Azaelith could feel the transformation within her. The power of the Devil's Mark, once a burden, now surged through her veins like wildfire. Her senses were heightened, her strength increased tenfold. Her red eyes glowed with an intensity that could burn through the night, and every movement she made was filled with purpose.
But she knew this was just the beginning. The real test was ahead. The Ascendants, those powerful beings who controlled the kingdom, would not let her rise without a fight. They had already made it clear that they saw her as a threat, and now she was ready to strike.
"We need to move quickly," Kael said, breaking her thoughts. "The Ascendants will be watching, waiting for you to make a move. But now that you've unlocked the Mark, they'll come after you with everything they have."
"I'm not afraid of them," Azaelith replied, her voice cold and resolute.
She could feel the weight of her new power, but it didn't overwhelm her—it strengthened her resolve. She had been reborn, and nothing would stand in her way.
Kael looked at her with a mixture of admiration and wariness. "Don't underestimate them. The Ascendants are not like other enemies you've faced. They control everything—magic, politics, even the minds of the people. They'll do whatever it takes to keep you from taking what's rightfully yours."
Azaelith met his gaze. "I'm not after their throne. I'm after something much more powerful."
She wasn't just fighting for revenge anymore. She was fighting for freedom. Freedom from the chains that had bound her and her family. Freedom to shape her own destiny.
As they left the chamber and ascended back to the surface, Azaelith felt a sense of clarity she had never known before. She was no longer the broken girl who had died in that alley. She was a force to be reckoned with, and the world would soon know her name.