CHAPTER 16: THE CHOICE THAT BREAKS HER
1499 Words
“Get away from her.”
Kael’s voice filled the room.
The air grew heavy.
Power pressed down on everyone.
Aria stood between them.
Frozen…and her heart was beating too fast.
“Kael” she whispered.
He stepped closer.
“I’m here,” he said. “You’re safe.”
Safe? “That word again.”
Her chest tightened.
“No,” she said softly.
Kael stopped.
“You’re not safe with me,” she added.
Elias was watching from the side.
Cool, calm, and waiting.
Ronan leaned against the wall, quiet once more.
Kael shook his head.
“You don’t mean that,” he said.
Aria looked at him.
And then… The memories came.
She remembered the fire, the blood, the screams.
Her parents and Kael were also standing there.
“You killed them,” she said.
The words were so quiet, but they cut deep.
Kael didn’t move.
He didn’t look away either.
“I did,” he said.
Aria’s breath broke.
The truth hurt more than anything.
“Why?” she asked.
Kael stayed silent.
And that silence… Said everything.
Something inside her cracked.
“You don’t even regret it,” she whispered.
Kael didn’t answer her immediately.
That silence felt too heavy.
“Say something,” she said.
With her voice shaking.
“Anything.”
Kael looked at her and said.
“I regret what it cost,” he said slowly.
Her eyes were filled with anger.
That’s not the same thing, she replied.
“I know,” he said.
Aria shook her head.
“You had a choice,” she said.
“My parents didn’t.”
Kael stepped closer…“They did,” he said quietly.
Aria froze instantly.
“What?”
They chose to protect you, he said.
Her breath caught.
They knew what you were, he continued.
“They knew what would happen if anyone found out.”
Her heart started racing.
“That’s not true,” she said.
“It is,” Kael replied.
Aria stepped back.
No…they never told me anything.
“Because they couldn’t,” Kael said.
“Why?” she demanded.
“Because knowing could have awakened your power,” he said.
The words hit her so hard.
Her mind started spinning.
So they just let me suffer? She whispered.
Kael’s expression tightened.
They let you live, he said.
Tears filled her eyes.
“I was alone,” she said.
You were hidden, he replied.
“That’s not better!” she shouted.
Her power flickered.
The air shook slightly.
I grew up thinking I was nothing, she said.
“That I was broken.”
Kael took another step forward and said.
“You were never broken.”
Aria laughed softly.
That’s easy for you to say, she replied.
Instantly, there was silence between them.
Then…She looked at him again.
“Tell me the truth,” she said.
Kael didn’t move.
“All of it.”
I didn’t go there to kill them, he said.
Aria’s breath caught.
“I was sent,” he continued.
“By who?” she asked.
Kael didn’t answer…And that was enough.
“The Council…” she whispered.
Kael’s silence confirmed it.
Her world was broken again.
You were working for them, she said.
“I was following orders,” he replied.
“That’s the same thing!” she fired back.
Her power flared up stronger again.
“They told me your parents were hiding something dangerous,” Kael said.
Aria shook her head.
“I didn’t know it was you,” he added.
The words hit her hard.
“So if you knew” she said slowly.
But Kael didn’t answer.
You still would have done it, she finished.
That silence said everything.
Something inside her broke completely.
Her power exploded outward.
The ground cracked, while the walls trembled.
“I trusted you,” she said.
Her voice shook with anger.
“With everything.”
Kael stepped forward again.
“I never lied about protecting you,” he said.
Aria’s eyes burned with so much pain.
“You just waited until it was too late,” she replied.
The pain inside her grew so much.
Her body started shaking.
“I can’t” she gasped.
Her power surged wildly.
Kael reached for her again.
“Aria”
“Don’t!” she shouted.
The force pushed him back very hard.
He couldn’t even reach her.
“I don’t know what’s happening to me!” she cried.
Her vision blurred and her thoughts broke apart.
Everything felt too loud.
“I don’t want this!” she screamed.
Her power exploded again.
