Kai sagged against the wall, blood staining his lips, Shadowsteel sparking around him like a storm possessed.
Lina held his face in both hands, voice cracking.
"Kai — stay with me. Please — stay awake."
His breath trembled, shallow and sharp.
"The seal…"He swallowed hard."…it's choosing."
Reyon paced frantically."Well tell it to UN-CHOOSE! Pick a squirrel! A rock! Literally ANYTHING THAT ISN'T A PERSON—"
Seren pressed her hand over her chest, eyes glowing faintly with Soul Echo resonance.
"No… it's too old. Too deep. Too bound to emotion.It chooses based on the vow he broke."
Kai shut his eyes, pain rippling through him.
"Don't—"He coughed violently."Don't make me remember that."
Lina's heart twisted.
"Kai… the vow. Was it someone you loved?"
His body reacted instantly — violently — Shadowsteel bursting outward in a pulse that forced everyone back two steps.
Kai gasped, horrified at himself.
"See?!" he choked."This is why I can't tell you!"
Lina stepped forward again anyway, determined.
"Kai — I don't care what the vow was. I don't care who you failed.I care about you NOW.And I'm not leaving."
His voice broke.
"But if the seal thinks you're a threat — then you're the one it'll—"
Lina cut him off with a hand over his heart.
"Your magic doesn't decide who you hurt.You do."
For one second—His Shadowsteel stilled.
Then—
Seren gasped, staggering as another prophecy line struck her.
"When the sixth tear forms,shadow remembers the vow.And chooses a lifeto balance the oath."
Lina whispered, shaking:
"A life…? It wants a life to restore the oath Kai broke?"
Seren nodded weakly.
Reyon paled. "So it wants to kill someone to 'fix' Kai's past mistake?"
The walls trembled.
Shadowsteel lashed outward again.
Kai slammed his fist into the stone beside him, trying to control it.
"Lina—"His voice was raw."If I lose control completely — you have to run."
"Never."
He grabbed her wrist, eyes desperate, terrified.
"LISTEN TO ME.If I hurt you—If I kill you—I will never—"
His voice cracked.His breath failed.Shadowsteel split the floor between them.
Lina leaned forward, pressing her forehead to his.
"You won't."
The seal inside Kai pulsed—a deep, echoing beat that shook the corridor.
Seren's eyes snapped open.
"It's identifying the target—!"
Reyon braced himself."Oh no no no — nobody breathe — it's choosing right now—"
Kai gasped, clutching his chest.
A sound like cracking stone echoed from inside him.
Lina felt it —Her flame answering it —Burning painfully.
"Kai— what is it telling you?!"
He shook, violently, uncontrollably.
"I—I don't know—I can feel it searching—It's looking at you—"
Lina's heart stopped.
Reyon swore. "NO — tell it to look at ME instead — I volunteer as tribute—"
But Kai shook his head.
"No… no. It… it's moving.It's shifting."
Seren whispered:
"It's scanning your emotions."
Lina grabbed Kai's trembling hands.
"Whatever it chooses — we'll stop it."
Kai shook his head.
"You can't stop a seal.Not one this old.Not one tied to a vow bound in blood."
The moment he said blood, the Shadowsteel flared violently again—
And Kai screamed.
Lina nearly jumped forward, but Reyon held her.
"Lina WAIT — look—!"
Because Kai's Shadowsteel wasn't striking her.
It was recoiling.
Pulling AWAY from her flame.
As if refusing to harm her.
Seren's voice shook.
"Lina… the seal… it won't pick you."
Kai gasped, shaking.
"No…No, no, no—It's choosing—"
Light flashed across his chest.
The seal's shadow twisted outward—
Forming a pointing shape.
A direction.
Not toward Lina.
Not toward Reyon.
Not toward Seren.
But toward the corridor behind them.
Toward—
The Forbidden Wing.
Lina's breath caught.
"It's not choosing one of us."
The shadow sharpened.
Kai's body arched in pain.
He forced out the words—
"It's choosing the one who broke me."
Silence swallowed the world.
Seren went white.
Reyon's mouth dropped open.
Lina whispered:
"The person tied to your vow.The person you failed."
Kai's eyes filled with agony.
"Yes."
The seal pulsed again—This time in a direction.
Revealing its target.
A single silhouette flickered at the far end of the corridor—
Hazy.Unclear.But undeniably real.
Someone Kai once swore to protect.
Someone Kai once loved.
Someone who now stood at the edge of the Forbidden Wing.
Lina stepped back in shock.
Reyon whispered:
"…Who the hell is that?"
Seren trembled.
"Kai… is that—"
Kai's voice shattered.
"…my sister."
Lina froze.
His sister.
Alive.
Here.
And the seal wanted to kill her.
Kai tried to stand — collapsed — and Lina caught him.
"Kai—why—why is she HERE—?"
But he wasn't looking at Lina.
He wasn't looking at Reyon or Seren.
He was staring — horrified — at the faint silhouette at the end of the hall.
The girl lifted her head.
And whispered one word:
"Kai?"
The seal exploded in black fire.
Kai screamed.
Lina screamed his name.
And the chapter ends with the shadow hurtling straight toward the girl Kai once swore to protect.
To be Continued
© Kishtika., 2025
All rights reserved.