Chereads / The Astral Veil / Chapter 28 - The Price of Truth

Chapter 28 - The Price of Truth

The air around Lia crackled with tension as the Nexus shifted once again. The familiar stillness of the trials had faded, replaced by a new, heavier presence that seemed to press against her chest, urging her to move forward. Kael stood silently by her side, her gaze fixed ahead, as if sensing that the next trial would require more than just strength—it would demand the kind of courage that could only be found when facing the rawest truths.

Lia felt it in her bones: this trial was different. The weight of it wasn't just about survival or power, but something deeper—something more personal. She had already lost so much, had been tested in ways she hadn't thought possible. Now, it seemed the Nexus was pushing her to confront a truth she wasn't ready to face.

"Stay close," Kael whispered, her voice steady despite the unease in her eyes.

Lia nodded. No words were necessary. She didn't have to ask Kael to stay by her side. The bond between them had become something unspoken—a force stronger than anything the Nexus could throw at them.

The landscape around them began to take shape, swirling into a scene familiar yet unsettling. The ground beneath their feet was no longer the marble of the halls they had just left, but the cracked earth of the old temple where Lia had spent most of her childhood. The place where her story had begun. The place where she had first felt the weight of destiny upon her shoulders.

It was here that she had been introduced to the truth of the Heart, to the burden that would shape her entire life. The ground trembled as memories surged forward, each one sharp and painful, as though the very earth was dragging her into the past.

Lia's heart skipped a beat as a figure emerged from the shadows. A figure she hadn't expected to see again, not like this.

"Lia."

Her mother stood before her, as vivid and alive as the day Lia had last seen her. Her face was full of warmth, the soft smile that Lia had so often longed for lighting up the tension in the air. But as her mother stepped forward, something was wrong. Her eyes, though still filled with love, seemed distant, as though they were seeing something Lia could not.

"You've come back," her mother said, her voice soft, but there was an edge to it that Lia had never heard before.

Lia's breath caught in her throat. This couldn't be real. Not again. Her mother had died, had been lost in the chaos of the old war. There was no way she could be here now. Yet here she was, standing in front of Lia like nothing had ever changed.

"I… I never wanted to leave you," Lia whispered, stepping forward. "I couldn't save you. I couldn't…"

Her mother's eyes softened, but there was a sorrow in them that Lia hadn't seen before. "You couldn't save me, but you never understood why you had to leave. You never understood why I asked you to do it."

Lia took a step back, confusion flooding her thoughts. "What do you mean? I didn't have a choice. I had to go. I had to protect everyone…"

Her mother's expression hardened, and the warmth in her eyes turned cold. "You think you've been protecting everyone, but you've been running from the truth. You've been running from the very thing I asked you to face. The truth about your power, your destiny, and the price you've paid for it."

Lia's chest tightened. She could feel her pulse quickening, the weight of her mother's words sinking in. What was she talking about? What truth?

"Mother, I…" Lia's voice faltered, the question hanging in the air.

Her mother stepped forward, her eyes never leaving Lia's. "You have been chasing a shadow, Lia. A version of yourself that you think is destined for greatness. But at what cost? What have you lost to get here? What will you lose next?"

Lia's hands trembled, the weight of the question pressing into her. She had already lost so much: her family, her innocence, her sense of security. She had fought and bled for the future she believed in, but the cost of that belief was becoming clearer with each passing moment.

The ground beneath her feet rumbled again, and Lia was struck with a sudden realization. The question her mother had asked wasn't just about the past. It was about the present, and the future—the choices she had yet to make. The truth she had been running from wasn't just about her mother's death or the wars she had fought. It was about the burden of the Heart, the true purpose it held, and the power that came with it.

"I… I don't understand," Lia whispered, her voice shaky. "What do you mean? What truth?"

Her mother's expression softened once again, but it was a sad kind of softness. "You've been carrying the Heart, but you've never understood what it truly means. You've fought battles, you've made sacrifices, but you've never fully understood the cost of wielding such power."

The world around them began to shift. The temple walls crumbled, the earth splitting open beneath their feet. Lia could feel the pull of the Nexus, drawing her deeper into the heart of the trial. The air became thick with the weight of unspoken words, of truths that had been buried for far too long.

"Lia," her mother said, her voice growing faint as the world around them collapsed into darkness. "You must face the truth, or you will be consumed by it."

Lia's chest tightened as the last remnants of her mother's form disappeared, leaving only the echo of her voice. She was alone again, standing in the heart of the Nexus, her mind reeling with the weight of what had just transpired.

Kael was beside her, silent but steadfast. She didn't need to say anything—Lia knew she had felt the same pressure, the same uncertainty.

"What was that?" Lia asked, her voice hoarse, as the remnants of the vision slowly faded away.

Kael's gaze was far away, thoughtful. "That was a test. The truth you've been avoiding. The price of your power."

Lia shook her head. "But I don't understand. What am I supposed to do? I've already lost so much. What more is there to give?"

Kael reached out, placing a hand on Lia's shoulder, her touch grounding her. "The truth is that you've been running from yourself. From the very thing that makes you who you are. You're not meant to carry this burden alone, Lia. You've never been alone."

Lia closed her eyes, feeling the weight of Kael's words. The truth was something she had been avoiding her entire life—the truth about the Heart, about the true purpose of her power, and about what it meant to be the one who held it.

She had come so far, but the hardest part of the journey was still ahead of her. The price of truth wasn't always one she could avoid. But now, for the first time, Lia felt ready to face it.

"We need to keep moving," Lia said, her voice steady. "There's more to this, and I'm not backing down."

With Kael by her side, Lia stepped forward, ready to face whatever came next. The truth had come at a cost, but it was a cost she was willing to pay.