The Last Step Chapter 39: He... he’s gone

Celia's Perspective:

I was always scared of people. Their judgnt, their whispers, their disgusted looks. I hated the way they stared at my eyes—my cursed red eyes, the ones that made them see as a monster. I always kept my head down, always avoided attention, always hid behind my hood like a coward.

But right now, none of that mattered.

Not their stares.

Not their hate.

Not their opinions.

I had only one thought in my mind: I need to see Kaiser was safe.

The cold night air rushed against my face as I ran through the streets of Levi's Town, my heartbeat pounding louder than my footsteps. The town had a different life at night. Dimly lit lanterns flickered against the stone buildings, casting long, eerie shadows.

The streets weren't empty—so people were out drinking, chatting, and laughing, while others walked ho from late-night work. A group of rchants was unloading crates from a carriage, their tired faces barely acknowledging as I passed.

I didn't care about any of it.

I ran past an open tavern, the scent of ale and roasted at drifting into the street. Sowhere in the distance, a bard's lute played a soft tune. None of it registered. The world blurred as I sprinted through the cobbled roads, weaving through alleyways, ignoring the looks of confusion and concern from the people I passed.

Then I saw it.

The guild's side of the town.

And the road was blocked.

You've got to be kidding .

A row of wooden barricades and heavy barrels blocked the path leading toward the outskirts. A few torches lined the area, their flas barely fighting against the darkness of the night. And standing in front of the barricades were two guild mbers, both ard and looking as if they had no intention of letting anyone through.

I skidded to a stop, my breath sharp.

"What the hell is this?!" I ntally scread, frustration boiling inside .

I tried stepping forward, but before I could even take another step, one of the guild mbers—a man with a shield and sword strapped to his back—held out a hand.

"Stop. No one's allowed past this point at night."

I clenched my fists. "Move."

The second guild mber, a woman dressed in mage robes, crossed her arms. "You're not listening. It's dangerous outside the town at night. The outskirts are off-limits."

I didn't have ti for this.

I stepped forward, only for the man to grab my wrist.

Wrong move.

"Let go."

"We can't."

I pulled against his grip, my breathing unsteady. They were in my way. Wasting my ti. Kaiser's out there, and they were stopping for no reason.

I felt sothing snap inside . A suffocating coldness crept into my veins, a sensation I had always buried deep down. I raised my head, slowly, and locked eyes with them.

And I smiled.

Not a kind smile.

A cold, twisted, murderous smile.

"Let. . Go."

The temperature around us seed to drop. The two guild mbers tensed, their grips tightening.

The man narrowed his eyes. "You're not getting through."

I tilted my head. "Is that so?"

He didn't react. Good. That ant he didn't notice the faint purple hue swirling around my fingers.

"You know..." I said softly. "I don't like repeating myself. And I don't like people who don't listen."

The woman raised an eyebrow. "Are you threatening us?"

I stepped closer, lowering my voice. "I'm warning you."

A shiver ran through the air. The magic around grew heavier, more sinister. My fingers tingled with an eerie, dark energy—a magic unlike anything these fools had ever faced.

"I am Celia," I whispered, voice dripping with venom. "The Queen of Curses."

The man instinctively raised his shield, the mage stepped back slightly. They weren't taking seriously.

So, I showed them.

The air around us turned rotten, the very essence of life beginning to wither. My fingers twitched, releasing a wave of cursed energy. The effect was instant—one of the torches nearby flickered and died, the grass beneath us darkened and curled, shriveling into dust.

Then, a bird overhead—an innocent, unfortunate bird—let out a sharp cry before plumting lifelessly to the ground.

The two guild mbers froze. Their faces paled.

I took another step forward, raising my hand toward them. "Move, or I'll drain every last ounce of life from your body."

The man gritted his teeth, but his stance wavered. The mage, however, raised her hand, gathering magic. "You don't want to do this."

I tilted my head again, my red eyes glowing. "You think you can stop ?"

Their hesitation told everything. They were scared. They were beginning to understand.

And then—

A sudden gust of wind slamd into .

I barely had ti to react before I was forced to step back, my focus breaking. The withering aura vanished, the grass stopped decaying, and the oppressive air lightened.

I whipped my head around.

Standing a few feet away, his arms crossed and his expression cold, was Zain.

"Enough," he said, his voice sharp as a blade.

I glared at him, still burning with rage. "Stay out of this."

He didn't even flinch. "This is our town, Celia. Not yours to do whatever you want."

My fists tightened. The anger, the frustration, the sheer desperation in my chest hadn't faded.

