The Last Step Chapter 19: Twisted Queen

Kiel's Perspective:

The village square buzzed with life, bathed in the soft glow of lights. At its heart stood a towering oak, its ancient branches stretching wide as if embracing the scene below.

Beneath its shade, a long table dressed in colorful cloth and simple decorations awaited the celebration. Celia stood nearby, her snowy-white hair shimring like starlight under the gentle light, a quiet smile adding warmth to the festive air.

It was her birthday. A day ant to celebrate her kindness, her selflessness—the very qualities that had earned her the love of the entire village. Almost everyone had co to wish her well, their smiles reflecting the joy she had brought into their lives.

I stood with Ronan, Elise, Toby, and Fiona, each of us clutching our carefully prepared gifts. We were excited for her to finally open her eyes. Celia had kept them shut all day, teasing her parents and everyone else that she wouldn't reveal them until the party. Her mother and father had asked her again and again, but she had only smiled and said, "Not until the party!"

I couldn't help but admire her. With her snowy hair, soft features, and radiant smile, Celia was a sight—an angel walking among mortals. Yet, in hindsight, calling her an angel might not have captured the full extent of her beauty and grace.

But sothing was different. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but she seed quieter than usual. She stayed close to Lyla, her older sister, almost clinging to her. The two of them seed closer than ever, which was heartwarming to see.

I still rember the day I found her, crying alone in the field. In that mont, I made a silent vow to do whatever it took to see her smile again. Maybe Lyla had helped her heal in ways I couldn't. Nonetheless, it made happy to see her smile like this.

The mont we were waiting for finally ca. The square grew quiet as Celia slowly opened her eyes.

My heart stopped.

With all eyes on her, Celia opened her lids, revealing... crimson red. Her eyes weren't the soft, familiar brown I had always known. They were red—bright, vivid crimson. My breath hitched as the realization struck : her resemblance to the Queen of Curses was uncanny. Snowy hair, crimson eyes... it was as though the infamous queen herself stood before us.

The crowd's whispers started imdiately, their words growing venomous and fearful. My heart sank as I saw Celia's expression—innocent, confused, completely unaware of the transformation she had undergone.

Celia blinked, confused by the gasps and murmurs spreading through the crowd. She had no idea what had changed. She didn't see what we all saw.

"She looks just like her..." soone whispered.

"Is she cursed?"

"Could she be dangerous?"

But before anyone could explain or comfort her, the air cracked with the sound of a slap.

Her mother's hand had struck her across the face. Celia stumbled to the ground, clutching her cheek as tears welled in her now-red eyes.

"LIES!" Alina's (Celia's mother) voice was sharp and unforgiving, dripping with venom as she stood over her daughter. "How could you be mine? How could I have given birth to soone who looks like Her?"

I stood frozen, unable to believe what I was seeing. This wasn't anger—it was pure hatred. How could a mother look at her child like that?

Celia's tears began to fall silently, streaking her pale cheeks as she knelt on the ground. Her hands trembled as she looked around, but no one ca to her aid. The villagers, the sa people who had praised her kindness and relied on her strength, now stood back, whispering amongst themselves.

"She's cursed..."

"She has the queen's blood..."

"Do we even let her stay here? What if she's dangerous?"

Their words caused pained to my heart. These were the sa people she had helped, the ones she had cared for in their sad tis. And now they wanted to turn their backs on her? My anger flared as I clenched my fists, every fiber of screaming to do sothing.

Celia had always been there for , even when I had wanted nothing to do with anyone. She was the one who reached out, the one who helped feel less alone. Now, she was the one being cast aside, and I couldn't stand it.

I stepped forward, determined to protect her, to tell them all how wrong they were. But just as I moved closer, soone grabbed my arm tightly, stopping in my tracks.

"Kiel, do not go near her. She could be dangerous."

The voice startled , and I turned to see Ronan standing beside . His expression was grim, his voice laced with apprehension.

"What do you want to do? Just stand here and watch while my friend gets hurt?" I snapped, trying to break free from his grip.

"She's not our friend anymore, Kiel. Just look at her! She's identical to the cursed witch," Ronan spat, disgust evident in his tone and his narrowed eyes.

