The world trembled.
A deafening silence filled the air before the ground beneath Eleana cracked open. Shadows and golden light intertwined, surging around her like a celestial storm.
Her body hovered in midair, her arms outstretched as an overwhelming energy erupted from her chest.
Leon's heart stopped.
Her wings were changing.
Gone were the faint, golden traces of celestial energy.
Instead, massive black wings unfurled from her back, their feathers shimmering with an ominous glow.
Her eyes—no longer gentle, no longer human—burned with a deep golden fire, her pupils shifting into something inhuman, unreadable, powerful.
Eleana was no longer herself.
She had become what had been hidden within her all along—
A Dark Celestial Angel.
And the moment the ring shattered…
She was lost.
Victor's Realization
Victor took a slow step back, his breath caught in his throat.
He had wanted her to awaken.
But not like this.
The power radiating from her wasn't just celestial—it was chaotic, untamed, unstable.
If she lost herself completely…
There would be no saving her.
Even Leon wouldn't be able to reach her now.
Victor clenched his fists. He had brought this upon himself—but could he undo it?
Was there any way to bring Eleana back?
Or had he lost her forever?
Leon's Despair
Leon rushed toward her, ignoring the burning energy pulsing in the air.
"Eleana!" His voice pierced through the storm, raw with desperation.
But she didn't react.
She hovered above them, her black wings stretched wide, her entire body radiating power.
She didn't even see him anymore.
Leon's hands curled into fists. He had fought for her, searched for her, vowed never to lose her again—
And yet, she was slipping away.
His chest tightened. "Eleana, listen to me! You don't have to do this!"
Her gaze snapped to him, and for a fleeting second—just one—he thought he saw something familiar in her eyes.
A flicker of recognition.
A whisper of who she used to be.
But then—the shadows consumed her.
Her lips parted, but the voice that came out was no longer hers.
"I was never meant to be saved."
Leon's heart shattered.
No.
No.
He wouldn't accept that.
He had spent lifetimes chasing after her.
He wouldn't lose her again.
The Ring's Final Purpose
A gust of wind swept through the battlefield as a vision pierced Leon's mind—a memory that wasn't his own.
Eleana's past.
Her mother's voice, soft yet commanding:
"This ring will keep you safe. If it is ever removed"
—"Leon gasped as the truth hit him.
The ring wasn't just a seal.
It was the only thing keeping Eleana from losing herself completely.
And now, it was gone.
Her soul was unraveling.
And the only way to stop her…
Would be to break her heart.
Leon's breath caught.
He couldn't do that.
He had sworn to protect her, to love her beyond lifetimes.
But if he didn't—
She would destroy the world.
Victor's Final Choice
Victor watched as Leon stood frozen, his entire being torn apart by the choice before him.
He knew.
Leon knew what had to be done.
But he couldn't do it.
And that's why Victor had to.
A heavy silence fell as Victor stepped forward, his eyes locking onto the girl he had loved in another life.
Eleana—his Eleana—was gone.
And now, he had to be the one to end her.
Leon's eyes widened in horror. "Victor—NO!"
But it was too late.
Victor lunged forward, his celestial blade piercing through Eleana's chest.
Her body arched, her golden eyes widening in shock as a single tear rolled down her cheek.
The moment the blade struck, the storm shattered.
The world fell silent.
And Eleana's last breath came in a whisper.
"Leon…"
And then, she was gone.
The Price of Power
Leon fell to his knees, his wings folding inward as the world collapsed around him.
She was gone.
Again.
Victor stood motionless, his breath ragged, his expression unreadable.
For the first time, he had won.
But it felt like the greatest loss of all.
And then, the sky began to glow.
A celestial light pierced through the darkness, illuminating the ruins of the battlefield.
Leon's breath caught.
It wasn't over.
It would never be over.
Because Eleana…
Would return.
In five years, she would be reborn.
And when she did…
Would she remember who she once was?
Or would she become someone else entirely?
Leon and Victor stood in the wreckage, both staring at the sky—
Both waiting for the day she would come back.
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