Lightning cracked across the darkened sky. The fog thickened, and the warmth of the ancient temple turned into a battlefield filled with tension. Zara stood face to face with Kael—the man she once trusted. Now, he was the traitor who had betrayed everything… including her feelings.
"Why, Kael?" Zara's voice trembled. "If all you ever wanted was power, why make me believe… that you cared?"
Kael stepped forward slowly. The shadow creatures behind him came to a halt, as if giving them space. His face no longer wore that sly smile—just a sorrow he could no longer hide.
"I did care, Zara," he said softly. "From the very first moment I guided you into this world… I knew you were different. You were strong. But this world… it's cruel to those who know too much. I tried to be 'good'. But the truth… it's bitter."
Zara tightened her grip on the Soul Relic, her eyes brimming with tears. "So it was all a lie? You got close to me… because of the Relic?"
Kael looked down. "At first, yes. But over time… I started feeling something I hadn't felt since I lost everything. When I was with you, Zara… I felt alive again."
Zara closed her eyes, breathing deeply. She wanted to be angry. But her heart was breaking. Kael wasn't just a fallen guardian—he was someone she had loved in silence.
"If you loved me, then why choose this path?" Her voice cracked.
Kael stepped closer, now only inches away. "Because I know… with the power of the Relic, I can change destiny. Change the world. And I want you with me, not against me."
From behind, Ayla shouted, "Zara, don't listen to him! He's using your heart to break your resolve!"
Zara glanced slightly at Ayla, but her gaze remained fixed on Kael.
"I… I trusted you, Kael. But if you're willing to ally with Nyx, then you've already lost your way."
Kael reached out and gently took her hand—tenderly, with emotion.
"But you haven't lost me, Zara. Give me the Relic. Let's create a new world… one where you and I don't have to hide from fate."
Zara's heart stirred. For a brief moment, she wondered—what if she went with him? What if the world they built really could be better?
But a voice echoed within her—a voice from the soul dimension she had once crossed, the voice of the child inside her.
"You've come too far… don't repeat old wounds."
Zara took a step back. "I love you, Kael. But I love the truth more. I love the world I'm meant to protect more."
Kael held his breath. "So you choose to be my enemy?"
Zara raised the Soul Relic, its blue light engulfing her entire body. "I choose to be the light you abandoned."
And in an instant, the Relic's power burst forth—pushing Kael and his shadow army backward. The temple trembled. The battle had begun. But this wasn't just a battle of strength.
This… was a battle of the heart.