"You think I give a damn about that? I don't care how she looks. At the end of the day, she's still Celia—she's still my friend." My voice was ice-cold as I tore his hand from my arm, breaking free.

"Kiel, wait!" Mira's voice joined in, her tone pleading. "Ronan's right. We can't be sure we can trust her."

"Yes, Kiel. Be patient and watch for now," Toby added, his voice quieter but no less hesitant.

I looked between them, disbelief filling . "What the hell is wrong with you all? Just a few minutes ago, we were all friends. What's so different about her now? What changed?" I shouted, my voice raw with frustration.

No one answered. Instead, their silence felt like knives. The betrayal hit harder than I expected, and my heart clenched as I heard her voice—Lyla's voice.

She wasn't her usual self. Lyla stood in front of the village chief, her small fra radiating power and anger. Her hands glowed faintly with fire magic, her eyes sharp and unyielding. She looked ready to tear down anyone who got in her way.

"You don't get it, do you, Lyla?" the chief growled, his voice heavy with authority. "She's a curse, a threat, and there's no way around it. You'd better stop protecting her, or I'll do what needs to be done. The village cos first. I won't let everyone suffer just because you're too blind to see the truth. If no one else can act, I'll kill her myself."

Lyla's reply sent shivers down my spine. "Why don't you try it?" she said, her voice icy and sharp. Her fiery mana surged, her eyes now shimring with a faint crosshair-like glow. The sight was srizing and terrifying all at once.

I froze. For the first ti in my life, I felt true fear—not for myself, but for everyone. Moving even an inch might make Lyla turn her fury on . The atmosphere was heavy, charged with tension. My chest ached, and my mind raced with conflicting emotions.

Ronan leaned in, his voice a venomous whisper. "You see? Celia's using her cursed magic for manipulating Lyla to fight for her. The curse has taken over. It's obvious."

"That's pure bullshit, Ronan!" I yelled, my voice trembling with anger as my fists clenched. "What makes you say sothing like that? How can you just throw her away like this?"

He didn't reply. Instead, his smirk and silence infuriated even more.

Before I could do anything, Lyla turned and guided Celia away from the square, shielding her from the accusing stares and whispers. I watched helplessly as they disappeared into the distance, their silhouettes fading beneath the glow of the sunlight.

I never got to give Celia my gift. I never got to see her smile the way I had imagined. Instead, the day had turned into a nightmare—one I couldn't wake from. Everything was ruined. Everything I had hoped for was gone.

Later that night, I couldn't shake the bitterness in my chest. I found myself standing in front of the chief, desperate for answers. "Why?" I asked, my voice quieter than I intended but filled with resolve. "Why is everyone so scared? Why do they want to hurt Celia?"

The chief turned to , his expression unreadable. For a mont, he looked almost... speechless, as if my question had caught him off guard. His silence stretched on, and I realized he wasn't going to answer. Maybe he didn't know how. Maybe he didn't want to.

But his lack of words said more than enough. The world we lived in—the people I thought I knew—had changed in an instant. And I wasn't sure I'd ever see it the sa way again.

"Kiel, don't you already know?" The chief's voice was colder than I had ever heard it before.

I shook my head in disbelief. "No... I don't understand this at all. Celia is the kindest person in the village. Why is everyone suddenly against her, Chief Father? Why?"

His face twisted in frustration, his patience wearing thin. "Shut up... It's obvious, isn't it? She's cursed now. Our only goal should be to take her down."

"Why?" I asked, my voice rising, desperation starting to crack through. "How are you so sure she's cursed? Why does everyone suddenly hate her?!"

For the first ti, I scread at him. My anger, confusion, and fear all flooded out in one chaotic rush. I needed answers—soone needed to explain this madness.

He didn't respond right away, his eyes locking with mine. I could see the conflict, the pain, and the uncertainty that had long been buried in him. But as he spoke, his words wavered, his voice crumbling. "I don't know... Celia was truly soone with a good heart, but... I can't seem to shake this feeling of hatred for her."

I stumbled back, as if he had physically struck . "What the hell do you an by you don't know? hatred?" I asked, my voice sharp with disbelief.

"Kiel," he said, his tone heavy, almost like a confession. "You love history, don't you? Why don't you tell what the Queen of Curses did 500 years ago to Celestine?"

