Chapter 35 Ruin Visions
Amara’s POV
Like chains, the blackness encircled me.
I was freezing, barefoot, and gasping for air as I sprinted through dense fog. The smell of burning and blood filled the air. I was unsure about my location. All I knew was that I had to continue. A horrible thing was about to happen. There was a problem.
"Rowan!" I yelled. "Kian! "
No response. The only sound I could hear was the wind yelling.
The fog suddenly lifted. I also witnessed it.
A blood-soaked field.
In the middle was Rowan's motionless body, eyes wide open. His hand extended toward me, but it remained motionless.
"No! I grabbed his shoulders and fell to my knees next to him. "Awaken, Rowan! Please! "
He had chilly skin. He had blue lips. He stopped breathing even though I began to shake him, weep, and shout.
Then, behind me, I heard someone cough. I pivoted.
Kian.
He was also on the ground, with a deep gash across his chest, gushing blood. Beside him, his sword was broken.
I mumbled, "No—no, not you too." I slithered toward him. "Remain with me. Kian, please.
His eyes were hazy as he looked at me. With hardly a breath in his voice, he whispered, "You… chose wrong." "You always make the wrong decision."
He lowered his head.
Dead.
Both of them.
I let out a yell.
My chest ripped as I let out a scream. Rocking back and forth between their bodies, I gripped my head. "No! No, no, no! "
Then I felt a fissure in the ground.
Whispering voices emerged from the darkness. Weeping. Spirits.
"It was your fault."
"Death came from your mark."
"You have to make a decision."
I staggered back. "Cease! Quit! "
Fire erupted from the fissures in the ground as it split open. Smoke ascended. In the distance, there were screams.
I spun around and took off running. But everything was swallowed by the fog as it pursued me.
Then—
I awoke.
I sat up in bed with a start, sweating profusely and feeling like my heart was about to burst. Short gasps of breath came out of me.
I frantically looked about. My chamber. Secure.
But my trembling persisted.
“Just a dream,” I said, pressing my hand to my chest. "Just a bad dream."
But it had felt too real. Their eyes. Their blood. That awful void.
I snatched up my blanket and huddled in, suppressing a cry. "Why? Why am I seeing this? "
My chest tingled where the mark was. It beat. As though it also recalled what I had seen.
I tried to relax by covering it with my palm. However, the fear persisted. Like smoke, it clung to me.
I heard footsteps running down the hallway at that moment.
My door slammed open with a bang.
"Amara!" Rowan's voice was piercing and frantic.
"What's wrong, Amara?" Kian was breathing heavily just behind him.
My heart continued to race as I blinked at them both. I had my blanket in my fists. I was trembling all around.
Without hesitation, they hurried to my side. Kian was on the right, and Rowan was on the left, both kneeling. They both simultaneously reached for me.
I began, "I'm fine—" but was touched by both of their hands.
Then everything was different.
My mark blazed with fire the instant they touched, Kian's palm against my spine and Ryan's hand seizing mine.
"Oh no! I grasped my chest and yelled.
My skin was bursting with golden light. It was dazzling. I felt my heart pounding like a drum. Like firecrackers, energy burst into the room. The air pulsed, buzzed.
"What on earth is going on?" Rowan yelled, lurching back a little but holding onto my hand.
Kian appeared equally astonished. “Her mark—it’s reacting! It has never done this to me! "
The severe burn radiating from the mark took my breath away as I gasped. "It aches—it hurts! "
Silver and crimson flashes danced across my eyes. I was having trouble breathing. My chest felt like it was being ripped apart.
Both of them were trying to help, but they wouldn't let go, so I tried to get away from them, but their hands held me tight.
Then the room shook.
My dresser's candles went out. The windows were closed, but the curtains fluttered. My mark's golden radiance intensified—until it engulfed the room.
The voices then resurfaced.
This time, though, it wasn't a dream.
They reverberated around us.
Ancient, guttural, and low.
“Choose…”
Kian's head jerked in the direction of the noise. "Have you heard that? "
In front of me, Rowan stood guard, looking around the room. "What on earth was that? "
"Select! The shrill, terrible screams from the spirits became louder, piercing my bones.
The mark flared again, and I curled forward, clutching my chest. "Please, just stop! "
The voices didn't.
Only one will survive. There will only be one leader. Make a decision or it will be ruined! "
The temperature dropped sharply. In front of me, my breath froze. Kian and Rowan watched me as if I were a ghost.
Rowan said, "Amara, what are they discussing? What do you choose? "
My mouth quivered. "I-I'm not sure! "
"Is your mark at issue here? Kian moved closer and asked. Or... us? "
One more flash. It was not light this time. A vision came to mind.
One path faded into dust, the other with Rowan holding my hand.
An alternative route—Kian standing above flames, the world erupting behind him.
My mind whirled. My heart hurt.
I cried and shook my head, "No." "Don't force me to pick! "
The voices, however, just became louder.
"Select! Decide! SELECT! "
I slumped after my mark flared one last time.
Everything turned dark.