A deep silence filled the air.
Arin could feel Selene's power wrapping around him like an unseen force, pulling him closer to the abyss. The Queen's outstretched hand lingered in the space between them, waiting for his answer.
His mind raced.
If he accepted, he could gain the power he needed to end this war—perhaps even rewrite his own fate. But at what cost?
Evelyn's voice broke through his thoughts.
"Arin, don't!" she pleaded, stepping forward. "You don't need her power. You've come this far on your own!"
Selene chuckled. "On his own?" She turned to Evelyn with an amused smile. "Do you truly believe that? That he can stand against the Abyss without embracing it?"
Seraphina's grip tightened on her staff. "We've fought too hard to let you claim him, Selene."
Lilith drew her dagger. "If you want him, you'll have to go through us."
The Queen's smile never faltered.
"How adorable," she mused, flicking her wrist.
A wave of dark energy erupted from her fingertips, sending shockwaves through the ground. The party was thrown back, struggling to stay on their feet.
Arin stood firm.
"Enough!" he shouted, raising his sword. "I will decide my own fate!"
Selene's eyes gleamed with curiosity. "Then choose, Arin. Will you take my hand and rule by my side, or will you turn your back on the power that is rightfully yours?"
A moment of hesitation.
Then—
"I choose my own path!"
With a roar, Arin slashed his sword downward, unleashing a golden arc of energy. The light clashed against Selene's darkness, creating a storm of power that shook the entire Abyss.
Selene smirked.
"Interesting."
Then, in the blink of an eye, she vanished into the shadows.
The battlefield fell silent.
Evelyn rushed to Arin's side. "Are you okay?"
He exhaled. "Yeah. But something tells me… this isn't over."
Seraphina looked toward the horizon, her expression grim. "She'll be back. And next time, she won't be alone."
Arin tightened his grip on his sword.
The battle for fate was only just beginning.
---
[TO BE CONTINUED...]