"What does that have to do with anything?!" I demanded to know.

"Just do it. You'll understand," he insisted, his voice trembling with sothing I couldn't place.

I didn't know why, but I complied. "500 years ago, there was a great war. The Queen of Curses and the Heavenly Sorcerer together wiped out 70% of the world's population. As for the Queen of Curses... she almost destroyed Celestine, killing 90% of its population with her cursed powers. Only because of Marseille Astraeusm was Celestine spared, and we're even alive." I paused, the weight of those words sinking in. "No... it can't be."

"Yes, Kiel," the chief said, his voice low and filled with sorrow. "Everyone in Celestine hates that witch. She killed our race and people for personal pleasure—nothing else. Now, because of her past actions, we're biologically drawn to hate anything or anyone that even remotely resembles her."

His words settled over like a cold, heavy blanket. I had always known that the past shaped people, but I never realized how deep those scars ran.

"That's... why everyone suddenly changed to hate her," I muttered to myself, my voice faltering.

Speaking to the village chief opened my eyes in a way I hadn't expected. The villagers didn't see Celia anymore. They saw a ghost—a twisted reflection of the Queen of Curses. To them, she was no longer Celia, the kind-hearted girl who had always helped them; she was the very thing they feared the most. Without any real proof, they had jumped to conclusions, convinced that the curse had co back to haunt them.

But why... Why didn't I feel the sa? Why was I immune to the hatred they all seed to carry? I looked at her and still saw the sa gentle, caring person she had always been.

I didn't have all the answers, but I knew one thing for sure: I wasn't going to abandon her.

Tomorrow, I'd talk to Celia. We'd find a way to make them see. Maybe, just maybe, we could convince the villagers that she wasn't a curse. But when morning ca, I wasted no ti. I rushed to her ho, hoping to find her and Lyla.

But it was too late. They were gone.

The village was in turmoil, rumors flying that they had let a curse roam free—that the Queen of Curses had returned to power. The chief and Celia's parents were deep in conversation, their words lost in the distance, too quiet for to hear. But the tension in the air was thick—unspoken fears gripping everyone, myself included.

I stood there, frozen in place, unsure of what to do next. The people I had once trusted now seed like strangers, consud by an irrational fear that I couldn't quite understand. My heart pained with a longing to protect Celia—to shield her from this madness. But for now, all I could do was stand in the shadow of their fears, helpless.

The village had gone mad. They had placed bounties on Celia's na—500 gold to anyone who could bring her back, dead or alive. Dead or alive. Those words echoed in my head, each repetition a sharp pain in my chest. I couldn't say anything anymore. Everyone had betrayed her—everyone.

I had to talk to soone, anyone who might still hold onto a shred of reason. Desperation led to Ronan and Toby, hoping they would offer a different perspective. But as soon as I approached, it was clear they both shared the sa cold, unforgiving view.

"You know what has to be done," Ronan said flatly, his eyes not eting mine. "Celia's a threat. We can't afford to keep her alive."

Toby nodded in agreent, his tone equally devoid of empathy. "She's a threat to us all. It's better this way. You saw what happened to her. She has to die."

They were ready to leave her behind, cast her aside without even considering her side. No care, no compassion—just a willingness to abandon her as if she were nothing. My chest pained with frustration.

"How can you say that?" I demanded. "You didn't even listen to her. You don't understand what she's been through!"

But my words fell on deaf ears. They didn't care to understand her, to see her as more than just a problem to be erased.

Later, in a last-ditch effort, I turned to Elise and Fiona, hoping they might offer a different view. But when I spoke to them, their response was eerily similar.

"Sotis, there's just no other choice," Elise said softly, her face a mask of resignation. "Celia has changed, we can't be her friends anymore."

Fiona, her arms crossed tightly over her chest, nodded in agreent. "She's completely taken by the curse by now. We've seen the signs. It's not just about her anymore—it's about the safety of everyone else."

The weight of their words settled like a stone in my stomach. No matter who I turned to, the answer was the sa. It was as if they had all closed their hearts to her, unwilling to even consider that she might still be worthy of saving.

They all shared the sa cold, unforgiving opinion: Celia had to die. They were ready to leave her behind, abandon her just like that, without even hearing her side. They didn't care to understand her.

