Lila's body trembled, her hands shaking as she gripped the obsidian stone. The power coursing through her was overwhelming—like a torrent, like fire and ice, crashing through her veins. The world around her felt as though it were breaking apart, as if the very air she breathed was disintegrating into dust. And yet, in the midst of it all, there was something else: an eerie sense of clarity, as though the chaos had unlocked something deep within her.
The serpent's voice whispered in her mind again, a low hiss that made her skin prickle. You are the vessel, child. You will bring the world to its knees, or you will destroy it. There is no middle ground.
Lila stumbled backward, gasping for breath. Her mind swirled with the weight of the serpent's power. The stone in her hand pulsed with a life of its own, its surface now hot against her skin, as though it were alive, feeding on her.
"Lila…" Lucian's voice reached her through the haze. He was standing at the entrance of the chamber, his gaze fixed on her with something between awe and fear. He had seen this before—he must have.
"What did I just do?" Lila's voice was barely a whisper, the words choked with disbelief and terror. Her fingers loosened from the stone, but the energy didn't subside. It wrapped around her like chains, binding her to something ancient and terrible.
Lucian stepped forward cautiously, his eyes never leaving her. "You awakened it. The power of the serpent runs through you now, whether you like it or not. And it is hungry."
Lila swallowed hard, her throat dry. "I didn't ask for this. I didn't choose this."
Lucian nodded slowly, his expression grim. "None of us choose the curse of the serpent, Lila. It chooses us. Your bloodline has always been bound to it. Now, you must decide: will you control it, or will it consume you?"
Lila's mind raced. She had always been taught to fear the serpent, to keep it buried, to destroy anything that sought to awaken its power. But now, it was inside her—inside her blood, inside her very soul. She could feel it, twisting and coiling within her, urging her to give in.
But there was still a part of her, a stubborn spark of resistance, that refused to yield. I am not a tool. I am not a weapon. I will not be used.
The serpent's hiss in her mind grew louder, like a rattling warning. You cannot escape what you are.
Lila gritted her teeth, focusing all her will on holding the power back. She didn't know how, but she would find a way. She would not let this thing—this ancient, dark force—take control of her. She would learn to use it, to bend it to her will.
The air around her grew still, heavy with the weight of the power that thrummed beneath her skin. Her breath came in shallow gasps as she tried to center herself, to push aside the overwhelming surge of energy. She could feel Lucian watching her, waiting for her to break, but she wasn't going to. Not this time.
"You're strong," Lucian said softly, breaking the silence. "Stronger than I thought."
Lila didn't respond. She couldn't. Her mind was too tangled in the chaos of the power inside her. The serpent's presence was like an itch beneath her skin, an insistent pull that urged her to let go, to give in. But she resisted, holding onto herself with every ounce of strength she had left.
After what felt like an eternity, the energy inside her began to settle, though the tension in the air still remained. The stone in her hand stopped pulsing, and the oppressive weight that had filled the chamber started to dissipate. Lila exhaled slowly, her body still trembling from the strain.
"I'm… not in control," she whispered, her voice shaky. "Not yet."
Lucian stepped closer, his eyes studying her closely. "You will be. But it will take time. And you will need guidance."
Lila's gaze snapped to him, her eyes narrowing. "Guidance? From you? Why would I trust you?"
Lucian's lips curled into a small, knowing smile. "Because you have no other choice, Lila. The power inside you will not be contained by mere willpower alone. You will need someone to help you harness it. I can teach you."
Her chest tightened at his words. She didn't want to rely on him—on anyone—but she had no other choice. She was already in too deep.
"I don't need your help," she said, though her voice lacked conviction. She could feel the serpent's power stirring within her, and the truth was, she didn't know how much longer she could keep it contained on her own.
Lucian's gaze softened, but there was a hint of something else there—a challenge, perhaps. "You will learn, Lila. But you must understand: this power will not wait for you to be ready. The serpent's legacy is rising. And when it does, you will either control it—or it will control you."
Lila's stomach churned at the thought. She didn't know what was worse—the idea of becoming the serpent's vessel, or the terrifying truth that she might not have a choice in the matter.
"Why didn't you tell me about this before?" she asked, her voice cold. "Why didn't you warn me about what was coming?"
Lucian didn't flinch. "Because you weren't ready to hear it. You had to discover it for yourself, or you would have never believed it. You had to be forced into this path. The serpent's curse cannot be passed on through words—it must be experienced."
Lila felt the weight of his words settle on her like a heavy cloak. Her whole life had been a lie, and now, she had no choice but to walk the path her ancestors had set for her. But she wasn't going to be a puppet. She wasn't going to bow to this curse.
"I will find my own way," she said, her voice firm. "I will control this power. Not you. Not anyone."
Lucian's eyes gleamed with something unreadable. "We'll see, Lila. We'll see."
With that, he turned and began to walk toward the exit of the chamber, his cloak trailing behind him like a shadow. Lila watched him go, her heart still pounding, the serpent's power pulsing beneath her skin.
She didn't know what the future held. She didn't know if she could control the darkness that was now inside her. But one thing was certain: this war—this battle for her soul—was far from over.
And no matter how hard she fought, the serpent would always be there, coiled and waiting.