The chamber shook as the last echo faded:
"Decision approaches."
Lina staggered backward, heart hammering, flame flaring uncontrollably beneath her skin.
"No… no, this can't be happening…"
Kai caught her before she fell, arms steady even as his own mark seared black across his shoulder.
"Look at me," he said, voice low and fierce. "Lina, breathe."
But she couldn't.She couldn't breathe.The words carved into the wall repeated in her mind—
One path burns the world.The other burns the one she loves.
Her chest tightened painfully.
"I—I don't want to choose. I can't choose. I won't—"
"It's a lie," Reyon said sharply. "All prophecies are twisted. We're not letting some haunted basement device choose your future."
But his illusion shields flickered violently — images of himself swapping places with shadow selves, his face cracked, distorted.
Reyon flinched. "Stop—STOP—get out of my head—!"
Seren rushed to him, gripping his arm. "It's the Archives! They're forcing possible futures—too many at once—"
A blast of pressure exploded from the device, sending dust spiraling through the air.
Runic lines lit up in a circle around Lina's feet.
Kai reacted first.
He grabbed her waist and yanked her back. "Move!"
But the rune circle FOLLOWED her — pulsing gold, locking onto her flame like a magnet.
Lina gasped. "It's tracking me—! It's pulling my flame!"
Her knees buckled. She dropped to the floor.
Kai fell beside her instantly. "Lina!"
Her head pounded — memories slamming through her skull like glass shattering:
A corridor burning…Kai kneeling in the flames…Her own hands reaching out…Someone screaming her name…
She cried out, clutching her head.
"KAI—HELP—PLEASE—"
He cupped her face with shaking hands. "I'm right here. I'm right here. Don't leave me—"
But the room pulled at her flame harder.Harder.Harder.
Seren cried out suddenly, clasping her head.
"I—I hear something—wait—wait—there's… there's a prophecy—!"
Kai's head snapped up. "Seren, what prophecy?!"
Her voice trembled like something ancient was speaking through her.
"When the Seventh Flame trembles,the first tear shall fall.Shadow will break.Fire will choose.And the heart she holds will be the first price."
Lina's breath died.
Kai's entire body tensed.
Reyon's illusions shattered like glass across the chamber walls.
Lina shook her head violently. "NO. No, no, no—don't say that!"
Her flame burst outward — a violent, golden wave.
The device answered.
Rays of energy shot out, hooking into her flame like chains.
She screamed.
Kai lunged forward, grabbing her around the waist, pulling with all his strength.
"Let her GO!" he roared.
Shadowsteel erupted from him — wild, dark, uncontrolled.
The chains cracked.The machinery trembled.
Kai's mark burned white-hot.Veins around it blackened.
Reyon shouted, "Kai! You'll kill yourself!"
Kai snarled, "I DON'T CARE—"
The device surged again.
It dragged Lina toward it—closer—inch by inch—
Her fingers slipped from Kai's.
"Kai…" she cried weakly. "Please don't let go…"
His voice broke.
"I won't. Even if it kills me. I won't."
Lina sobbed."Kai—I don't want to choose between you and the world—I don't want to lose—"
"You'll lose NOTHING," he growled.
The runes brightened—
Seren screamed—
Reyon unleashed a blast of illusion energy—
Kai tore through three chains of light—
And Lina's flame erupted in a burst of brilliant, blinding gold.
The device exploded.
The chains shattered.
The room went still.
Lina collapsed into Kai's arms, gasping, tears streaking down her face.
He held her against his chest, shaking with adrenaline and terror.
"I've got you," he whispered into her hair."I've got you. I ALWAYS have you."
She clung to him like he was the only real thing left in the world.
Reyon slumped to the ground. "Okay… okay, so can we all agree that the Archives need to be burned? Like, right now?"
Seren wiped her tears. "The prophecy… it's only beginning. That was the first tear."
Kai tightened his grip on Lina.
"Then we'll stop the second."
Lina lifted her head, eyes wet, flame trembling.
"Kai… what if the prophecy is true? What if the choice—"
He pressed his forehead to hers.
"Then I'll rewrite it. With my own hands."
But behind them…
The device flickered back to life.
One rune glowed:
NEXT.
Lina's heart froze.
To be Continued© Kishtika., 2025All rights reserved.