CHAPTER 167: Selene's Marking Celestial Being Demands Payment
CHAPTER 167: Selene's Marking Celestial Being Demands Payment
As soon as she had returned from the center of the Eclipse Realm, Selene had sensed the change in the atmosphere. She had never encountered such raw, uncontrolled, and yet very frightening force before, which had suddenly erupted inside her. However, there was another element that persisted under the surface and pulled at her spirit. She was unable to deny the feeling, the intense discomfort that tore at her gut.
Then it occurred.
A heavenly light, dazzling in its brilliance, pierced the clouds above her as she stood in front of the pack, attempting to make sense of the chaos that had taken over their life. Their instincts beckoned to something bigger than themselves, a power that existed outside of the mortal world, and the pack howled together. Shielding her eyes from the bright brightness, Selene stumbled back.
"Selene..." Her soul echoed with a profound, unearthly echo of a voice that came from the skies. She was too familiar with the voice, one that had predestined her.
The heavenly being that had selected her was the one that, as soon as she gained strength, bonded its essence to her blood. The same power that had promised her the strength to lead, that had led her through her hardships, and that had spoken to her in the deepest recesses of her mind.
However, that same heavenly presence was starting to seem more like a burden than a benefit.
The light above wavered, and from it sprang a person shrouded in light, whose features were blurry, vacillating between the mystical and the real. Even though their eyes were burning from the starlight, there was something unnerving about the depth of their stare. A creature of light not suited to our earth, they were icy despite their extraordinary beauty.
"Selene," the heavenly being spoke once again, its tone serene but with an indisputable weight. "You have failed to keep your promise."
Selene's breath caught in her throat as her heart skipped a beat. "I don’t understand," she said, her thoughts racing. "What do you mean?"
The air surrounding them crackled with electricity as the shape of the heavenly entity changed. "Selene, you were picked for a reason. The Moonstone Blade's power was intended to support the harmony between light and dark. However, you have deviated from that course. You have allowed the very energies you were supposed to manage to spiral out of control and have brought chaos to the realms."
Recollections flooded Selene's thoughts, causing her to reel. She had attempted to bring about peace and unity via the Moonstone Blade, the reforging, the uprising, and the war. However, she had created adversaries and brought havoc into the globe by doing this. As she stood before this heavenly being, she knew that her actions had triggered something far worse than the reforging of the sword, which she had assumed would consolidate her authority.
Selene stepped forward and begged, "I never intended for this," in a desperate tone. "My main goal was to keep everyone safe. I want to unify the kingdoms and put a stop to the strife.
The shape of the heavenly being glistened, and its eyes became stony and pierced her spirit. "Your intentions are not really important. What is important is the upset equilibrium. The Moonstone Blade's power is broken and unfinished. The kingdoms are about to fall apart as the Eclipse Beast stirs again. This equilibrium broke because of you, Selene, and now you have to pay the price."
Selene felt her heart speed and her chest constrict. "How much? What are you looking for from me?
The heavenly entity drifted nearer, its might spreading forth like the stars' own light, its presence oppressive. "Selene, you have to return what you have stolen from the realms. The cosmic order binds your soul, your essence. However, you have upset the cosmic equilibrium by not keeping your word. You will pay a heavy price for your crime.
As the weight of the heavenly entity's words sunk in, Selene felt a chill go down her spine. She had always been aware that her power would have repercussions. However, she had never thought of this as an unpayable debt.
"What do you want me to do?" With the burden of her failure bearing down on her, Selene's voice faltered.
The entity's lips curved into a melancholy grin as its eyes narrowed. "Selene, your life. To restore equilibrium, you must extinguish the light that flows inside you.
The world seemed to halt for Selene. As if the sun had been blacked out, the very air around her became frigid. Her pulse pounded in her chest as she gazed incredulously at the angelic form. "You're not serious. There must be an alternative.
A look of silent finality took the place of the heavenly being's grin. "There's no alternative. It is your mere presence that now jeopardizes the balance of the worlds. You must fully bear the consequences of your failure.
She had a glimpse of Kael's face, his dark eyes, his steadfast devotion, and their linked connection. Rowan's love for her, his strength, and his commitment. The family she had battled so hard to keep safe, the pack. She was unable to leave them behind. Not in this manner.
However, her personal conflict did not affect the heavenly being. Its stare was unrelenting, icy, and unblinking.
"Selene, you have till the next full moon. The repercussions will be permanent after then.
Selene was left standing alone in the clearing as the heavenly figure started to dissipate, its shape vanishing into the light above. As the entity's presence vanished, the sky became darker, but the weight of its words persisted in the atmosphere like an unstoppable force.
Selene fell to her knees as the situation's truth hit her hard. She had never requested this ability or to be marked by the heavenly entity. Peace was all she had ever desired. However, now that the equilibrium of the worlds was at risk, peace seemed to be a far-off dream, a goal that had long since faded into obscurity.
Her mind was racing, a tornado of doubt and anxiety. A continual reminder of her failure, the Moonstone Blade's fractured power throbbed in her chest, and she could feel its pull. However, something else was rising inside her, a force that had the power to alter the course of events and hinted of unrealized potential.
But at what price?
She sensed her pack's approach and could almost hear their voices crying out to her. Now more than ever, they would need her. But with this menace hovering over her, she had no solutions for them, not just now.
Then, as like the burden of everything wasn't already heavy enough, she felt a sudden tug on her awareness. It was the same feeling she had experienced when she had first seen the heavenly being. Something more frightening than the force that had already scarred her was on the horizon.
A voice that she was all too familiar with reverberated through the clearing before she had a chance to comprehend what was occurring.
"Selene..."
Kael was the one.
"Don’t make the same mistake I did."