A Rift between Us:

The chamber trembled as the battle raged on. The air crackled with power—light and shadow colliding in bursts of energy that shook the ancient ruins to their core.

Lucian's shadows twisted and lashed out like living serpents, striking at the creature's form, but it moved with effortless precision, dodging his every attack. Aeliana fought beside him, her radiant light cutting through the darkness, yet the being barely flinched.

"You fight well together," it mused. "Yet every strike you land weakens you both."

Aeliana gritted her teeth, pushing forward despite the heavy weight pressing against her chest. The whispers in her mind grew louder. Her light flickered, unstable, as if something inside her was being torn apart.

Lucian noticed.

He moved toward her instinctively, reaching out—

And in that moment, the creature struck.

Dark tendrils lashed out, surging toward Aeliana faster than she could react.

Lucian's crimson eyes widened. "Aeliana—!"

Without thinking, he threw himself in front of her.

The impact sent him flying backward. He crashed into the stone wall with a sickening crack, shadows dispersing around him like shattered glass.

Aeliana's breath caught in her throat. "Lucian!"

She rushed toward him, but the moment she did, a searing pain shot through her chest. It was as if her very essence was being ripped apart.

The being watched, amused. "See? The closer you get, the more you break."

Aeliana staggered, hands clutching her chest. Her light dimmed, flickering like a dying flame.

Lucian forced himself up, his body shaking. His crimson eyes met hers, and in them, she saw it—the same realization that was dawning on her.

They couldn't keep fighting like this.

Not together.

The whispers in her mind grew deafening.

"One of you must let go."

No.

There had to be another way.

Lucian took a shaky breath, forcing his voice steady. "Aeliana. We can't—"

"No!" She shook her head, voice raw. "Don't say it."

He clenched his fists, shadows curling around him. "We have no choice."

Aeliana felt her heart lurch. No choice?

The creature tilted its head, watching them as if waiting for them to understand the inevitable.

Lucian exhaled sharply, then stepped back. Away from her.

Aeliana felt it immediately. The crushing weight against her chest eased. Her light steadied.

And in that moment, it became painfully clear.

They couldn't exist together without destroying each other.

Her throat tightened. "Lucian…"

His expression was unreadable, but his voice was quiet—almost resigned. "We have to separate."

Aeliana's hands curled into fists. "No. I won't leave you."

Lucian gave a bitter smirk. "You won't have to."

Before she could react, his shadows surged outward—

A barrier formed between them.

Aeliana's eyes widened as she stumbled back, hitting an invisible wall. "Lucian—!"

"Don't." His voice was firm, but his eyes…

His eyes held something unspoken. A silent plea. A lingering sadness.

Aeliana slammed her hands against the barrier, her glowing light flickering against the dark wall of shadows. "Lucian, don't do this!"

Lucian stood on the other side, his expression unreadable, but the tension in his stance betrayed the turmoil within him. "We don't have a choice," he said, voice quieter now.

Aeliana shook her head furiously. "There's always a choice!"

The creature behind them chuckled darkly. "Fascinating. The angel and the devil, bound yet doomed to repel each other."

Lucian ignored it. His gaze remained on Aeliana. "Listen to me," he said firmly. "We can't stay together right now. If we do—" His fingers twitched, as if resisting the urge to reach for her. "You'll be the one who breaks first."

Aeliana felt her chest tighten. "And what about you?" she whispered.

Lucian gave a half-smirk, one that didn't reach his eyes. "I'll survive."

Aeliana gritted her teeth, frustration and sorrow warring inside her. She knew he was right. She had felt it—the unbearable pressure, the way her very essence threatened to shatter the closer she got to him.

But leaving him?

Lucian turned away before she could answer, his shadows twisting as he stepped further into the abyss. "Find the truth, Aeliana," he murmured. "Before it's too late."

And then—

The barrier shattered.

Aeliana was thrown backward by an unseen force. The moment her body hit the ground, the world around her blurred and distorted. A rift had opened between them, and she was being pulled away, dragged through space and time.

The last thing she saw was Lucian standing in the darkness, his crimson eyes glowing like dying embers.

Then—

Everything went black.