"Veil of Fate"

The safe house is quiet now, the only sound the soft crackle of a fire in the corner of the room. Kael sits across from me, his posture tense but controlled. His gaze is fixed on me, like he's waiting for something—maybe for me to crack, for me to finally admit that I'm not as fine as I keep pretending to be.

But I'm not ready to admit that, not yet. I can't afford to show weakness. Not now.

I stare into the flames, the warmth of the fire doing little to ease the chill inside me. The stone in my heart feels heavier with every passing second, and the longer I sit in silence, the more I can feel it pushing me toward a breaking point. My powers are out of control, and no matter how much Kael wants to believe in me, I can't shake the feeling that I'm slipping farther away from him—and from myself.

"Tell me about the Revenants," I say suddenly, breaking the silence. My voice sounds foreign, even to me, thin and strained. "What do we really know about them?"

Kael looks at me, his eyes narrowing slightly, as though weighing my words. "You already know the basics. They're a faction of rogue Celestials who drain the abilities of others to keep themselves alive longer. But it's not just about immortality. The Revenants are building something much bigger, something darker. They want to reshape the world, to control all Celestial Gifts. And they'll stop at nothing to get what they want."

I nod slowly, trying to absorb the weight of his words. But something in me recoils, a part of me desperate to shut it all out. I don't want to hear about their plans. I don't want to think about how I fit into all of this—how my power is the key to stopping them.

"What's their endgame?" I ask, even though I already know the answer.

"Control," Kael says flatly. "Complete control over all Celestial Gifts. If they succeed, they'll be able to drain the power of every Celestial in the world, rendering them powerless. And then… they'll rule."

I shudder at the thought. If the Revenants succeed, if they gain that much power, it's not just our lives at stake—it's the entire world.

"But we're not powerless," I say, more to myself than to Kael. "We have a weapon too. My power."

Kael's gaze sharpens. "Your power isn't just a weapon, Lyra. It's a curse."

I flinch at his words. "I know. I didn't ask for this. But I don't have a choice. If I don't use it, we lose."

He looks away, a muscle in his jaw tightening. "I just wish you didn't have to keep paying the price. Every time you take someone else's Gift, a part of you slips away. I can't watch you lose yourself like this."

I turn away from him, the words sinking into me like a dagger. I don't want to hear it anymore. I don't want to think about the price of my power. All I want is to survive—to keep fighting, to protect the people I care about. But the more I use my power, the more I feel it slipping through my fingers. The more I feel myself slipping away.

"I'm not going to let the Revenants win," I say, my voice low and determined. "And I'm not going to stop using my power. If it's the only way to stop them, then I'll do whatever it takes."

Kael stands abruptly, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. "That's exactly what they want you to believe. They want you to think that your only value lies in your power. But that's not true, Lyra. You're so much more than that."

I bite my lip, the pressure of his words building inside me. "I don't know how else to fight, Kael. If I don't fight, if I don't use my power, they'll take everything. And I can't let that happen."

He steps toward me, his expression softening. "I know. But there's another way. I can help you, Lyra. We can find a way to stop them without losing you."

I want to believe him. I want to believe that there's a way out, that I don't have to sacrifice everything I am. But the truth is, I'm not sure how much of me is left. Every time I take someone else's power, I feel myself breaking, piece by piece. And the thought of losing myself completely—of turning into something unrecognizable—terrifies me more than the thought of facing the Revenants.

"I'm scared, Kael," I admit, my voice breaking. "I'm so scared that I'll lose everything."

He reaches for me then, his hand gentle on my arm. "I'm here. I won't let you lose yourself. We'll figure this out, I promise."

I look into his eyes, searching for the hope that his words are meant to carry. But all I see is the same fear that I feel, the same uncertainty. We're both teetering on the edge, caught between the need to survive and the fear of losing everything we hold dear.

"I don't know if we can stop it," I whisper, barely able to speak the words. "But I have to try. I can't live in fear of what's coming."

Kael's expression hardens with resolve. "Then we'll fight, Lyra. We'll fight together."

I nod, the weight of the decision settling in. But even as I agree, I can't shake the feeling that the future is already set in motion—that the path I'm on will lead to something I can't escape.

And no matter how hard I try to change it, I know that some destinies can never be avoided.

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