Rachel's POV
"God, what's happening?" My voice quivering, I whispered to myself. I struggled to get back under control and staggered back. The strength, however, kept coming. It surged again, more powerfully, and this time the walls of the structure shook with it. The windows shook. Frozen in disbelief, I stood there while the universe around me trembled. It had to be stopped. I have to manage it. But I had no idea. The world appeared to suddenly calm, leaving only the sounds of my pounding breath. Everything was quiet, but deep inside I could sense something had shifted. I was no longer simply Rachel. I had lost track of who I was. I attempted to stay away, but it was unavoidable. Luka always seemed to find me, always managed to show up when I least expected it. One day, walking between courses, he showed up next to me, his long stride effortlessly matching mine. Though I would not look at him, his presence made my heart race and my breath quicken. Luka remarked quietly, "You don't have to keep running from this." I could sense the intensity in his voice and the draw in his words. Though my voice trembled, I answered, "I'm not running." "I'm just... trying to work things out." He caught my arm softly, not violently, but with such intent I couldn't overlook it. Warm against my flesh, his fingertips sent an undeniable spark through me. Luka whispered against my ear, his breath warm, "You're not just any woman, Ymir." "You belong to me; I'm not letting you go." The draw could no longer be ignored. It was primal, not only emotional. Our link was genuine. It scared me to death. The prophecy, the cult, Luka's conviction that we were supposed to be together; it all swirled in my head like an inescapable maelstrom. From my window, I gazed into the dark night. The landscape below appeared so calm, so oblivious of the turmoil inside me. A gentle knock on the door startled me and sent my heart racing. I opened it to find Luka there. His hair was ruffled from the night breeze, his eyes dark and full of intensity that made my breath catch. Softly, he whispered, "I'm not here to fight," entering. "I just wanted to see you." My thoughts were racing as I stepped back. "Luka, this isn't correct," I murmured, my voice strained. "I cannot," He came closer, and I was frozen. Every inch between us felt electric, as though the air itself was dense with expectation. "Ymir," he murmured softly, his voice low and strong with silent intensity. We fit together. Embrace it. It's our identity. His fingers brushed mine, and I felt the heat between us flare, an uncontrolled explosion of energy. I drew back, but it was too late. The force surged through me, sending a pulse of heat throughout my body. I fell back, my head spinning. "What's going on with me?" My voice was almost undetectable above the thumping of my heart. I could not shake the impression that something was amiss. As the sun sank below the horizon, the anxiety that had followed me all day sunk deeper. I believed I could breathe a bit easier, that I was starting to control the unusual forces rising inside me. I was mistaken. I hadn't even reached the university courtyard before I felt it, the air thickening, the pressure rising around me. I felt my heart skip a beat. A person waited in the darkness; his silhouette known yet distorted. Gideon I stopped. Gazing at the person standing in front of me, my breath froze in my throat and a sudden dread started to grip me. Though his mask hid the rest of his face, his presence was clear; his black cloak danced in the evening wind. This day had me worried. Knew it was on its way. "You should have known," he replied, his voice as frigid as steel, loaded with the burden of a thousand cautions. I stepped back, but my body wouldn't budge any quicker. I found myself caught between the past and the present, between who I was and who I was meant to be. Stepping out of the shadows with ease and every motion deliberate, he said, "Rachel, you can't outrun your fate." You are part of the cult. Whether you desire it or not, the prophecy will come true. His remarks froze me and left me gasping. His words hung about me like a thick cloud. The strength that had been so erratic within me appeared to calm, only to rise again, this time more forceful, more out of control. Gideon came closer; I stepped back once more, but we had no remaining distance. He stretched out and grabbed my arm with an iron-like grip. Whispering softly, nearly personally, he said, "Luna, your fate is sealed." You are under my authority. My heart was pounding as I slammed my dorm door shut behind me. Gideon's presence, the crushing reality of his words, had left me still hammering. I am not your marionette. I shall not be. The phrases danced in my thoughts but did nothing to calm the dread in my chest. The instant I was alone, that all-too-familiar wave of strength burst from deep inside me. Suddenly, violently, it struck me and I gasped as my body flooded with heat. I attempted to steady myself, and my hands shook. The room around me appeared to shrink. The walls shook beneath the pressure of the power rushing inside me and the air popped with an unexplainable strain. Too much energy made me stumble back, my feet stumbling over the floor. Nothing helped but I put my hands on the walls attempting to ground myself. It was intolerable. Then, suddenly, the floor split under the pressure. The walls creaked as though they were about to fall. Though it simply made matters worse, I yelled and my body trembled. I felt as though I was no longer even in charge. Whatever the power was, it had taken over. My body reacted before I could even consider, my ideas all over the place. Books, pens, clothing, everything I had meticulously set broke apart in a furious energy storm. Objects flew across the room. Kneeling, my head whirling. My breath was ragged and my hands trembled. The strength surging through me was palpable; it was getting stronger every second. "This is it," I said softly, my voice cracking. "I've lost control."