Chapter 29: Embrace or Fall—The Moment of No Return

The Sovereign's voice still echoed through my mind, each word like a thunderclap shaking the fragile walls of my sanity.

"Embrace the abyss, Final Heir… or vanish like the worthless caretakers before you."

My body trembled under the crushing weight of the power swirling around me. The shadow wings behind me spread wider, blotting out what little light remained in the room. I could feel it—raw, uncontrollable, ancient power—pulsing beneath my skin, begging to be unleashed.

One word.

One thought.

And I could burn this entire world down.

"Liam…"

Her voice cut through the darkness again.

The Shadow Queen—on her knees in front of me, her face pale but her crimson eyes unwavering. Despite the storm of chaos surrounding us, she hadn't moved.

Her trembling hands reached up, brushing against my cheek.

"I told you before… if you fall, I will stop you. Even if it costs me everything."

Her words struck harder than any power trying to overtake me.

And then—she did something I never expected.

She leaned in… and kissed me.

It wasn't soft or hesitant.

It was fierce. Desperate. Like a last-ditch effort to drag me back from the edge of annihilation.

For a moment, everything stopped.

The whispers of the Abyss fell silent.

The Sovereign's overwhelming presence flickered.

My heart—so used to being numb—felt like it was about to explode.

But just as quickly, the shadows fought back.

A tidal wave of dark energy roared out of me, throwing the Queen back across the room.

"NO!" I screamed, clutching my head as visions of forgotten wars and fallen empires burned behind my eyes.

[System Alert: Ancestral Bloodline Limit Exceeded. Critical Instability Detected.]

[Unlocking Hidden Sequence: Abyssal Overdrive.]

Power surged through me, and for the first time… I let it.

The Sovereign's monstrous figure appeared again, larger and more terrifying than before.

"That's it, Heir! Accept it all! Become what you were born to be!"

But then—

Through the chaos, I saw her.

The Shadow Queen.

Bruised, struggling to stand, but still defiant.

"Liam… Don't you dare lose yourself!"

Her voice wasn't a plea. It was a command.

And somehow…

That was stronger than all the power the Abyss offered me.

I took a shaky breath.

One final choice.

Control the power… or let it consume me forever.

To Be Continued…