Aria didn't breathe.
The words hung in the air like a blade suspended above her throat.
You were made to destroy her.
Her heart hammered against her ribs. Her fingers curled into fists. Her breath came in shallow, uneven bursts. The fragment pulsed beneath her skin—sharp, furious, alive.
Lies.
Aria flinched. "Stop."
He lies to you.
"No."
He fears me.
Aria pressed a hand to her chest. "He fears what you'll do."
He fears what you will become.
Aria shook her head. "No."
Yes.
The Demon King stepped closer, his presence cold and steady. "Do not listen to her."
Aria looked up at him, her voice barely a whisper. "Is it true?"
"Yes."
Her breath caught. "I was made to destroy her?"
"Yes."
Aria stumbled back. "That's impossible."
"It is truth."
"No. I'm just—"
"You survived the ritual. You endured the resonance. You resisted her in the Vault. You confronted her in the Sanctum. You denied her in the Hall of Origins."
Aria shook her head. "That doesn't mean anything."
"It means everything."
Aria pressed her palms to her eyes. "I'm not a weapon."
"No."
"I'm not a vessel."
"No."
"I'm not—"
"You are a counterforce."
Aria froze.
"A counterforce?" she whispered.
"Yes."
"What does that even mean?"
He stepped closer, his voice low. "You were created to balance her. To oppose her. To end her."
Aria stared at him. "Created? By who?"
He hesitated.
Aria's stomach twisted. "By who?"
"By those who feared her."
Aria's breath caught. "The same people who shattered her?"
"Yes."
"And they made me?"
"Yes."
Aria shook her head. "That's not possible. I'm human."
"You are more than human."
Aria's throat tightened. "No."
"Yes."
"I'm not—"
"You are."
Aria pressed a hand to her chest. "She said I was made for her."
"She lies."
"She said I was shaped for her."
"She twists truth."
"She said I was chosen."
"She manipulates."
Aria swallowed hard. "So what am I?"
He looked at her.
Really looked at her.
"You are the only being capable of ending her."
Aria's breath trembled. "I don't want to end anyone."
"You must."
"No."
"You must."
Aria shook her head. "I'm not killing her."
"She is not alive."
"She feels alive."
"She is a fragment."
"She feels like a person."
"She is not."
Aria pressed her palms to her eyes. "I can't do this."
"You can."
"You keep saying that."
"Because it remains true."
Aria looked away. "I'm scared."
"You should be."
Aria glared at him. "You're terrible at comfort."
"I am not offering comfort."
"Clearly."
He gestured to the monolith. "Touch it again."
Aria stiffened. "No."
"You must."
"I can't."
"You must."
Aria shook her head. "It hurts."
"Yes."
"It feels like she's tearing me apart."
"Yes."
"And you want me to do it again?"
"Yes."
Aria stared at him. "You're insane."
"No."
"You're reckless."
"No."
"You're—"
"Correct."
Aria groaned. "Fine. Whatever. Let's get this over with."
She stepped toward the monolith.
Her hand hovered above the stone.
The fragment pulsed.
Do not touch it.
Aria clenched her jaw. "Be silent."
You cannot command me.
"I can."
You cannot—
"Be silent."
The fragment screamed.
Aria pressed her hand to the monolith.
Light exploded.
Aria cried out as warmth surged through her body, spreading through her chest, her arms, her legs. She felt weightless, suspended between worlds. The Hall dissolved into swirling silver mist.
And then—
She was standing in a vast expanse of darkness.
Not empty darkness.
Living darkness.
It pulsed beneath her feet, rippling like water. The air was thick with magic, humming softly beneath her skin.
Aria turned slowly, her breath trembling. "Where am I?"
A voice answered behind her.
Inside your origin.
Aria spun around.
The woman of shadow stood at the edge of the darkness, her eyes glowing silver. Her presence was cold, ancient, overwhelming.
Aria's breath caught. "You again."
Always.
"You're the fragment."
I am what remains.
Aria swallowed hard. "Why am I here?"
To see truth.
Aria frowned. "What truth?"
Your beginning.
Aria shook her head. "No. I don't want—"
You must.
Aria stepped back. "Stop."
You were made for me.
"No."
You were shaped for me.
"No."
You were chosen.
Aria pressed a hand to her chest. "Stop."
You were created to hold me.
"No."
You were created to awaken me.
"No!"
The darkness rippled.
Images flickered behind her eyes.
A ritual circle.
Silver fire.
Voices chanting.
A child—
A baby—
Wrapped in light.
Bound in runes.
Marked.
Aria gasped. "No."
Yes.
Aria shook her head. "That's not me."
It is.
"No."
It is your beginning.
Aria pressed her palms to her eyes. "I don't want this."
You cannot deny truth.
"I can."
You cannot—
"Be silent."
The fragment screamed.
The darkness trembled.
The runes flared.
Aria fell to her knees, gasping.
The woman stepped closer.
You cannot destroy me.
Aria looked up, her breath trembling. "I wasn't made for you."
You were.
"No."
You were.
"No."
You were—
"I was made to destroy you."
The woman froze.
The darkness stilled.
The air went silent.
Aria stood slowly, her legs shaking, her breath unsteady.
"I wasn't made for you," she whispered. "I was made against you."
The woman's eyes narrowed.
Lies.
"No."
Lies.
"No."
You are mine.
"I am not."
You belong to me.
"I do not."
You cannot destroy me.
Aria stepped forward.
"I can."
The woman's eyes glowed brighter.
You cannot—
"I can."
The darkness shook.
The fragment screamed.
The world shattered.
Aria collapsed forward, gasping.
The Hall returned.
The monolith dimmed.
The runes faded.
The Demon King stood over her, silent.
Aria trembled. "She knows."
"Yes."
"She knows what I am."
"Yes."
"She knows I can destroy her."
"Yes."
Aria looked up at him, her voice barely a whisper.
"What happens now?"
He held her gaze.
"Now," he said quietly, "she will try to destroy you first."