But Zain... Zain wasn't afraid.

And that pissed off even more.

Zain would slowly walk towards his two guild mbers, telling them to go back inside and get the others ready if needed. His voice was calm, but there was an underlying authority, sothing sharp and unwavering.

As his eyes shifted to , they were cold. Almost calculating, like I wasn't anything more than another problem to deal with.

"Go back inside, both of you," Zain said, his tone clipped. "We may need to prepare for more, and I expect you to follow orders."

His gaze lingered on , the faintest shadow of judgnt in his eyes. It was clear that he didn't think I should be outside, at least not in the state I was in.

I could feel the tension building in my chest. My mind was racing—Kaiser. He was out there. Alone.

"No," I said, my voice shaking with frustration. "I need to go. I have to find Kaiser. I can't stay here, not when he could be in danger."

Zain's face remained unreadable as he t my gaze. "That's not possible, Celia. You're not leaving. You're not going near the outskirts, not with your cursed magic."

I clenched my fists, my nails digging into the palms of my hands as I tried to keep my voice steady. "I don't care about your rules. Kaiser needs —he could be hurt, or worse, and you're standing here telling I can't help him? I can't just sit here!"

Zain's expression didn't change. "The guild's policy is clear. No one leaves the town without proper clearance. It's dangerous out there—do you really think you're in any state to be wandering the outskirts right now? With your cursed magic?"

My heart raced. I was terrified, desperate. I couldn't lose him. I couldn't lose Kaiser. Not again. Not after everything that's happened. "I don't care about your damn policies! I don't care about anything else!"

I felt my frustration bubbling up, but I couldn't stop it. "Kaiser could be out there getting hurt, or worse, and you're standing in my way because of so stupid rules?"

Zain's eyes narrowed, a coldness creeping into his voice. "You think this is about rules? It's about safety. You're dangerous, Celia. You don't control your magic. If you lose control—"

"I'm not a child!" I snapped, stepping forward, trying to make him understand. But the anger inside kept pushing further, and I couldn't stop myself.

"I'm not going to sit around and wait while the one person who's ever treated like I matter could be out there in pain, or worse! I'll do whatever it takes, Zain, even if it ans breaking every rule you have. I'm going, and you can't stop ."

Zain didn't flinch, didn't back down. "I'm not letting you go. You're not stepping one foot outside this town without a direct order, Celia."

It felt like I was suffocating under the weight of his rules, his judgnts. His lack of understanding. Kaiser was out there. Alone. I couldn't lose him again. I wouldn't.

I could feel my anger burning inside , like fire in my chest. I wanted to scream. To throw sothing. I could almost feel the magic swirling around , thick and heavy, as though it was waiting for to lose control. But I couldn't. I wouldn't let Zain see how weak I felt. How terrified I was.

I ran my hands through my hair, pulling at it in frustration, trying to breathe. The fear, the jealousy, the anger—it was all mixing together in a whirlwind of emotions, spiraling out of control.

I couldn't stand it. Kaiser could be out there—hurting. Bleeding. What if he was in pain? What if sothing happened to him while I stood here, useless and helpless?

What if I didn't get to him in ti?

Tears burned at the corners of my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. No. I wasn't going to cry. Not now. Not when Kaiser needed . He had always been there for . He was the only one who ever made feel like I wasn't just... broken.

I could feel the cursed power inside stirring, preparing to collapse at any second. It was angry, just like I was. Furious, jealous, and so filled with fear that it made my chest ache.

If I wasted any more ti, I'd lose him.

I couldn't lose him. Not again.

I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms, and turned toward the wooden barricades that blocked the way out of town. Zain was still standing in my path, his arms crossed, his expression unreadable. But I didn't care. I had to get to him.

Without thinking, I moved forward, my feet carrying toward the wooden barriers. I wasn't going to let anything stop . Not Zain. Not the rules. Not anything.

But then—

"Stop."

The single word was low, cold, and commanding.

Before I could even react, a blast of icy air shot toward , and with a crackling sound, the path ahead of was sealed. A wall of ice appeared out of nowhere, thick and unforgiving.

Zain's voice was steady, but there was a hard edge to it now. "I'm not letting you go, Celia. Not this ti. If you try to break through, I'll stop you. By force if necessary."

I stopped dead in my tracks, staring at the ice wall, my heart pounding in my chest.

How dare he?

I was not going to let him stop .

I turned slowly, my anger building, the cursed power inside thrumming with tension. Zain was still standing there, his gaze unwavering. But I could feel it. I could feel the weight of his condescension, his judgnt, pressing down on .

