The castle trembled with another deafening boom, sending dust and debris cascading from the cracked ceiling. The air vibrated with an unnatural energy, thick with the weight of something ancient and hungry.
Selene's heart pounded. The golden fire inside her still flickered, but exhaustion pressed heavy against her bones. She had barely grasped the truth of her power, and now another force was coming for her.
Lucian drew his sword, his silver eyes scanning the ruined hall. "Whatever this is, it's not waiting for us to be ready."
Valerian stood deathly still, his gaze fixed on the darkness swirling beyond the shattered walls. "It's not just a force," he said quietly. "It's a message."
Selene turned to him. "A message from who?"
The answer came before he could speak.
A voice cut through the air, deep and resonant, laced with something inhuman.
"The Flame has awakened. And the world will burn because of it."
A gust of icy wind swept through the castle ruins, sending the torches snuffing out one by one. Shadows stretched, twisting unnaturally, as if something unseen was watching from the darkness.
Lucian stepped in front of Selene, his blade glowing faintly with enchanted silver light. "Who's there?"
Footsteps echoed from the corridor beyond.
Slow. Measured.
And then—
From the shadows, a figure emerged.
A tall man, clad in a cloak woven from the night itself, his presence exuding an unnatural stillness. His face was pale, his features sculpted with cruel elegance. But it was his eyes that froze Selene in place—black as the void, swirling with fragments of stars.
Valerian's breath hitched. "Impossible."
Lucian's grip tightened on his sword. "Who the hell are you?"
The man smiled—a slow, deliberate motion that sent a chill down Selene's spine.
"I am known by many names," he said, his voice calm yet thunderous, like a storm whispering before it struck. "But to you, Celestial Flame, I am the one who will decide your fate."
Selene's fire flared instinctively, a warning pulse that sent golden light flickering through the room. "I don't need anyone deciding my fate for me."
The man tilted his head. "Don't you?"
A pressure descended upon the room, heavy and suffocating, as if the very air had thickened into something impossible to breathe. The torches that had gone dark did not relight. Instead, the shadows seemed to deepen, curling toward the stranger like living things.
Lucian stepped closer to Selene. "You didn't answer the question. Who are you?"
The man's smile widened, but his eyes remained void of warmth.
"I am Darius, Warden of the Abyss. Keeper of Forgotten Truths. And you, Selene, have something that belongs to me."
Selene's pulse skipped. "The Celestial Flame."
Darius inclined his head. "You wield it, but you do not own it. It was never meant to be held by mortal hands."
Lucian's voice was like steel. "She's not just mortal."
Darius looked at Lucian then, his expression unreadable. "No, I suppose she isn't." His gaze flicked back to Selene, dark amusement flickering in his void-like eyes. "But she is still… fragile."
A flick of his wrist—
A shadow lashed toward Selene like a striking serpent.
Lucian moved instantly, blade flashing as he intercepted the attack. The impact sent him staggering back, his boots skidding across the stone floor.
Selene's fire erupted, golden flames clashing against the darkness. The moment they met, the air shook, the sheer force of their opposing powers splintering the floor beneath them.
Darius exhaled, watching with mild curiosity. "Impressive."
Valerian finally spoke, his voice tight with tension. "You shouldn't be here."
Darius turned his gaze to him. "And yet, here I am."
Valerian stepped forward, shadows curling at his fingertips. "The Abyss does not interfere with the mortal realm unless something threatens the Balance. So tell me, Warden—why are you here now?"
Darius regarded him with something almost akin to amusement. "You know why."
Valerian's expression darkened. "Because of the Celestial Flame."
Darius nodded. "It was never meant to awaken. And now, the world will suffer for it."
Selene clenched her fists. "That's not true."
Darius regarded her with a piercing intensity. "Isn't it?" He gestured around them. "Look at what you've done. The world is already unraveling. And this… is only the beginning."
A crack of thunder shook the sky outside.
Selene's fire flickered. The weight of his words settled deep in her chest.
Lucian stepped beside her, his silver eyes burning. "We don't answer to you."
Darius studied him for a long moment. "No. You don't." His gaze flicked back to Selene, and for the first time, something like curiosity flashed in his dark eyes.
"You have a choice, Celestial Flame." His voice was softer now, but no less powerful. "Surrender the power, and the Balance will be restored. Refuse… and the consequences will be on your hands."
The silence that followed was heavy.
Selene met his gaze, her heart pounding.
She had fought to survive. She had fought for freedom. But now…
Now, she was being asked to decide the fate of the world.
Lucian turned to her. "Whatever you choose, you won't face it alone."
Valerian, despite his usual detachment, gave a small nod. "Agreed."
Selene took a slow breath.
And then—she looked Darius in the eye.
And made her choice.
End of Chapter Forty-One