CHAPTER 36

THE PRICE OF POWER

A Kingdom in Ruins

The once-glorious kingdom of Eldoris lay in ruins. Smoke curled into the darkened sky, a sickly contrast to the once-bright stars. Buildings had collapsed, and the scent of ash, blood, and despair lingered in the air.

Lyra stumbled forward, her body battered, bruised, and drained. Her celestial energy had nearly been spent in the battle, leaving her feeling hollow inside.

Alden limped beside her, his sword slick with the blood of shadow creatures. His breathing was ragged, his body struggling to stay upright. He should have been resting, but he refused to leave Lyra's side.

Kael, silent and brooding, scanned the wreckage with sharp eyes. He gripped his staff tighter, his knuckles white. "We should keep moving. If there are survivors, we need to find them before—"

A low growl rumbled through the air.

Lyra's blood ran cold.

Selene spun around, her cloak billowing. "That sound…"

The shadows shifted around them.

Then—a monstrous figure emerged from the darkness.

Scene 2: The Nightmare Returns

The creature was twice the size of a man, its skeletal form wrapped in an eerie mist. Its glowing red eyes locked onto Lyra, hunger and malice gleaming in its stare.

"Another one?" Alden whispered, gripping his sword tighter.

Kael cursed under his breath. "No. Not just another one."

Lyra took a step back as realization dawned on her.

This was no ordinary shadow creature.

This was a Phantom Warden—a beast created from the souls of fallen warriors, bound in darkness, their pain turned into endless hunger.

And it was here for her.

The Phantom Warden lunged, its claws tearing through the air, aiming for Lyra's throat.

Alden barely had time to shove her aside before the claws ripped through his armor, sending him crashing to the ground.

Lyra's scream ripped through the night.

The Desperate Fight

Alden struggled to rise, but blood pooled beneath him. His face twisted in pain.

The Warden turned toward him, its hunger growing.

"No!" Lyra's voice cracked as she threw herself forward, celestial power sparking at her fingertips.

A burst of golden light shot from her palms, slamming into the monster's chest. It staggered back, snarling in pain but not falling.

Kael didn't hesitate. He raised his staff, muttering an incantation, and flames erupted around the creature.

But the Warden only laughed.

A dark, guttural sound—mocking.

Then—a second shadow moved.

Lyra barely had time to react before cold, sharp claws wrapped around her throat.

She choked, her body lifting off the ground as she struggled against the vice-like grip.

The Warden's whisper slithered into her ear. "You cannot escape fate."

Then, it tightened its grip.

Lyra's vision blurred as the creature's hold crushed her windpipe.

She kicked against its grip, desperately clawing at its hand, but her strength was fading.

Somewhere in the distance, she heard Alden calling her name—his voice laced with pain and fury.

She could hear Kael shouting.

Selene was chanting a spell.

But none of it mattered.

Because the darkness was closing in.

She felt her body going limp.

No. No, not like this.

The Warden leaned closer, its rotting breath brushing her skin.

And then—

A piercing scream shattered the night.

It took her a moment to realize it was hers.

A burst of pure celestial energy exploded outward, sending the creature flying backward.

Lyra collapsed to the ground, gasping for air.

But something was wrong.

Her hands trembled violently, sparks of wild magic dancing across her skin.

Then—a terrible realization.

She couldn't stop it.

Her power was out of control.

The Price of Power

Lyra's eyes burned with celestial fire, her body trembling violently.

She tried to control it—tried to rein it back in. But it was like trying to hold back a tidal wave.

The power inside her was too much.

Too wild.

Too dangerous.

And then—the ground beneath her cracked.

The energy exploded outward in an unstoppable surge, blinding light tearing through the battlefield.

Selene threw up a protective barrier, shielding Kael and Alden from the blast.

But everything else was consumed.

When the dust settled, Lyra was on her knees, sobbing.

Because in front of her—lay dozens of lifeless bodies.

Not enemies.

Not shadow creatures.

Innocents.

Her power had killed them.

And as she stared at the destruction she had caused, a single thought echoed in her mind.

I am becoming the very thing I swore to stop.

 The Betrayal Deepens

A tense silence filled the air.

No one spoke.

No one moved.

Alden looked at Lyra, his face pale, his eyes full of something unreadable.

Kael tightened his grip on his staff, his expression grim.

Selene took a slow step back.

And then—Alden whispered the words that shattered Lyra's world.

"What have you done?"

The pain in his voice cut deeper than any blade ever could.

