Valeria's POV
The air in the chamber felt alive, crackling with the raw energy that pulsed from the Relic. It wasn't just a stone—this was something ancient, something that had been waiting for me, for centuries, to finally claim it. I could feel it, deep in my bones. It was mine, but so much more than mine. It was a part of me, of my bloodline, and its power hummed through my veins, awakening something I had tried so hard to bury.
But it was too late. There was no hiding from it now.
I stepped forward, reaching for the Relic, my fingers trembling despite my resolve. As my hand hovered over the stone, a violent surge of energy shot through the room, as if the Relic had sensed my presence and was drawing me in. My heart raced in response, the rush of power almost intoxicating. It was like a drug—dangerous, beautiful, and completely consuming.
Adrian's voice broke through the haze of my thoughts. "Valeria, wait—something's not right."
I didn't look at him. I couldn't. My body was already reacting to the pull of the Relic, its energy urging me forward, and there was no stopping it. Not anymore.
Without thinking, my hand closed around the Relic, and the moment I touched it, everything around me went still. The world seemed to collapse into silence, as though the universe had paused to take a breath. The stone beneath my fingers pulsed with power, sending waves of energy up my arm, through my chest, and straight into my soul. The force of it was overwhelming, and I staggered back, gasping for air.
The shadows in the room began to writhe again, swirling around us like a living thing, and I felt the temperature drop, the air growing thick and cold. The darkness was alive, feeding off the energy of the Relic, and it was growing stronger by the second.
I barely heard Adrian's voice, now tinged with panic. "Valeria, you need to let go of it! It's—"
But I couldn't hear him. The power of the Relic had consumed me completely. My body was no longer my own, and the shadows that had once seemed like an external threat now merged with me, intertwining with my very essence. I could feel the darkness inside me, every regret, every failure, every part of myself I had buried beneath layers of denial and fear. It was all coming to the surface, and I could do nothing to stop it.
I tried to pull away, to break free from the Relic's grasp, but it held me fast, binding me to it. The shadows closed in tighter, wrapping around my limbs, my throat, suffocating me with their weight. The energy was too much—I couldn't breathe, couldn't think. It was as if I was being torn apart from the inside.
In the distance, I heard Adrian calling my name, his voice distant and distorted, as if coming from the bottom of a well. But his words were drowned out by the overwhelming presence of the Relic, its power eclipsing everything else.
And then, through the haze, I heard a voice. It wasn't Adrian's—it was older, colder, a whisper that sent chills down my spine.
"You've come far, Celestial."
The words reverberated through my mind, shaking me to my core. I tried to look around, but everything was spinning, the shadows blurring into a wall of darkness. The voice seemed to come from everywhere, surrounding me with its cold, ancient malice.
"You think you can control this power. But you are nothing. You always have been. You cannot escape the truth. The Relic chooses its master, and it has chosen you. Do you truly think you can wield it? You will be consumed."
I fought against the voice, against the cold grip tightening around my chest, but it was no use. The shadows were inside me now, and the darkness was a part of my soul. There was nowhere to hide.
"You were always meant to fail," the voice continued, growing louder, its echo reverberating through my mind like a drumbeat.
"Stop!" I shouted, my voice hoarse, desperate, as I tried to pull away from the Relic. But it was useless—the shadows wrapped around me tighter, the voice growing more insistent.
"You cannot escape. The power has already claimed you."
My breath hitched as I realized the truth in the voice's words. The Relic wasn't just a tool for me to wield—it had its own will. It had chosen me, yes, but it wasn't the same as simply controlling it. The power it offered wasn't just a gift—it was a curse.
I felt a surge of panic, my heartbeat quickening as I tried to break free. I couldn't let this happen—not after everything I had fought for. Adrian was right. This wasn't what I had intended. This wasn't what I needed. I couldn't lose control. Not now.
In that moment, I heard Adrian's voice again, cutting through the chaos, his words sharper, more focused this time. "Valeria! Listen to me!"
His voice cut through the haze of power, and something inside me snapped. The pull of the Relic was undeniable, but I was still me. I was still Valeria, and I would not let the shadows consume me.
I took a deep breath, forcing my mind to focus. The darkness clawed at me, pulling me under, but I resisted. I had faced the Trial. I had overcome the darkness within me before. I could do it again.
I gripped the Relic tighter, my fingers cold, my body trembling, and I pushed against the shadows, not with force, but with control. I was the one who commanded this power. I was the one who chose how it would be used.
The room around me trembled as the shadows recoiled, shrinking away from the intensity of my focus. The voice grew fainter, its words dissolving into nothingness. The shadows faded, pulling back from my mind as I regained control.
I stood there, panting, my heart racing in my chest, as the darkness receded. The Relic was still in my hand, glowing faintly, its power still thrumming beneath my skin, but it was no longer overwhelming. I had not let it consume me. Not this time.
Adrian was beside me, his face a mask of concern as he reached out to touch my shoulder, his voice filled with raw emotion. "Valeria… are you okay?"
I turned to him, my breath still unsteady, but a strange sense of calm settling over me. "I'm… I'm fine."
He didn't seem convinced, but he didn't push me. His hand stayed on my shoulder, steady and warm.
I looked down at the Relic, the weight of it still heavy in my hand. This was just the beginning. The darkness hadn't gone away—it would never go away. But now, for the first time, I knew that I could wield it. I could control it.
And I would.