Breaking point
1037 Words
The night felt wrong.
Emma couldn’t explain it—but she felt it deep in her chest.
Like something was about to shatter.
She stood alone in the training hall, staring at her hands.
They glowed faintly.
Unstable.
Unpredictable.
Dangerous.
“A weapon…” she whispered bitterly.
The word echoed in her mind.
Not because she believed it—
But because everyone else did.
“You’re not a weapon.”
Emma turned sharply.
Adrian stood at the entrance, his expression serious but softer than before.
“You don’t believe that,” she said quietly.
“I do.”
“Then why are you staying away from me?”
The question hit harder than any attack.
Adrian hesitated.
“Because I don’t trust myself,” he admitted.
Emma froze.
“What does that mean?”
“It means,” he said, stepping closer, “if anything happens to you… I won’t follow orders.”
Her heart skipped.
“So instead you just leave me alone?”
“I’m trying to protect you.”
Emma shook her head.
“No… you’re protecting yourself.”
Silence fell between them.
Heavy.
Painful.
Before either of them could say more—
Alarms blared.
Loud.
Urgent.
Emma’s heart dropped.
Not again.
“Security breach in the inner sector!”
Both of them turned instantly.
“The inner sector?” Adrian muttered.
“That’s impossible…”
But Emma already knew.
It wasn’t impossible.
It was happening.
They ran.
Through glowing corridors now flashing red.
Past members of the Order rushing in panic.
Something was very wrong.
This wasn’t an external attack.
This was inside.
When they reached the inner chamber—
The doors were already open.
And chaos was waiting.
Members of the Lumina Order lay on the ground—unconscious.
The air was thick with energy.
And at the center of it all—
Seraphine.
Emma froze.
“No…”
Seraphine turned slowly.
Her expression was calm.
Too calm.
“You shouldn’t be here,” she said.
Adrian stepped forward instantly.
“What did you do?”
Seraphine didn’t answer.
Instead—
She raised her hand.
Light surged.
Then twisted.
Into darkness.
Emma’s breath caught.
“That’s not possible…”
But it was.
“She’s not the only one who can change energy,” Seraphine said softly.
Emma’s mind raced.
“You…”
Understanding hit her like a shockwave.
“You’ve been working with them.”
Seraphine smiled faintly.
“Working with them?” she repeated.
“No.”
Her eyes darkened.
“I’m leading them.”
The world seemed to stop.
Adrian’s voice dropped.
“You’re lying.”
“Am I?”
Seraphine took a step forward.
“All this time, you believed the Lumina Order stood for balance.”
Her voice sharpened.
“But balance is weakness.”
Emma’s chest tightened.
“Then what do you want?”
Seraphine looked directly at her.
“Control.”
The word echoed through the chamber.
“Light… darkness… power…”
She stepped closer.
“All of it should belong to one force.”
Emma’s hands clenched.
“You’re insane.”
Seraphine’s smile didn’t fade.
“No,” she said calmly.
“I’m evolving.”
Before Emma could react—
The doors slammed shut behind them.
Locked.
“This was never about protecting you,” Seraphine continued.
“It was about studying you.”
Emma’s heart dropped.
“You used me…”
“Of course I did.”
Adrian stepped forward, fury in his eyes.
“You’re not touching her.”
Seraphine sighed softly.
“You’re still thinking like a protector.”
Her gaze sharpened.
“That’s why you’ll fail.”
In an instant—
She attacked.
The force slammed into Adrian, throwing him across the room.
“ADRIAN!”
Emma ran toward him—but stopped.
Because Seraphine was already in front of her.
“Your power,” she said quietly,
“belongs to me.”
Emma’s fear surged—
But this time—
So did something else.
Anger.
“No.”
Light burst from her hands.
Stronger than before.
Wilder.
Seraphine didn’t flinch.
Instead—
She absorbed it.
Emma’s eyes widened.
“That’s impossible—”
“I told you,” Seraphine said calmly.
“You’re not the only one who’s evolving.”
Emma’s power flickered.
Unstable again.
Losing control.
“Emma—run!” Adrian shouted weakly from the ground.
“I’m not leaving you!”
Seraphine’s expression darkened slightly.
“Still clinging to attachments…”
She raised her hand again—
Darkness surged violently.
Emma braced herself—
But suddenly—
The energy around her shifted.
Not exploding.
Not breaking.
Changing.
Her Catalyst power activated again—
But this time…
Differently.
Instead of releasing energy—
She pulled it in.
Seraphine’s attack—
Stopped.
Mid-air.
“What—?”
For the first time—
Seraphine looked surprised.
Emma’s eyes glowed.
Bright.
Focused.
“I’m done being your experiment.”
The energy twisted—
Then reversed.
Slamming back toward Seraphine.
The impact shook the entire chamber.
Silence followed.
Smoke filled the air.
Emma stood frozen, breathing heavily.
“What… did I just do?”
Then—
A soft laugh echoed through the room.
Seraphine stepped out of the shadows.
Unharmed.
“Fascinating…”
Emma’s heart dropped.
“You’re learning faster than I expected,” Seraphine said.
“But you’re still not ready.”
She raised her hand one final time.
The energy this time—
Was overwhelming.
Emma couldn’t move.
Couldn’t breathe.
Adrian tried to stand—
But he was too weak.
“Emma…”
Seraphine’s voice cut through everything.
“This is where you become useful.”
Darkness surged forward—
Engulfing Emma completely.
“NO!” Adrian shouted.
The light vanished.
The room went silent.
When the darkness faded—
Emma was gone.
Adrian stared at the empty space.
His heart pounding.
His mind refusing to accept it.
“No…”
But deep down—
He knew the truth.
She had been taken.
Far away—
In the depths of the shadows—
Emma opened her eyes.
Weak.
Disoriented.
And not alone.
Kael stood in front of her.
“Welcome,” he said softly.
“To your new beginning.”
Emma’s heart sank.
This wasn’t rescue.
This was capture.
- Writer