I wasn't going to let him treat like this. Not now.

I turned my head slowly, my eyes narrowing. My red irises burned with fury, glowing faintly as I released a dangerous aura. The air around seed to crackle with malevolence.

"Move," I said, my voice icy, barely more than a whisper. But there was nothing soft in it. Nothing pleading. It was cold. It was final. And it was filled with malice.

Zain didn't budge.

But neither did I.

We were at an impasse. And I was ready to make him regret underestimating .

Kaiser needed . Every second I wasted felt like a blade to my chest. I could feel the power building inside , the cursed chains stirring restlessly beneath my skin, pulsing with my emotions. It wasn't sothing I had to consciously control anymore; it just happened.

Before I could even move, the chains erupted from my body like tendrils of darkness, slithering into the air. The cursed power that flowed through them was so thick, it almost felt suffocating.

Zain didn't hesitate. With a swift motion, he lifted his hands, and the air around him began to shimr. His voice rang out with command, loud and clear. "Guild, assemble! Get in position! Move, now!"

Guild mbers spilled out from the buildings behind him—so were physical sword wielders, others were mages of various ranks. The low-ranked ones, D to B, hesitated for only a mont before they took their places. Zain commanded them like a strategist, each movent calculated, each word a direct order.

"Circulate around her. Don't let her escape. Support each other," he barked, already stepping forward, his own magic ready to burst forth.

His next words ca like a sharp whisper. "Ice Water Pillar."

Before I could even react, the ground beneath began to freeze. A wave of ice shot up, cold and biting. I jumped back, narrowly avoiding being trapped by the sudden surge of frozen spikes. His elental magic was swift, and I felt the sting of cold rush through the air as the ice twisted toward .

I lashed out with my chains. They cracked through the frozen air with eerie precision, aiming for Zain, but he was already moving. His next spell ca quicker—"Water Bind!"

Water erupted from the ground, forming thick tendrils that tried to wrap around my legs. I could feel the pressure of the water, threatening to restrict my movent. My chains, however, reacted instantly, stretching to their limits as they intercepted the water. The water splashed harmlessly against them, but the force of Zain's attack still tugged at my balance.

"Focus on her—don't let her breathe," Zain commanded to his guild, and at his signal, the others attacked. A sword-wielding mber lunged at , while a mage cast a fireball in my direction.

I barely had ti to react as the fireball whizzed past , but I wasn't fast enough to avoid the sword. It sliced through the air toward , but my chains extended just in ti, slamming into the sword with a tallic clang. The force pushed back a step, but I held firm, my chains vibrating with their strength.

They were attacking in waves, testing . My frustration grew. I could feel the anger bubbling up, that familiar dark feeling threatening to swallow whole. I hated feeling like this. Like I was losing control. My chains grew heavier, their movents sharper, more precise as my emotions twisted.

Zain's eyes flickered with sothing cold and calculating as he watched my chains, his stance unwavering. "Don't let her power overwhelm you. Block, counter, now!" He commanded his guild, and the mages began to cast again—more elents, more chaos. The physical fighters circled around , weapons raised.

But I couldn't think. I couldn't think when it felt like I was going to lose Kaiser. My chains grew darker, their shadows bleeding across the ground. Each swing, each lash, each strike was not just to defend, but to attack.

The cursed magic inside flared, the chains sizzling with energy as I used my Withering Touch on them. The touch wasn't just physical—it drained, it weakened. It sapped the strength of anyone it touched, slowly but surely.

The first sword-wielding fighter to get too close collapsed to the ground with a scream, his body drained of strength, his arm limp at his side. He couldn't hold his sword anymore. The chains wrapped tighter around him, pulling him toward , dragging him away from the fight.

I could feel the power surging now. I wasn't the one fighting. I wasn't in control. The cursed magic, my anger, my fear, it was all feeding into it, and my chains were the manifestation of that rage.

"Focus!" Zain barked, stepping back slightly, his hands held wide. "Ice Mirror."

A reflection of myself, ford from ice, erged from the ground in front of . It was a perfect replica, mimicking my every movent. I could feel the cold seep through as the reflection began attacking with water and ice, mirroring my chains' movents.

For a mont, I hesitated.

I couldn't afford to hesitate.

The reflection ca at , and my chains wrapped around its form, squeezing, crushing, withering. The ice shattered as my chains continued to spiral through the air, breaking through the mirror like a force of nature.

"She's gaining cursed energy—don't let up!" Zain shouted, his voice rising, his control faltering as he saw the tide shift.

