Chapter 34: The Terran’s Choice

Chapter 34: The Terran's Choice

Silvia's POV

The energy crackled around Silvia, alive and untamed. The flames that erupted from her hands were different—denser, heavier, laced with something ancient. The cavern trembled beneath the pressure of her magic, and for the first time, the Terran looked…

Afraid.

Silvia didn't know how or why, but something inside her had awakened. The magic she had wielded before had been powerful, but this was something else. Something that made her blood burn and her pulse race with raw potential.

The Terran hesitated for the first time, its glowing blue eyes narrowing as it studied her. "You wield fire… yet this power is not of the surface."

Silvia tightened her stance. "Then what is it?"

The Terran's gaze flicked toward the broken murals carved into the walls. It let out a slow, deliberate breath before stepping back. "You do not know what you are."

Dragon tensed beside her. "That's a real ominous way to avoid answering."

The Terran's gaze remained locked on Silvia. "You have a choice, Earthstar. Continue down the path of your ancestors, and this world will burn again. Or… step into the truth and learn what was stolen from you."

Tarren's grip on his rifle tightened. "This is just more manipulation. You expect us to trust you?"

The Terran lifted a hand, and the energy that had been suffocating the cavern faded slightly. "Trust is earned. But we are out of time. If you wish to understand your role in this war, then you must follow."

Silvia exchanged a look with Dragon. He arched a brow. "So… mysterious underground shapeshifter invites us deeper into its creepy cave. Sounds like a great idea."

Silvia smirked despite herself. "What's the worst that could happen?"

Dragon grinned. "We die horribly."

Tarren grunted. "Yeah, that tracks."

Silvia turned back to the Terran, her flames dimming as she exhaled. "Alright. Show me the truth."

The Terran turned, stepping deeper into the ruins.

And Silvia followed.

The Descent

The path led them deeper underground, through twisting tunnels illuminated by the same glowing blue veins that pulsed beneath the Terran's skin. The air grew heavier, tinged with a strange, metallic scent. Every step felt weighted, as though they were walking into something ancient—something alive.

Dragon ran a hand along the walls. "These tunnels weren't just carved out. They were grown."

Silvia frowned. "What does that mean?"

The Terran glanced over its shoulder. "Magic is not just a force. It is a living entity. Your kind treats it as a tool, but here… it shapes the world itself."

Tarren exhaled sharply. "That's comforting."

The deeper they traveled, the more the structures changed. What started as ruins of an old civilization became something newer—towers of obsidian, doorways that shifted when they approached, walls that pulsed as though they were breathing.

Silvia swallowed hard. "This isn't just a city."

The Terran nodded. "It is a kingdom. And you stand on the threshold of its rebirth."

The Chamber of Truth

They entered a massive chamber, its ceiling so high it disappeared into darkness. At the center, a monolithic structure pulsed with raw power, its surface shifting like liquid stone.

Silvia stepped forward, her heartbeat thundering in her chest. She didn't know how, but she could feel something calling to her from within the structure.

The Terran gestured. "Touch it."

Dragon scowled. "Yeah, that's a hard no. We don't just touch ancient, possibly cursed artifacts."

Silvia ignored him. She was already stepping closer, drawn to the monument. The heat in her veins intensified, her fingertips tingling as she reached out.

The moment her hand met the surface—

Visions exploded in her mind.

Echoes of the Past

She saw a city bathed in golden light, its people moving with graceful ease, their bodies shifting between human and beast forms. Towering structures pulsed with energy, their surfaces alive with shifting patterns of magic.

Then—

Flames. Screams. The sky darkened as fire rained down.

She saw humans, wielding power much like her own, leading the charge against the Terrans. They came in droves, their weapons infused with magic that cut through the dark-skinned warriors like they were nothing.

Then came the sealing.

She saw glyphs carved into the earth, sigils of immense power forming an unbreakable cage, forcing the Terrans deep underground, cutting them off from the surface.

A voice whispered in her mind.

You are one of us.

Silvia gasped, jerking her hand back. She staggered, clutching her chest as her pulse raced.

Dragon caught her before she could fall. "Silvia! What the hell just happened?"

She looked up at him, her breathing ragged. "I… I saw it. The war. The truth."

Tarren stepped forward. "And?"

Silvia swallowed hard, her voice barely above a whisper. "We were the invaders."

The Choice

The Terran watched her, silent.

Silvia clenched her fists, her mind racing. "This changes everything. If the humans started the war… if we're the reason they were sealed away—"

"Then what happens now?" Tarren finished, his voice laced with uncertainty.

Dragon crossed his arms. "Look, history's messy. But that doesn't mean we let them burn the surface to the ground."

The Terran's gaze flicked between them. "Now you see the weight of your decision. Will you continue the cycle? Or will you forge something new?"

Silvia exhaled sharply, her entire world shifting. For so long, she had believed she was fighting to protect her people—but what if that fight had been based on a lie?

She looked at Dragon. Then Tarren.

Then, finally, back at the Terran.

"I don't know what comes next," she admitted, her voice steady. "But I won't let history decide for me."

The Terran nodded, as if it had expected that answer.

"Then prepare yourself, Earthstar. Because the war is far from over."

Silvia lifted her chin, fire in her veins once more.

"Then let's end it on our terms."