Lyra's breath hitched.

"I—I didn't mean to," she whispered, her voice breaking. "I couldn't stop it."

Alden's gaze hardened.

And for the first time, Lyra saw something in his eyes she had never seen before.

Fear.

He was afraid of her.

And that broke her.

The Decision 

The battlefield was eerily silent.

Smoke curled around the lifeless bodies of those who had been caught in the blast of Lyra's uncontrollable power. The golden glow of her celestial magic still crackled faintly in the air, illuminating the faces of the fallen. Their eyes—empty, lifeless—stared up at the darkened sky.

Lyra couldn't breathe.

Her heart pounded against her ribs, a painful rhythm of guilt and horror. The taste of ashes clung to her throat.

She had fought for her kingdom. She had fought for the people.

And yet… her hands were stained with their blood.

She turned, searching for something—anything—to anchor her.

Her gaze locked onto Alden.

His sword, still slick with the blood of shadow creatures, was clutched in his trembling hands. His breathing was uneven. His blue eyes, eyes that had always looked at her with trust, admiration, even love… were now clouded with something else.

Something she had never seen before.

Fear.

A sharp pain lanced through her chest.

"Alden…" she whispered, taking a shaky step toward him.

He flinched. Flinched away from her.

The movement was small. Barely noticeable.

But it shattered something deep inside her.

Alden had never feared her.

Not when she had first discovered her celestial mark.

Not when the council had tried to brand her a threat to Eldoris.

Not even when she had nearly lost herself during their last battle.

But now?

Now, he looked at her as though she were one of the monsters they had been fighting all along.

The Breaking Point

Kael was the first to speak. His voice was calm but heavy. "Lyra… you need to control it. This—this power. You just wiped out an entire city block."

She turned to him, her vision blurred with unshed tears. "Do you think I don't know that?" Her voice cracked. "Do you think I wanted this?"

Selene crossed her arms, her expression unreadable. "Intentions mean nothing. The dead remain dead."

Lyra sucked in a breath. She was suffocating.

This wasn't supposed to happen. She had trained, prepared. She had spent her whole life believing she was meant to save Eldoris.

But now…

Now, she had become the very thing her people feared.

The wind howled around them, as if the gods themselves mourned what had just happened.

Alden finally found his voice, and when he spoke, it was low, raw, and filled with pain.

"What if this happens again?" he asked.

Lyra's lips parted, but no words came.

Alden's eyes hardened. "What if next time, it's not soldiers caught in the blast? What if it's a child? A mother? Someone who has put their faith in you?" His voice rose, cracking with emotion. "How do we know this won't happen again, Lyra?"

Lyra's throat closed up.

She had no answer.

Because she didn't know.

She had lost control once. What if it happened again?

What if Alden was right?

What if she couldn't control it?

The silence stretched between them, thick with uncertainty, fear, and heartbreak.

Kael exhaled sharply. "We need to regroup. Figure out our next steps."

Lyra shook her head.

No.

There was only one step left.

The Decision

"I need to go."

The words left her lips before she even fully realized what she was saying.

Kael turned to her, frowning. "Lyra—"

"I need to go," she repeated, stronger this time. She couldn't stay. Not like this. Not when she was a danger to everyone around her.

Alden looked as if she had just punched him in the gut. "You're just… leaving?"

Tears burned her eyes, but she refused to let them fall.

"If I stay, more people will die." Her voice was quiet, yet unwavering. "I won't let that happen."

Selene's expression darkened. "And what happens when you lose control again, Lyra? If you don't learn to master this power—"

"I'll find a way," she cut in. She had to.

Kael clenched his jaw. "Where will you go?"

She looked toward the distant horizon. She had no plan. No direction. But there was one place she knew she could seek answers.

"The Forgotten Court," she whispered.

The wind stilled.

The Forgotten Court—a place of exile, a place of ancient power.

A place where those who had been forsaken by the gods still whispered to the stars.

Kael swore under his breath. "That's madness."

Alden stepped closer, his hands clenched into fists. "We can figure this out. Together."

She shook her head. If only that were true.

"You were right, Alden," she whispered. "I don't know if I can control this. I don't know if I can be what Eldoris needs." Her chest ached. "But I do know one thing."

She met his gaze one last time.

"If I stay, I'll only bring more destruction."

His eyes begged her to reconsider.

But she had already made up her mind.

She turned, pulling her cloak around her shoulders.

And then—without another word—she disappeared into the night.

Leaving behind the only family she had ever known.