Chapter 33 Chapter 33
Sable’s POV
The world didn’t move.
It stopped.
The creature’s words echoed inside my head long after it spoke them, repeating over and over like a curse I couldn’t escape from.
"You’re the key".
My chest rose sharply, breath catching as the meaning settled deep into my bones.
"No..." I whispered, shaking my head. "No, that’s not possible".
Like I was just understanding the meaning of the words.
The creature didn’t argue, in fact it didn’t need to.
Because something deep inside me—
Something ancient and buried had already started to agree.
The power in my chest pulsed again.
Stronger and heavier this time around. Like it was reacting to the truth.
Caius stepped forward instantly, placing himself fully between me and the creature again, his presence dark and unyielding.
"You’re done talking", he said coldly.
The creature sighed softly.
"Still trying to play guardian?" it murmured. "You’ve always been predictable".
Caius’s expression hardened.
"And you’ve always been a mistake".
The air between them warped again, pressure building so violently that cracks spread further across the temple walls. The remaining pillars groaned, barely holding the structure together.
"Caius..", I called, my voice unsteady.
He didn’t look back.
"Stay behind me".
My chest tightened.
That tone—
That command, it felt too familiar.
Too much like before.
Like the boy who forced me to drink tea every morning.
Like the brother who controlled everything.
But this time...
It wasn’t control.
It was protection.
And that scared me more.
The creature tilted its head slightly, watching us both with quiet interest.
"You still think you can protect her?" it asked softly.
Caius didn’t hesitate.
"Yes".
A pause.
Then the creature smiled again.
"Then you’re going to die trying".
The moment the words left its mouth—
Everything exploded.
The creature moved–not too fast or in a way I could track.
It just—
Was there.
Right in front of Caius. Almost like it disappeared and then appeared right in front of him.
The impact shook the entire temple as their powers collided, dark energy slamming into cold void–like force. The ground shattered beneath them, as a shockwave ripped outward throwing debris in every direction.
I stumbled back, barely catching myself as the force hit me.
"Sable!"
Leonidas’s voice broke through the chaos as he pushed himself up from the rubble, blood running down the side of his face. His silver eyes locked onto me instantly.
"Get back!"
Kael was already moving again too, slower this time because of his injuries but just as determined, his golden gaze sharp as he assessed the situation.
The dragon roared, launching forward as well, its massive claws slamming into the ground as it joined the fight.
But even with all of them–
It wasn’t enough.
Caius and the creature clashed again, their powers tearing through the temple like a storm unleashed. Every strike cracked stone, every movement bent the air itself.
And the creature–
It was enjoying this.
Its laughter echoed through the chaos, low and twisted.
"Yes", it murmured, dodging Caius’s next strike with ease. "This is exactly what I expected".
Caius’s eyes darkened further.
"You’re not taking her".
"Oh, I’m not taking her", the creature replied casually.
It paused and then smiled.
"She’s coming with me willingly".
My stomach dropped.
"No", I said, stepping back instinctively. "That’s not happening".
The creature’s gaze snapped to me instantly.
And for a moment—
Everything else stopped.
The fight.
The chaos.
The noise.
Everything, it all faded.
Because it was looking at me again. Only me.
"You don’t understand yet", it said softly.
"I don’t want to understand", I shot back.
Its expression softened slightly.
Not the kindly type, but the knowingly one.
"You will", it replied.
The power inside me surged out again.
Wild and unstable.
Reacting to its words.
"No", I whispered, clutching my chest. "Stop..."
But it didn’t stop.
Instead it grew stronger and faster. Like something inside me was waking up again.
The creature took a step toward me.
And this time–
Caius didn’t stop it.
He couldn’t.
Because he was already fighting.
Already losing ground.
My breath hitched.
"Caius...!"
"I said stay back!" he snapped, his voice sharper than before.
Pain flickered through me.
But I didn’t move.
I couldn’t even I tried to.
Because the creature was right there now. Too close.
Its hand lifted slowly, reaching for me.
And everything inside me screamed–
'Don’t let it touch you'.
But my body..didn’t listen.
I froze completely.
Like something had locked me in place. Like my own power was betraying me.
"Good", the creature whispered.
Its fingers brushed against my cheek.
Cold. Not like ice.
It felt like nothing.
Like the absence of everything.
My breath stopped.
And in that instant–
I saw something.
Not the temple.
Or the fight.
Nor the world.
Something else.
A vision.
Dark skies.
Cracked earth.
Wolves lying still.
Blood everywhere.
The dragon–
Fallen.
And at the center of it all–Me.
Standing alone.
Unchanged and unbroken.
Watching everything burn.
My eyes snapped open with a gasp.
"No–!"
The power inside me exploded again.
But this time—
It wasn’t just mine.
Something else surged with it.
Something darker.
Something more deeper.
The creature’s eyes lit up.
"There it is", it whispered.
Caius roared, breaking free from the clash as he lunged forward, grabbing my arm and pulling me back from the creature.
"Don’t touch her!"
The moment he did—
The power between us snapped.
Violently.
A shockwave burst outward, throwing everyone back again.
The dragon crashed into a pillar, while Leonidas and Kael were forced to the ground once more.
The temple ceiling cracked further, chunks of stone falling around us.
My head spun while my body burned.
"I can’t–" I gasped. "I can’t control it!"
"Yes, you can", Caius said firmly, gripping my shoulders.
His eyes locked onto mine.
And for the first time—
They were clear.
Fully clear with no darkness around them.
"Sable, listen to me".
My breathing shook.
"It’s too much–"
"No".
His voice cut through everything.
Steady. Grounding.
"You’re stronger than it"
Tears burned my eyes.
"I don’t feel strong".
His grip tightened slightly.
"Then feel me".
The words hit me differently.
It didn't sound like a command or a control. It sounded like something else.
Something real.
My breathing slowed slightly.
Just enough.
"Focus", he said. "Not on the power"
"Then on what?"
"On who you are".
My chest tightened.
Who am I...?
The question echoed.
Louder than everything else.
And for the first time—
I didn’t have an answer.
The creature watched us quietly with patient as if everything was suddenly interesting to him.
"Touching", it murmured.
"Truly".
Caius didn’t look away from me.
"Don’t listen to it".
"I’m not–"
"You are".
His voice softened slightly.
"It’s already in your head"
My heart skipped.
"No..."
But I felt it.
A whisper.
It was faint, but still there.
I could hear the creature’s voice inside me.
"You don’t have to fight it", it murmured gently.
I flinched.
"Get out of my head!"
"Why?" it asked softly. "This is where I belong".
"No, it’s not!"
"Yes....it is".
The power surged again.
Stronger. Even more unstable.
The ground cracked beneath my feet.
The air trembled.
Caius’s expression darkened.
"It’s trying to merge with you".
My breath hitched.
"What?"
The creature smiled wider.
"Not merge", it corrected. "Complete".
Everything inside me went cold.
"I don’t want that".
"You don’t get a choice".
The words hit like a final blow.
And something inside me—
Broke.
The power exploded again.
But this time—
It wasn’t silver neither was it light.
It was something else.
Something darker.
Something new.
The dragon roared in alarm.
Caius’s grip tightened.
"Sable–stop!"
But I couldn’t.
Because the moment the darkness mixed with my power—
I felt it.
The truth.
The terrifying, undeniable truth.
I wasn’t just the Queen.
I wasn’t just the key.
I was both sides of something that was never meant to exist.
And the moment I realized that—
The creature laughed.
Soft but triumphant.
"Yes", it whispered.
"Now you’re finally waking up".
And the worst part?
A piece of me—
Agreed.