Eryon’s breath came in ragged gasps as he knelt beside Lyra’s unconscious form, her pale face a stark reminder of the chaos that had unfolded. His hands trembled as he lifted her limp body, the weight of her slight frame crushing him with guilt. Her blood seeped through his fingers, mingling with the dirt beneath them.
Seraphine’s voice, calm yet commanding, echoed through the clearing. “It’s time to choose, Eryon.” She extended her hand, the swirling portal behind her casting an eerie light across the battle-worn ground. “You can leave this weakness behind. Step through, and we’ll rewrite your destiny together.”
Adrian, his body battered and bloodied, pushed himself to his feet with sheer willpower. His blade glowed faintly with enchantments as he glared at Seraphine, his fury undiminished. “Get away from them!” he snarled, charging forward with the last of his strength.
Seraphine smirked, effortlessly deflecting his attack with a wave of dark magic. The force sent Adrian sprawling back, his blade clattering to the ground. He groaned, his vision swimming, but his resolve remained unbroken.
Eryon’s amber eyes flickered with torment as he stood between them, Lyra cradled in his arms. “This isn’t what I wanted,” he said, his voice shaking.
“You never knew what you wanted,” Seraphine replied smoothly, her silver eyes gleaming. “But I do. I’ve seen your potential, Eryon. They will never understand you—not like I do.”
Eryon’s gaze shifted to Adrian, who struggled to stand, his expression twisted with desperation. “Don’t do this, Eryon!” Adrian yelled, his voice raw. “She’s your sister—your family! Don’t let her tear you apart!”
The portal hummed with power, its pull growing stronger. Eryon stared at it, his wolf instincts urging him to flee, to protect his sister, to defy Seraphine. But the voice inside him, the one filled with doubt and self-loathing, whispered that Seraphine might be right.
“I…” he faltered, looking down at Lyra’s fragile form. Her silver hair clung to her sweat-dampened face, her breathing shallow but steady.
“You’ll regret this if you don’t act now,” Seraphine pressed, her hand still outstretched. “Save yourself, Eryon. Save her. The world you’re clinging to will only destroy you both.”
Adrian gritted his teeth, forcing himself forward a few paces. “If you go through that portal, you’ll never come back. You’ll lose her—and yourself.”
Eryon’s eyes glistened with unshed tears as he took one agonizing step toward the portal, then another. His heart felt like it was splitting in two. “Take care of her,” he whispered, his voice hollow. “She’s all that matters.”
“Eryon, no!” Adrian roared, lunging forward, but the portal flared brightly, cutting him off.
Eryon stepped through, his figure vanishing into the swirling light just as it closed behind him. Silence descended over the clearing, broken only by the distant rustle of leaves.