Chapter 189: The Eclipse's Heart

Chapter 189: The Eclipse's Heart
Adira’s POV

Shadows were flowing across the sky.

My hands shaking, I stood at the edge of the demolished star shrine and looked into the dense black fog that swirled over the planet. The eclipse continued to engulf all light as it lingered. The sun, the stars, the flames—all of it was getting fainter by the moment. In my veins, my fire pulsed feebly, as if it, too, was terrified of what was ahead.

However, fear did not deter me. I took a step forward.

The parasite was waiting.

Curling slowly and deliberately, the black mist moved. Then it moved, bringing itself together to resemble a human.

Not only human, but also

Known.

As the face materialised in front of me, I gasped.

It was Liora—my sister.

The same eyes that used to give me a sense of security, her hair, and her smile. But I knew it wasn’t genuine. As in the past, the parasite was using her image.

“You’re not her,” I whispered gently, voice cracking.

Her head was cocked. Is it important? You continue to miss me.

Out of the fog came another shape. Ren, the flamekeeper who once prevented me from drowning in the river of ash, was the one this time. His face was grim, his arms folded.

"You let us down," he replied icily. "You allowed us to burn."

"No," I said. "I made an effort to save you."

More faces emerged, one by one. Dozens. I had lost people. Rebels. Protectors. Old pals. They were all looking at me with hollow, lifeless eyes.

Then I caught sight of him.

My legs went limp when the final figure emerged from the shadow.

My dad.

He was tall, weary, and strong, much like the last time I saw him. He spoke softly and low.

He said, "Little fire, you left me."

My cheeks began to well up with tears. “You died protecting me.”

He had ember-like eyes. "And now you'll also allow the world to perish."

"No!" I yelled. "I'm not giving up! I'm still going strong!

Around him, the mist swirled. "Then demonstrate it."

The flames around me went out when he raised his hand.

I dropped to my knees.

Ash drifted close to the edge of the broken moon far above. The ember in his palm was glowing silver, and his body gleamed dimly. The ember rippled with each heartbeat, but it was growing heavier in his grasp. His skin started to crack like old glass as the light flickered.

He spoke to it in a whisper, "Hold on." “Just a little longer.”

After one pulse, the ember spoke.

"You can't make it through this."

Ash tightened his jaw. "You don't have that option."

“You were never made to carry me this far,” it said, almost like it was tired. "I was supposed to burn. not detained.

He balled it up in his fist. "Then join me in burning."

The heavens shook.

Ash's light seemed to be unwinding thread by thread as it started to go out from his legs upward.

And the youngster gasped back in the tower.

Elowen stood on the cracked floor, her knees giving way and her fingers twitching wildly. Lines of prophecy raced across her body like fire trails, her flesh glowing with golden lettering.

Solenne ran to her and shouted, "Stop it." "You're exerting too much effort!"

"I'm unable to stop," Elowen said. "It's... advancing."

Her body slammed into the stone as she fell.

Soft, silver-white flames erupted from her chest, and a fissure appeared next to her.

My eyes widened as I turned.

From the rift stepped another version of her.

Older.

Stronger.

Eyes shining like stars.

She didn't give us a look.

All she did was kneel next to the child's body and mutter, "I remember everything."

Above, the stars cried out.

Ages ago, the last star-shield was built to safeguard the skies, but it broke like glass. As if the world were shattering, the sound reverberated across all the kingdoms.

The parasite swallowed the light as it raced higher. Its enormous body twisted like a smoke-and-sadness serpent through the sky.

Ash's mouth dropped open in fear as he turned to face it.

The shield broke.

Ash also started to wane.

First, his legs disappeared.

Next, his hands.

The only thing that remained glowing was his heart and the ember within.

I could feel the world's tear widening below.

And I was aware of...

It was over.

Ash was dying before I could revive him since I had entered the parasite's head.

My inner fire stopped listening.

Clinging to my chest as the flame blazed through my veins like lightning, I stood in the wreckage of the broken altar, surrounded by shattered star-stones and the smell of ash. It was now wild instead of warm. Uncontrolled. Furious. My eyes burned with the truth of the First Flame, my hands glowed brighter than the sky above, and every breath I took caused the ground beneath me to tremble.

"Elowen!" I yelled. "Explain what's going on with me!"

The child, now older, glowed and shuddered, and looked at me with wide eyes. "You're recalling things too quickly. It's not supposed to happen all at once.

Another explosion of flame exploded from my back, tearing into the air like wings of pure heat, making my legs tremble. I knelt and tried to slow my heart, but it was thumping too quickly, hammering inside my head like war drums.

Like a star, ash fell from the heavens. With a grunt, he rolled across the stone and landed roughly next to me. His body shimmered weakly, still broken and dull from the ember’s fading light.

“Adira,” he said, crawling toward me. “Breathe. You have to calm down.”

“I can’t!” I yelled. “It’s not listening anymore!”

I clasped my hands in front of me, attempting to close my fingers, but the fire surged outward on its own, spiralling, blazing, splitting the ground. I watched flames leap toward the sky, toward the temple walls, and then—

Toward Ash.

"No!" I tried to pull it back, but it moved faster than I thought.

The fire crashed into his chest, sending him hurtling into a pillar.

I let out a scream. “Ash!”

He landed hard, sliding down the stone, leaving a track of smoke behind him.

Everything stopped.

I lurched toward him, heart tearing with each step. “Ash, I didn’t mean to—I swear—”

He coughed, his lips streaked with silver light. “I know.”

“I didn’t want to hurt you.”

His eyes were filled with pain, but not hatred, as he looked up at me. "It's not you. The flame is the cause. You've consumed too much. You're burning from all of your past selves and timelines.

The future was attempting to dwell inside me.

I could feel it tearing at my soul's boundaries.

I looked over at Elowen. "What can I do to stop this?"

She took a while to respond. Her voice trailed off as her hands lit once more.

"You can't," she said. "Because one of you has already turned into a parasite."

I went cold.

"What?" I said.