Chapter twenty two : born out of fire

Freya's pov 

The god stood tall above the battlefield. Smoke curled from its wings. Its eyes held stars—and storms. It didn’t breathe, never blinked. It simply watched, as if deciding who would die first.

Wolves fell silent.

Even Kade knelt, his head bowed, trembling. But I didn’t bow, I possiblely couldn’t.

The fire inside me was burning hotter than ever. Not wild. Not out of control but clear__Focused.

“Freya,” Finnick said softly beside me. “What is that thing?”

I swallowed hard. “A Flame-Taker. A being born from the first war between gods and wolves. It feeds on power. It lives off flame.”

Riven stepped forward. “It came through the gate because of you.”

“No,” I said, steady now. “It came because of Kade. But it’s here because of me.” The god’s voice rolled like thunder.  

"The gate is open. The flame belongs to me.”

Then it moved__Fast and thenToo fast.

A blur of smoke and fire striking down three wolves in seconds. They didn’t even scream or sob they just turned to ash instantly.

“Fall back!” I yelled. “Everyone, now!”

Wolves scattered, dodging the creature’s reach. Finnick stayed close, shielding my side. Riven leapt into the fight, silver blades flashing.

But the god didn’t bleed__Didn’t even flinch.

It turned to me again, speaking only one word:  

“Yield.”

And deep inside, I heard something break. Not fear nor pain but Something very old. A memory__My mother’s voice.

“The flame is not a weapon. It is a bond. Between life and death. Between heart and pack. Use it not to destroy, but to choose.”

I gasped.

That’s why the god wanted it. That’s why Kade failed. He tried to take it but the flame… must be given

Aelira ran toward me, blood on her arm. “We can’t kill it, Freya. Not with force.”

“I know,” I said.

“Then what?”

“I have to choose.”

“Choose what?”

I looked at Finnick.

At Riven.

At the wolves behind me, still fighting, still standing, even when the god was death itself.

“I have to choose who I am.” The god came again. This time, straight at me. I faced it and didn't flicker__ but that's for a moment.

I didn’t run and I stepped forward.

The flame rose up from inside me—gold, not red. Warm, not cruel.

The god lifted its hand to strike and I lifted mine, open-palmed.

“I don’t yield,” I said. “I give.” Light exploded between us.

The god froze__So did everyone. Then a deep wind swept across the field, howling through trees and bones.

And I saw—the memories of wolves long gone. Luna of the Nightfangs. The first Flamebearer. My own mother, standing beside my father, her hands glowing gold.

They had all given their flame. Not for power but for love.

The god stepped back, its hand trembled. The stars in its eyes dimmed.

“You… are not like the others,” it said.

“No,” I whispered. “I’m me. Not a god. Not a puppet. Just a girl who was never chosen—so she chose herself.”

Then, quietly, I added, “Now leave.”

The god screamed and the sky cracked, But it didn’t attack. It turned… and vanished into the air like mist.

The gate sealed behind it, Silence fell.

A full minute passed.

Then wolves began to rise, one by one__ alive.

Breathing and Free but Kade was still there. He stared at me with broken eyes.

“I brought the god,” he said. “I did all this. And you still lived.”

“You thought power was control,” I said. “But it’s sacrifice.”

He looked down. “So what now?”

I stepped toward him, fire still in my hands. “Now you answer for what you’ve done.”

But before I could speak again he moved.

Fast.

He reached behind his back—drew a hidden blade—and threw it at Finnick.

I screamed.

Finnick dodged—barely—but the blade sliced across his chest.

Riven tackled Kade, slamming him to the ground. Aelira moved in, pinning him with her staff.

Blood dripped from Finnick’s chest. He winced, but stayed standing.

“I’m fine,” he grunted. “Just… not for long.”

I grabbed his arm. “Don’t move. We’ll fix this.”

He looked at me, eyes soft with pain. “You stopped a god. You can do anything.”

But something was wrong. The flame inside me… flickered.

Just once__Then again.

A slow, deep pull, like it was being taken again.

I looked down at my hand—and saw cracks glowing along my skin.

Not red. Not gold, Black.

Aelira’s face went pale. “The god didn’t leave. It left a mark”

“What?” I asked, voice shaking.

She stepped closer, her voice full of dread. “It didn’t take your power. But it tied itself to you.”

I shook my head. “No. No, I gave it away.”

“Not enough,” she whispered. “It’s not done with you, Freya. It’s *inside* you now.”

And suddenly, I couldn’t breathe. The cracks spread. My knees buckled.

Finnick caught me, holding me close.

“Freya?” But I couldn’t answer, all I saw was fire.

Then—darkness.