CHAPTER 26 THE VEIL OF FATE

The Veil of Fate

The Breaking of the Mark

Pain.

It rippled through Lyra's body like molten fire, searing through every vein. The celestial mark on her forearm flared violently, its golden glow now flickering between light and dark—between power and ruin.

She gritted her teeth, struggling to stay upright.

Eryx stood before her, watching. Waiting.

Alden gripped his sword, standing in front of her like a shield. "Whatever you're doing to her, stop."

Eryx's expression was eerily calm. "I'm not doing anything, Alden." His silver eyes gleamed. "She is."

Lyra gasped as another wave of pain slammed into her, and suddenly—

The world shifted.

The council chamber vanished in a swirl of shadows, and she found herself standing in an endless expanse of light.

Not alone.

A figure emerged from the void—the same dark version of herself she had seen in the last vision.

The Celestial Queen.

She was no mere reflection. She was real.

And she was smiling.

"You feel it now, don't you?" the queen murmured.

Lyra staggered back, her heart pounding. "What is happening to me?"

The queen stepped forward; her golden eyes glowing. "The mark is breaking, Lyra. And with it… so is the last barrier between what you are and what you were always meant to be."

Lyra's breath hitched. "You mean… I'm turning into—"

The Celestial Queen tilted her head. "Into me."

Lyra's vision blurred as memories not her own flooded her mind—a goddess lost in time, a power once sealed away, and a choice made centuries ago.

The choice that was now hers to make.

"Embrace it," the queen whispered.

Lyra's pulse thundered.

The air around her cracked.

And in the real world—

She screamed.

The Rift Between Two Worlds

Alden barely caught Lyra before she collapsed.

Her body convulsed, golden light bursting from her skin, swirling like celestial fire. Something was wrong.

Kael stepped forward; his voice sharp. "She's losing control."

Selene's midnight eyes narrowed. "No. She's evolving."

Alden's grip on Lyra tightened. "Then how do we stop it?"

Eryx's voice cut through the tension. "You don't."

Alden turned to him, fury blazing in his gaze. "What did you do to her?"

Eryx's smile didn't waver. "I only revealed the truth. The rest is up to her."

Lyra's body jerked, her breathing ragged. The celestial fire around her intensified, the sigil on her arm now shifting—its patterns breaking apart, reforming, twisting into something new.

A sound filled the air—a crack, like the fabric of reality splitting open.

And then—

The Veil tore apart.

The entire room shuddered as a powerful force surged through the air, and suddenly—

They weren't alone anymore.

 The Forgotten Gods Return

Figures emerged from the shattered Veil.

Some cloaked in silver and light, others wreathed in darkness and shadow. The Forgotten Ones. The gods lost to time.

And leading them—

A figure draped in celestial robes of midnight and stardust. His face was hidden beneath a golden mask, his aura pulsing with ancient energy.

His voice echoed through the chamber. "The balance has been broken."

Kael drew his blade, tension crackling in the air. "Who are you?"

The masked god lifted a hand, and Kael was thrown back as if struck by an invisible force.

Selene's eyes widened. "Impossible…"

Eryx exhaled softly. "No. I knew he would return."

The god stepped forward. His golden mask gleamed as he looked directly at Lyra.

"Daughter of the Stars, you have called us back."

Lyra shuddered. She could barely breathe, barely think. The celestial fire in her veins burned hotter, her very soul caught between two realms.

"What do you want from me?" she whispered.

The god's voice was calm. "To finish what was started eons ago."

The chamber shook as the shadows in the room twisted violently, coiling around Lyra like chains.

And in that moment, she knew—

This was the true test.

She wasn't fighting for Eldoris anymore.

She was fighting for the very balance of the universe.

And if she failed—

Everything would burn.