I was the only one left who still believed in her. I couldn't let this happen. I couldn't let her be lost to the world, condemned without a chance. I was determined—I would help her. I had to. But the village chief didn't care about my resolve. He wouldn't let leave the village. I was stuck there, my hands tied, forced to stay in a place that felt more like a prison with each passing day.

I had no choice but to give up my work at the ranch and begin training. I needed strength. I needed to be stronger if I were going to protect her—if I were going to be the one to save her.

Every day I worked. I worked until my muscles burned, until my body scread in protest. I pushed through it, not stopping, not even for a mont. I knew that every drop of sweat, every bruise, was one step closer to being able to stand by her side again.

I also started learning magic. The village mage had left behind old books—books filled with knowledge that seed almost foreign to . I didn't know much about magic, but I couldn't ignore the pull. There was sothing in , sothing that made learning it feel almost natural.

At first, it was difficult. The books were complicated, dense with theory and incantations. For just one spell it had 300 pages of details, as if I was going to waste my ti reading theory. I mostly skipped the useless theory parts and focused on incantations and what it did.

But then, as I kept reading, sothing strange happened. I wasn't just picking up elental magic like everyone else. I could feel it—the curse magic, flowing through like a second heartbeat. It was terrifying at first, but sohow, it felt right.

I tried to hide it, of course. My mother was from Elysium, where many cursed people lived. It made sense. I must have inherited this cursed magic from her. It explained why I was immune to the hatred that seed to wash over everyone else when they saw Celia. I didn't see her as a monster. I saw her as the person I had always known.

So, I practiced. No matter the weather—whether it was raining, storming, or burning under the heat of the sun—I practiced. I trained, honing my skills, pushing myself to be better, stronger. So days, I wondered if it would all be worth it. So days, I felt like dying would be easier than continuing on. But then, the mory of that day when I was too powerless to help Celia would hit , and I couldn't stop. I had to beco strong.

The village mage had given Ronan, Toby, and the others their training, but I was self-trained. I didn't care about their lessons. I had my own path, my own way forward. I didn't need their approval or their help.

A year had passed since that terrible day—the day I had lost my friends and my village. Everyone was changing, but I was stuck in the sa place, unable to move forward. The village chief's health had worsened, and now, with no longer helping with the errands and chores, he had to rely on others. Not that I cared about him. Not after what he had said about Celia and how he ordered those bounty posters. I had no respect for soone who would sacrifice her for the village's fear.

Then, one day, I heard the news.

Celia was returning.

Apparently, Ronan and the others had been searching for her, and I couldn't believe my ears. I had always thought they hated her, but here they were, working hard to bring her back. It was a cruel twist, hearing that they were still fighting for her, even though they had turned their backs on her so easily.

After that incident, I could no longer see them the sa way. I stopped speaking to all of them completely when I learned that they shared the sa view as the villagers—that she was a monster, that she deserved to die. Their words cut deeper than I ever expected. I was left alone, torn between the people I once considered friends and the girl I knew was still worth fighting for.

But hearing she was returning, that she was coming back to us, brought a sense of relief I didn't even know I needed. Despite everything, I was glad. I was more than glad. I was ready to stand by her, no matter what they thought.

I hadn't spoken to any of them since that day. I had cut them off completely. They weren't my friends anymore. They didn't deserve that title. But hearing that Celia was returning—hearing that she might co back to the village after everything—was a spark of hope.

The village was preparing for a festival that night. Decorations filled the square near the oak tree, lanterns and lights flickering as the villagers celebrated. But all I could think about was Celia—what she would do when she returned, how things would go.

As nightfall approached, I made my way to the village square, unsure of what I might find. And there, standing near the decorations, was Ronan. He was waiting.

I could feel my heart racing, a storm of emotions flooding through . I didn't know what to say to him. I didn't know if I even wanted to. But I had to face him. I had to see if he truly believed what he had said, if he still saw Celia as a threat—or if he could sohow, just maybe, see her as I did.

"Hey Ronan, long ti no see. How have you been?" I asked, my voice steady but filled with unspoken frustration.

"Oh, Kiel... Yeah, it's been a year since we spoke, hasn't it?" Ronan's tone was indifferent, as if he hadn't even cared about the ti lost.