But I didn't care anymore. I couldn't. My body, my cursed magic, it was moving on its own now. The chains slashed through the air with calculating precision, overwhelming Zain's guild mbers.

One by one, they fell—sword-wielders collapsing as their strength was drained, mages unable to summon the next spell with enough power to stand against .

My breath ca in ragged gasps, my heart pounding in my chest, but the rush of power—the rush of finally fighting—felt like a storm that couldn't be contained.

No. I won't lose him. I won't lose him.

I could feel Zain's eyes on , and his fear—it wasn't sothing I could see, but sothing I could sense. His strategy was falling apart. The more I fought, the more I overwheld him. He shouted commands, but his guild was beginning to crumble under the pressure.

And then, just as I thought I had the upper hand, a sharp voice broke through the chaos. "That's enough, Zain."

Levi ca forward in just a second, his stance firm, his eyes burning with the usual arrogance. But there was a seriousness to his tone that froze in place. "I said, enough."

Zain faltered, his eyes narrowing as he turned toward Levi. "She's a danger—"

"She's fine, Zain," Levi cut him off, his voice carrying across the battlefield. "You've had your fun, now step aside."

Zain hesitated, but at Levi's words, he lowered his hands, his ice magic dissipating. The guild mbers, battered and drained, began to retreat, stepping back as the fight ca to an unexpected halt.

I stood there, my chains still raised, but my breath coming out in uneven gasps. My anger was still swirling inside , the power still there, but now it felt... hollow.

I couldn't stop thinking about Kaiser. Was he okay?

"Don't push her like that again," Levi said, his voice softer now as he looked at . "You're not alone in this, Celia."

But all I could think about was Kaiser. "I need to go. Please..."

Levi sighed, rubbing the back of his neck, his eyes softening as they t mine. "Go," he said, his voice firm yet caring. "Just... don't attack anyone on the way or get hurt."

I nodded quickly, feeling the weight of his words in my chest. But I couldn't stop thinking about Kaiser. He needed . I had to find him, no matter what.

"Thank you, Levi," I whispered, trying to force a smile, but the fear still gnawed at my insides. "I'll be careful."

Zain, who had been standing nearby, watching us with a cold gaze, raised an eyebrow. "Why are you letting her go like this? We agreed on closing the outskirts, Levi!"

Zain's eyes narrowed at Levi's words, but before he could respond, Levi added with a smirk, his confidence practically oozing from every word, "Look, Zain, I get it. You're trying to play the responsible one, but let's be real for a second. If anything goes wrong, I'll be there to destroy it completely at ease. It's not even a challenge. So, let her go. You've got to trust on this one."

Zain scowled but said nothing, and Levi turned back to him. "Prepare the guild mbers. We need to be ready for whatever cos next. The swarm could arrive any ti now."

Zain opened his mouth to protest again, but Levi cut him off. "No argunts. Do what I say."

I didn't have ti to hear more of their conversation. I was already on my feet, adrenaline pushing forward despite my exhaustion. With a final glance at Levi, I gave him a small, thankful nod before turning and rushing into the darkness.

"Kaiser..." I whispered to myself, my heart thundering in my chest. I had to find him.

I could barely catch my breath as I stumbled through the dark outskirts, my heart racing in my chest, my mind a whirlwind of fear. Kaiser... where are you? I kept calling his na, my voice cracking with the weight of desperation, "Kaiser! Where are you? Please, answer !"

My feet moved faster, almost too fast, and I tripped over uneven ground more than once. Every shadow seed like a threat. Every rustle in the distance made my skin crawl. What if sothing happened to him? What if I couldn't reach him in ti?

I shouted again, "Kaiser!" The sound echoed through the night, but there was no answer. The silence around felt suffocating. I should've been with him sooner, but my thoughts kept running in circles, full of doubt. Maybe I wasn't strong enough to help him. Maybe... Maybe I've already failed him.

And then I saw it.

A grotesque creature. Its monstrous form was hunched over sothing, ripping at the flesh like it hadn't eaten in days. The half-eaten body of soone—who, I couldn't tell—was lying in a pool of blood, the grotesque's jagged claws sinking deep into the severed arm. My stomach churned, bile rising in my throat.

I took a step back, instinctively reaching for my chains. They surged to life, responding to my panic, wrapping around my body like an extension of myself. But they felt... different.

My cursed magic was still too wild, too erratic after the fight with Zain. It was harder to control, like it had a mind of its own, and now, I could feel it feeding on my fear.

The grotesque's head snapped up, its grotesque eyes locking onto with an eerie intensity. It didn't hesitate. It snarled and charged at .

