Aleksander had carefully observed the behavior of those dark beasts and concluded that they were nothing more than mindless creatures, incapable of anything like what had happened in his nightmare. In order for the shadow soldiers to do anything, there had to be someone in charge, and of course there wasn't the remotest possibility that Alina could lead them.
The Darkling, however, was perfect for this role. He had been chosen by them to command them, due to his characteristics: he was undeniably powerful, with a bloodlust that propelled him towards his goals, a real threat to all his enemies...
Love...Hate...Power...
He heard Alina's voice whispering in his ear. In the next instant, Aleksander was looking around desperately. It wasn't possible, she couldn't be there, had he fallen asleep again? But no, now, he looked more awake than ever.
Breathing under control, Aleksander sat up, leaning his back against the headboard, noting how the Nichevo'yas around him were positioned in the way of all possible escape routes. They stared at him in complete silence, following his every slightest movement, and the whole scene was more like that of a prey that finds itself cornered by its predators.
Aleksander felt a chill run down his spine as a thought formed in his mind.
Ever since he'd left the Fold, he'd come to believe his primary purpose was to hunt down and destroy Alina. Meanwhile, the creatures around him were draining all of his energy, multiplying, strengthening at his expense, all to face the sun caster, and he'd seen nothing wrong with that. As his only weapon against his Nichevo'ya, she was his greatest threat.
But would he, Aleksander, really be capable of killing Alina?
He thought of the words he'd said to her in the dream… The answer was so obvious. Of course not, he wouldn't.
But what he was capable of or not capable of didn't matter anymore… The day before, he'd led his monsters on a senseless kill, creating a trail of bodies that would serve perfectly as bait to lure Alina here. He might not want to face her, but the Nichevo'yas would be waiting for her...
So predictable.
General Kirigan had never really been the commander of his shadow beasts. Quite the opposite. All this time, he had been nothing but a puppet. Now, his only way out would be to have faith in the person he wanted to see him dead, but who was his last hope to free himself.
The Nichevo'yas around him began to stir. Suddenly, Aleksander remembered the last words that had come from the lips of the suncaster in his dream, which, in that context, he had interpreted with an intonation of defiance. Yet now, he desperately wished they had been spoken in a merciful tone.
Alina had said, "Come find me."