"Yeah, Ronan... Look, I just want to speak to you about Celia. How did you find her? How did you convince her to co back?"

Ronan's smirk slowly faded, his eyes narrowing as he began to explain, his voice colder than I had ever heard it. "Well, that's a long story. But to put it simply, we convinced her to co back with us. Told her that everyone—her parents, the villagers—wanted her ho."

"Wait... What?" I could barely process what he was saying.

"Yeah. Celia was actually the one who defended our case, while Lyla..." He scoffed, his tone dripping with disdain. "Lyla was the only one who hesitated, but she's a fool, really. Believed every word we told her." He chuckled darkly.

My heart clenched, a weight pressing on my chest as the truth sunk in. "Ronan... What did you do to her?"

Ronan's expression darkened as he shrugged casually, as though he didn't care. "Nothing, really. She's going to be executed here in front of everyone anyway. I just lied, told her we all wanted her back. Doing everyone a favor, free of charge."

His words were like daggers, twisting deeper with every syllable. "YOU MONSTER!" I scread, my voice breaking. I couldn't hold back the fury anymore. My cursed magic flared to life, surging violently as I launched an attack, the air around crackling with raw power.

But Ronan was faster, too fast. With a mocking laugh, he dodged my strike effortlessly, grabbing my wrist and slamming to the ground. The force of it left gasping for air, my head spinning. His grip tightened, his strength far surpassing mine.

"You're pathetic, Kiel," Ronan spat, his voice dripping with venom. "It's all over. You're too late. You think you can stop this? You're nothing." He clenched his fist, and suddenly, the searing heat of his fire magic coursed through , draining my strength. Every ounce of energy seed to slip away, leaving helpless, unable to move or even think clearly.

And then I saw her.

Celia. Her fragile form was dragged by the village guards, her face streaked with tears, eyes wide with fear and confusion. Her body trembled with every step, each movent a painful struggle. When she stumbled, they kicked her, forcing her to keep moving as if she were nothing more than an animal to be punished.

It shattered . The sight of her, broken and desperate, tore through like a blade. I tried to push myself up, but my body refused to obey. I was too weak... too powerless to protect her.

"Celia..." I whispered, the word barely escaping my lips. Her eyes t mine for a brief mont, and for a fleeting second, I saw the girl I used to know—the one full of light and hope. But then, the guards pulled her away again, and that spark in her eyes seed to fade, leaving nothing but despair.

My heart broke into pieces as I collapsed, my body betraying in the face of everything I should have been able to fight for.

And then, I saw Lyla, carried by Toby, her body a bloody ss, tortured beyond recognition. They were both going to hang. My friends—the very people I had once trusted—had betrayed her. They had betrayed .

"CELIA! PLEASE, SPEAK TO !" I scread, my voice cracking under the weight of everything.

"Hey, hey," Ronan mocked, tightening his grip as he smirked down at . "She can't hear you right now. She's about to be hanged by the oak tree."

"GET OFF ! YOU'RE A COWARD!" I scread, my voice breaking through my desperation.

Ronan's cold smile widened. "Swearing now, Kiel? Seems like your mask is falling off faster than I thought. I always knew you weren't as innocent as you pretended to be."

"Shut up. Move away before I kill you..."

Ronan laughed, the sound echoing in the night. "Really? Too bad, Kiel. The ga's over. She's going to die now."

I heard Celia's voice, soft and broken, drifting through the air like a fragile whisper. "Please... Stop. I'm not a monster. Let and my sister go. We promise never to return..."

Her words were a plea, but they trembled with so much pain that they barely seed to reach the cold night. The air around us grew heavier, thick with the weight of her desperation.

The village chief's voice, however, was cold, devoid of any warmth or rcy. "It's your ti to die, cursed witch." His tone carried no hesitation, no doubt, just the certainty of soone who had long ago decided that her life had no value.

Celia's voice cracked as she fought to hold back her tears, her hands shaking in the ropes that bound her. "Please... Chief... I'm not a monster. Please believe ..." She was begging now, her words strained, raw with the weight of everything she'd endured. But it didn't matter. Her pleas, her heartache, fell into the silence like whispers against a storm—completely ignored, brushed aside with cruel indifference.

