Chapter 22: The True Enemy

The darkness that had swallowed me whole felt suffocating, its weight pressing down on my chest. My lungs screamed for air as I fought to claw my way back to the surface, to break free from the iron grip that held me captive.

My thoughts were a frantic whirlwind—flashes of faces, memories, and fragments of the prophecy that had haunted my every step. But through it all, one thought stood out, sharp and clear:

This is not how it ends.

With a surge of determination, I wrenched myself free, gasping as I broke through the surface of consciousness. The cold night air filled my lungs, and I opened my eyes to find myself back in the ruins.

Alaric and Gideon were at my side, their faces etched with worry. The creature—the thing that had nearly killed me—was gone, its dark presence lingering only as a memory.

But the moment of relief was fleeting, replaced by a gnawing sense of dread. I could still feel it, that suffocating darkness, lurking at the edges of my mind. And I knew, without