Bigger, darker, and uncontrollable this time.
Elias watched calmly.
This is what she was meant to become, he said.
“No,” Kael growled.
“She’s in pain.”
Elias didn’t react.
“Pain is part of awakening,” he said.
Aria dropped to her knees.
Her breathing was uneven.
Her hands were shaking.
“I can’t control it” she whispered.
“Then let me help you,” he said.
She looked at him…Tears filled her eyes.
For a moment…She looked like herself again.
“I don’t know how,” she said.
Kael took a step closer.
“Then we will figure it out together,” he said.
Then…Elias moved.
And everything shattered again.
Kael stepped forward.
“It wasn’t that simple,” he said.
“Then explain it!” she shouted.
Her power flickered and the room shook slightly.
“Say something that makes this make sense!”
“I made a choice,” he said.
Aria stared at him.
“And my parents paid for it,” she replied.
Elias stepped closer.
He won’t tell you the truth, he said.
Kael’s eyes darkened, and he shouted! “Stay out of this.”
But Elias ignored him.
“Your parents chose you,” he said to Aria.
“And he chose power.”
“Enough!” Kael roared angrily.
The walls shook…But Aria didn’t look at him.
Instead, she looked at Elias.
“Is that true?” she asked.
Elias looked at her and responded.
“Yes.”
The word broke something inside her.
Her power rose.
Pain hit her chest…and she dropped to her knees.
“I can’t…control it” she gasped.
Kael rushed forward immediately.
“Aria!”
“Don’t touch me!” she cried out loudly.
Her power pushed him back.
He couldn’t even reach her.
Silver light burst from her body.
The ground cracked.
Her breath came fast.
Everything hurt.
“I don’t want this!” she screamed.
Elias stood watching calmly.
“You don’t get to choose that,” he said.
Her vision became blurred.
Her thoughts broke apart.
Kael.
Elias.
Her parents.
The truth.
“I don’t know what’s real anymore!” she cried out loudly.
Power exploded.
Kael forced himself forward again.
“Aria, listen to me!”
She turned and looked at him.
And for a moment…She saw him.
Not the killer…But the man who stayed.
“I hate you,” she whispered from within.
Kael didn’t look away.
“I know.”
Her voice broke.
“But I don’t want to.”
Right there, there was a moment of silence.
Everything suddenly stopped.
Her power slowed down and she reached towards him.
Kael’s breath caught.
But…Elias moved fast.
His hand hit her back, and Power exploded again.
It was darker and stronger this time.
Aria screamed.
The sound coming from within her was not human.
Black energy burst out from her body.
The room shook violently.
Kael was thrown back.
Ronan quickly stepped away.
Elias stood still.
She’s ready, he said.
“No,” Kael growled. “She’s breaking.”
Elias shook his head.
“She’s becoming.”
Aria rose slowly into the air.
Her eyes changed instantly.
It wasn’t silver…Neither was it normal.
But something else.
“I remember” she said.
Her voice echoed…Like many voices speaking at once.
Kael stared at her.
“Aria”
She slowly turned to him.
And for the first time…He wasn’t sure she knew him.
“I remember everything,” she said.
Her power filled the room.
“You took everything from me,” she said.
Kael’s chest tightened.
“And now” she continued.
Her voice dropped.
“You want to save me?”
He quickly stepped forward.
“I never wanted to lose you,” he said.
Her expression didn’t change.
“That’s the problem,” she replied.
“You already did.”
The words hit so hard.
Then…Her power exploded again.
Everything went dark…Everything shook.
Everything broke.
When the power faded…Aria was gone.
Kael froze instantly.
“No” he whispered.
The room was empty.
Only broken stone remained.
No Aria.
There was no trace of her.
Absolutely no trace.
Ronan looked around slowly.
Well, he said quietly.
“That’s not good.”
Kael’s fists clenched.
His chest burned with pain.
Because deep down…He felt it.
Not death…Not loss.
Something worse.
And this time…he hadn’t lost her.
“He had unleashed her.”
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