The chief didn't spare her another word. He moved toward her, his hands cold as he looped the ropes around their necks with a practiced ease. The ropes were tight, the nooses unforgiving as he prepared to end their lives beneath the very oak tree where they had once played, once laughed together as children.

I could see her, struggling against the bonds, her face a picture of sheer heartbreak. The girl who had once been the light of the village was now nothing more than a crying soul, standing in front of the very tree that had witnessed her joy, now destined to bear witness to her end.

"RONAN, YOU FUCKING CUNT, GET OFF !" I scread, summoning every ounce of cursed magic I had left to overpower him.

"You speak a lot for soone who's never been able to do anything," Ronan replied coldly, as he slamd my face into the ground, over and over. My vision blurred as blood poured from my face. The pain was unbearable, but I forced my eyes open. I had to help her. It was now or never, but I was too weak, too pathetic.

Then, for a brief mont, Celia's eyes t mine. I saw the fear in her eyes before they released the ropes.

Lyla and Celia were hanged.

"Please... help , Kie—" Her voice cracked, but she couldn't finish.

Her legs kicked weakly, swinging back and forth as her body strained against the suffocating pressure. The rope tightened around her throat, and I watched in horror as her neck slowly began to snap, her desperate breaths growing quieter with each passing second. Tears stread down her face, her eyes wide with pain and fear, searching for sothing—anything—that might save her.

I was too late. Once again, I was too late.

The weight of failure crushed , heavier than any physical blow. I had promised to protect her, to be there when she needed most, and yet I couldn't do a damn thing. The image of her struggling, her life slipping away in front of , tore into my heart like a blade. I couldn't save her, couldn't stop the inevitable.

I felt my own consciousness flickering, like a dying candle in the wind. I tried to move, to scream, to do sothing—anything—but my body refused to obey. Then, through the suffocating fog of despair, I slled sothing burning. The air around was thick with the acrid scent of smoke, but it didn't matter. Nothing mattered anymore.

The villagers cheered, their cruel laughter rising in the air like a twisted symphony. They gathered around, faces twisted in satisfaction, as if her suffering was so sort of spectacle ant to amuse them. Each jeer felt like a weight pressing down on , drowning in guilt and helplessness. The very people who had once called her one of their own, now reveled in her tornt, as if she were nothing more than a monster to be destroyed.

The sound of their voices, their mockery, made everything worse. It twisted the knife deeper into my heart, reminding how completely I had failed her. She was alone in this mont, surrounded by the very people who should have protected her, yet they were the ones celebrating her end.

And I couldn't do a damn thing about it.

Chains rattled against Celia's body, a cruel reminder of how powerless I was. Ronan's elental absorption spell was draining everything from , leaving weak and broken. I could feel my strength slipping away, every ounce of energy vanishing like sand through my fingers.

The world around was fading, but the image of her, broken and abandoned, stayed with . A permanent scar on my soul.

As everything faded into darkness, the last thing I could hear was the faint sound of her cries, echoing in my mind as a haunting reminder of my regret. I had let her down, and that thought would stay with forever.

When I woke up, I expected to see Celia's lifeless body in front of . But what I saw instead was far worse—corpses. Corpses of the villagers, scattered and broken across the burning village. The entire place was engulfed in flas, everything reduced to ash. People's bodies were burned to a crisp, twisted in unnatural ways.

I slowly stood up, my legs unsteady, and began walking through the ruins. The fire consud everything, devouring houses, trees, and bodies alike.

What... what happened here?

I didn't know. The only thing I could rember was hearing the sound of chains.

As I stumbled forward, I saw the bodies of Toby and Mira. Toby's body was half burned on one side, the other torn apart—ripped, shredded, almost unrecognizable. Mira's body, however, was worse. It had been torn to pieces, the flesh ripped open as if sothing—so power—had dragged her apart.

I... How? How did this happen?

Then, I saw Ronan. He walked toward slowly, his hand clutching his chest as though trying to control sothing dangerous swirling within him. His steps were deliberate, but there was an unmistakable tension in his posture, as though every part of him was struggling to keep so overwhelming power at bay.

"Kiel..." His voice was low, heavy with finality, sending a chill through my spine. "I told you. She was the monster. The queen of curses."

I didn't know how to respond. I couldn't even form words. My mind was a blur, spinning in a storm of confusion and disbelief. "I... I can't believe it."

