Escaping Duty (Paranormal)

For years, Aiden Cole has been bound to a destiny he never chose. As a member of the Shadowguard, an ancient order tasked with protecting the fragile boundary between the human world and the realm of restless spirits, he has spent his life hunting and neutralizing malevolent entities that slip through the cracks of reality. Duty and sacrifice are all he knows, and the weight of his responsibilities has left him isolated and weary. However, when an unexpected vision reveals a chance to escape his grim fate-a rare opportunity to sever his bond to the Shadowguard-Aiden is torn between the life he's always known and the possibility of a future free from supernatural obligation.Determined to seize his chance at freedom, Aiden embarks on a dangerous journey to uncover the truth behind the vision, which leads him to a long-forgotten ritual hidden within ancient texts. Along the way, he meets Lyra, a mysterious woman with a connection to the spirit world and secrets of her own. As the two grow closer, Aiden begins to question whether the escape he's seeking is truly what he desires. Lyra, whose family has a tragic history tied to the Shadowguard, reveals that breaking his duty may have dire consequences-not only for Aiden but for the balance between the living and the dead. The spirits he's fought to protect are growing restless, and something far darker than he could ever have imagined is threatening to breach the veil.With the boundary between worlds weakening and dark forces closing in, Aiden must decide whether to remain bound to his duty and protect the realm from a growing supernatural threat, or risk everything to escape the life he was born into. As the stakes rise and time runs out, Aiden faces the ultimate question: is true freedom worth the cost of losing the only purpose he's ever known? In a world where the line between the living and the dead is perilously thin, escaping duty may be the most dangerous decision he's ever made.