Chapter twenty one: the last flamekeeper

Freya’s POV

The ground was shaking, the sky was filled with fire and smoke. Wolves howled. Magic lit the air. I ran through it all, heart pounding, flames in my chest growing weaker with every step.

Kade was waiting for me, he was energetic and ready to go any length.

He stood in the middle of the battlefield, calm like this was all part of his plan. His wolves fought around him, but he didn’t move.

He didn’t have to.

Riven ran on my left, fighting like a storm. Finnick was on my right, growling low, his eyes locked on Kade. We were getting closer—almost there.

Then I saw her__Luna Margot, Finnick’s mother.

Alive, Standing  huge beside Kade. Wearing silver armor and a cold, proud smile.

My stomach dropped.

“No,” Finnick whispered. “She’s supposed to had gone.”

My gaze focused at her, the flame inside me lurking. “She lied.”

She looked straight at me. “I warned you, Freya. You don’t belong. You never did.”

“You...you betrayed your own son,” I said, my voice shaking but sharp.

Margot’s eyes narrowed and hardened. “I protected the pack. You are the danger Freya, Just like your mother was.”

Finnick stepped forward, furious. “You worked with Kade?”

She didn’t deny it. “He knows the truth. You never had the strength to do what must be done.”

“You’re helping him destroy us!” I shouted.

“He’s not destroying,” she said coldly. “He’s remaking, transforming, rebuilding!” she screamed. Her voice wild and almost a roar.

That’s when I felt it. The pain was too sharp, top deep. Something inside me was being pulled—my flame, my power.

Kade lifted his hand high and I fell on my knees.

I choked gasping for air, trying to breathe. It felt like my whole body was drifting apart. My magic was being taken.

“He’s binding your flame to the gate,” Aelira shouted from behind. “He’s using your power to open it!”

I couldn’t move.

Finnick tried to help me up, but I was too weak.

“Kade,” I said, “stop!”

He smiled. “Give in. The world was never yours. Let me burn it clean.”

Then Riven charged at him but Margot blocked the way. She held an old blade. One with blood magic.

“Move!” Riven shouted.

Margot raised the blade. “I won’t let you ruin this.”

Everything happened fast, Margot struck but Riven dodged. Aelira screamed—the gate behind Kade was cracking open.

Light poured from it.

Eyes opened inside the crack. Huge eyes__Not human. And Kade... he kept pulling my flame.

He reached toward me. “Come to me, Freya.”

But suddenly—something changed.

Inside me, I stopped fighting the flame and I became it.

I stood up, even though my legs shook. My skin glowed gold. My power returned, stronger than before.

Kade froze.

“You don’t control me,” I said.

Then I lifted my hand—and *pushed back*.

A blast of fire knocked Margot down. Riven jumped clear. The wolves around us fell back in shock.

Finnick stared at me, wide-eyed. “You… You’ve changed.”

“No,” I said. “I finally remembered who I am.” We ran at Kade.

He screamed, throwing red magic at us. I burned through it.

Finnick struck from the side. Riven fought like fire and wind. We reached the gate.

It was wide open now—glowing red, black, and gold.

And then Aelira appeared behind Margot.

With one clean strike, she brought the blade down, Margot fell.

Kade turned, saw her bleeding on the stone, and let out a terrible cry.

Power exploded from him—too much. The gate split.

And something came through__It wasn’t Kade. It wasn’t a wolf.

It was something strange tall, Dark, Wings of smoke, Eyes like stars.

The god.

The thing Kade had been calling, Its voice was deep and cold. “The Flame has called. Now the end begins.” Everyone froze, even Kade.

He dropped to his knees, staring at the god.

“Wha... what have I really done?” he whispered.

The god looked straight at me.

“You opened the gate.”

“No,” I said. “He did But it didn’t matter."

The god was here now and gate was open, Finnick grabbed my hand.

“What now?”

I looked at the sky, heart pounding.

And whispered, “We fight.”