I burst out of the tent, my chest heaving, my mind echoing with the words of that mysterious man.
"You must protect Uriel. Stand with her in the coming battle. Without you, she will die."
The warning replayed again and again, sharp as a blade carving through my thoughts.
I had to find her. I had to get to Uriel before it was too late.
My heart hammered, not from fear, but from a strange conviction. For reasons I couldn't explain, I believed him. Every word that left his pale lips rang with truth. And even though he had taken Elise—swallowed her pod into that endless darkness—I felt no fear. No resistance. Only trust.
That trust frightened me more than anything else.
What in all the hells was I doing?
I had put my faith in a man whose existence I had only just discovered. A being who spoke of war, death, and a destiny I had never asked for. I had let Elise slip into his keeping without a single objection, as if my will had been stolen away.
"Have I lost my mind?" I muttered under my breath, but my legs didn't falter.
I had no time to question myself.
And then—
My gut folded in on itself. The air was knocked clean from my lungs as something slammed into me from the side.
Thud.
I hit the ground hard, dust exploding in my face. The world blurred, my vision clogged with grit and shadows. Hands clamped down on my wrists like iron shackles, pinning me against the earth. I thrashed, but I couldn't break free. Whoever held me was strong, heavier than I could shove off.
Through the ringing in my ears, a voice cut sharp and merciless.
"What in all gods' name are you doing here?"
My head snapped toward the sound.
Lilith.
Even through the haze, I could see the fury etched across her face. Her brows carved deep lines, her mouth curled with rage. Her eyes—bright and unyielding—burned down into mine, demanding answers.
"Answer me," she barked.
I didn't hesitate. Whether it was fear, desperation, or simply the truth clawing its way out of me, the words spilled free.
"I need to get to Uriel—or she'll die."
Lilith's grip faltered. Her eyes widened, just for a fraction of a second. Worry flickered across her features, raw and unguarded, before she smothered it under a mask of anger once again.
"What do you mean? How do you know this?" The questions snapped out of her in a single breath.
For a moment, I froze. The truth balanced at the edge of my tongue. Who in their right mind would believe me if I told them what had happened? That I had been dragged into a realm of stars and voids? That I had stood before a pale-skinned figure upon an iron throne?
But the look in Lilith's eyes—sharp, desperate—cut through my hesitation.
"I was with Elise," I began, my voice low and shaking. "And then the darkness came. It swallowed me whole. I was taken to a domain of stars and universes, endless and vast. At the center stood an iron throne. A man sat upon it. His skin as pale as chalk, his eye—"
Lilith's lips moved before I could finish.
"Eyes hollow, yet could see all," she whispered.
Her voice trembled on the edge of memory.
She released me instantly, stepping back as if burned.
I scrambled to my feet, brushing the dust from my clothes, my gaze locked on hers.
"You know him?" I asked, my voice rough, almost accusing.
Lilith said nothing at first. Her face had gone pale, her lips pressed tight. Her silence was louder than words. Finally, she gave the faintest nod.
"Go," she muttered, her voice breaking. "If he says she'll die, then she will. Go to her. Please… save her."
Her usual steel was gone. Her voice cracked under the weight of something deeper, something hidden.
"She's at the main gates. Hurry."
I wanted to demand more. I wanted answers—about him, about why she knew, about what this meant. But there was no time. Uriel's life weighed heavier than my questions.
I turned and ran.
The camp around me blurred into noise and chaos. My lungs burned, my heartbeat pounded, but I didn't stop. My thoughts were fixed on one thing alone: reaching Uriel. Keeping her alive. Whatever destiny awaited me could wait until I had fulfilled that single task.
The closer I drew to the gates, the more the world shifted. Knights stood gathered in tight formation, their armor gleaming under torchlight, weapons clutched in ready hands. Shields braced. Eyes fixed forward.
I slowed for a moment as I passed them, my gaze sweeping over their faces. Not a flicker of fear remained in any of them. Whatever Uriel had done with that crest, it had burned fear clean from their souls. They were prepared to die without hesitation.
I pressed on, my boots pounding against the stone as I mounted the stairway to the wall. Each step came heavier, my breath ragged—not from exhaustion. The image of my so-called destiny haunted me still. That vision of me standing in battle, fire and ruin all around, felt too real to dismiss.
What was the truth that led me there? What path would drag me into that nightmare?
I didn't know. But I couldn't turn away now.
Finally, I reached the top of the stairs.
And stopped.
Two massive figures stood before me, spears crossed to block my path. Towering knights clad in heavy armor, their bodies radiating with mana so thick it pressed against my skin like heat. Their eyes glowed faint red, inhuman and watchful.
"Halt!" one of them barked, his voice like rolling thunder.
I froze where I stood, my boots grinding against the stone floor.
"I need to see Uriel," I said, breathless.
The knights exchanged a glance before their gazes locked back onto me.
"The commander must not be disturbed. Her orders," they said in unison.
I clenched my fists. "I have information she needs to hear. Now."
But they didn't move. Their grip on their spears tightened, their stance unyielding.
"Orders are orders," one growled. "Walk away."
A cold shiver traced my spine. Something felt wrong.
I shifted my stance, my eyes darting past them, scanning desperately for Uriel. She wasn't there. No glimpse of her anywhere on the wall.
"Where is she?" I muttered under my breath.
And then—
"Dodge!"
The voice tore through my skull, sharp and commanding.
My body obeyed before thought could catch up. I leapt back, the air whistling past as one of the spears slashed forward. The iron tip ripped through the front of my shirt, grazing my skin.
The sound of tearing fabric filled the air.
My eyes widened.
"What in all hells?" I gasped.
The knights didn't answer. Their eyes glowed brighter, their bodies tensing as they prepared to strike again.
And for the first time, I realized—
They weren't guarding Uriel.