Ronan's eyes darkened, his expression growing colder with each passing second. "She killed everyone, Kiel. Everyone. Including her own mother."

"No... That can't be... You're lying to !" My voice cracked, desperate for so shred of truth that wasn't wrapped in pain.

"I'm not lying," Ronan snapped, his voice tight with conviction, the words biting with a force I couldn't ignore. "When you passed out, chains appeared around her—chains that started killing everyone. They choked people, hung them... We all heard her neck snap, but she healed herself within seconds. She even healed Lyla before leaving without a word. But not before summoning a nightmare-level fire elental demon... That demon wiped out the entire village, Kiel. I'm sure she ordered it."

The words hit like a punch to the gut, each sentence driving a wedge deeper into my chest. I couldn't process it. I refused to. "No... Ronan, that's... That's unbelievable. I can't believe anything like that."

"The demon's inside now, it choose as it's body." Ronan continued, his tone unwavering, like he had already co to terms with it. "I'm not lying, Kiel."

Before I could gather my thoughts, Fiona and Elise rushed toward , their faces pale with fear, their eyes wide with the sa conviction. They spoke with the sa urgency, their words tumbling out in a rush, confirming everything Ronan had just said.

"The chains... The destruction... It's true, Kiel," Fiona said, her voice shaking. "She killed them all."

Elise nodded, her face a mask of horror. "We tried to stop her, but she... She was already too powerful. And that demon... It was like nothing we've ever seen. It devoured everything."

The weight of their words crushed , leaving breathless. My vision blurred as I struggled to understand what had just happened, what had beco of the girl I had loved. But nothing made sense. How could this be true? How could Celia—Celia, the one who had always been kind and gentle—be the one to bring such devastation?

I stood there, frozen, drowning in disbelief, as the realization slowly sank in. The person I had tried so hard to protect—the person I thought I knew—was capable of sothing monstrous.

It felt like a cruel joke. Did they really think I could believe them? After everything they did? After what I had seen?

"Do you want to feel sympathy for you, too?" I spat, my voice filled with disgust, every word laced with bitterness. "You're all monsters. You deserve this. And yet you act like you didn't have a hand in it."

Ronan's expression remained cold, almost void of emotion, as he t my gaze. His lips curled into a smirk, but it didn't reach his eyes. Fiona and Elise, standing beside him, avoided my stare, their eyes fixed on the ground as if they couldn't bear to look in the face.

"Sympathy?" Ronan repeated, his voice low and almost mocking. "Don't expect any from , Kiel. I'm not the one who failed to see the truth."

The words stung, but I couldn't back down. I clenched my fists, my anger boiling over. "You think I'm the one who failed? You all turned your backs on her, on everything we had. You—"

Ronan cut off, his voice dark with nace. "Celia's already killed enough people, Kiel. You really think I'm going to let her live after everything she's done?" His eyes hardened, the cold fury behind them unmistakable. "She killed Toby and Mira. Killed them rcilessly, without hesitation. I watched them die. And I will make her pay for it."

My blood ran cold. Toby. Mira. Two of the people I had once called friends. Gone, just like that. My breath caught in my throat as I tried to comprehend what Ronan was saying. "You... You can't be serious. You're going to kill her?"

Ronan nodded, his gaze unwavering, eyes cold as steel. "Yes. I'm going to take my revenge on her, Kiel. I'll make sure she never hurts anyone again. This ends now."

He took a slow step forward, the air thick with nace. His voice dropped to a chilling whisper, his words sharp like a knife. "And if you try to stop ... I'll make sure I kill you first."

The promise in his voice was lethal, void of hesitation or remorse. His every word was a threat, a cold, bold declaration that he would not hesitate to erase if it ant getting to Celia.

The weight of his words crashed into , and for a mont, I couldn't move, couldn't speak. The man I had once trusted—my friend—was now nothing more than a vengeful monster, intent on ending Celia's life. And the worst part? I believed every word he said.

But no matter how much my heart scread in denial, a part of still couldn't believe them. They were liars, bigger liars than I had ever been.

I had to find her. I had to see her—talk to her. The truth could only co from her. That was the only way to know what really happened.

And even now, after everything, I still wanted to give her my gift.