I tried to react quickly, but the creature was faster than I expected. Its movents were erratic, jerking in an unpredictable way as it lunged forward, jagged claws swiping at the air. I barely managed to dodge, but not without feeling the wind of its claws tear through my hair.

My chains shot forward, aiming for its exposed chest, but the grotesque's thick, armor-like skin absorbed the blow. I could feel the impact reverberate through my arms, but it didn't even flinch. It only seed to grow angrier.

"Co on, co on..." I muttered to myself, struggling to focus. But the chains were wild, unfocused, reacting more to my panic than my control. The grotesque didn't give a chance to catch my breath. It surged forward again, swiping with its claws. One hit. Two hits. I couldn't keep up.

I threw up my chains, trying to shield myself, but the grotesque's sheer strength overwheld them. It backed up, cornering against a rock, and with a swift motion, it brought one of its sharp spikes toward , aiming for my side.

I gasped in horror, but before the spike could pierce , I felt a sudden jolt—sothing pulling away from its strike. It was my chains, barely managing to wrap around the grotesque's limb in ti to stop it.

But I couldn't hold it. The thing was too strong. My chains writhed, desperate to hold on, but the grotesque just twisted its body and broke through them with a sickening crack. My head spun from the strain of the battle, the fear creeping in, eating away at my resolve.

No... no, not like this.

I needed to do sothing. But my magic was erratic, unpredictable. Every move I made felt like I was just stumbling through the dark, trying to find a way to win.

"Please... please!" I whispered through gritted teeth, but the grotesque wasn't listening. It was relentless, its hunger growing stronger as it pressed further into the corner.

Just as I thought it was over, a voice cut through the chaos. "Celia, move!"

The next thing I knew, a blur of movent passed by , and the grotesque let out a screech of pain as a blade sliced through its side.

Levi.

He appeared like out of thin air, his blade flashing in the moonlight, his movents swift and decisive. "Zain! Now!"

I barely registered his voice before Zain appeared beside him, his water magic surging around him like a tidal wave, crashing into the grotesque. The creature howled in pain, its movents slowing just for a mont as Zain's magic bound it in place.

I couldn't believe it. I had been so caught up in the fight that I hadn't noticed them coming. The guild mbers began to assemble around us, positioning themselves at a distance, ready to strike at the mont's notice.

But even with Levi and Zain here, the grotesque was far from defeated. It thrashed violently, its rage only growing, ignoring the pain in favor of its need to feed and destroy. I could hear it snarling, its claws scraping against the ground as it tried to reach .

"Focus!" Levi's voice was low, sharp, as he moved around the creature, slashing with his sword. "Zain, take its legs!"

The mont Zain's water magic lashed out again, binding the grotesque's limbs, it roared in fury. But its strength was starting to wane. Levi's strikes, Zain's magic—it was starting to add up.

But I couldn't move. My body was still trembling from the fight, my energy drained. The adrenaline was wearing off, leaving only exhaustion in its wake. My chains hung limp by my side, no longer alive with cursed power, and I couldn't bring myself to do more.

Then, with one final, overwhelming strike, Levi's sword plunged into the grotesque's head. The creature let out a final scream of rage before collapsing, its body going still.

I couldn't even breathe. I felt like my lungs had given up on . My legs gave out, and I collapsed to my knees. I was shaking, my body covered in bruises and blood. The exhaustion hit all at once, and I could barely keep my eyes open.

"Celia?" Levi's voice was softer now, more concerned. He knelt beside , his usual cocky grin replaced by a rare, serious expression. "You okay?"

I couldn't speak. I was too tired, too shaken. But I nodded weakly, though my body refused to cooperate.

Zain stood a little distance away, his face unreadable. "That was too close," he muttered, but his tone lacked any real comfort. "You should have waited for us."

I opened my mouth to say sothing, but my vision was starting to blur. Before I knew it, everything went dark.

I blinked, my eyes slowly adjusting to the heavy darkness around . It felt... strange, suffocating almost. I tried to move, but everything felt off, like my limbs were heavy, unwilling to obey.

I pushed myself up, feeling the coolness of the ground beneath my palms, but I couldn't see a thing. Just endless, thick blackness that seed to swallow every inch of the space around . My heart raced, my breath quickening as panic started to take hold.

Where am I?

I looked around, turning my head slowly, hoping for sothing to ground . Anything. But there was nothing. Just darkness. It felt so... empty.

I tried to rember what happened before I passed out. My mind felt foggy, as if it were fighting to stay focused, but bits and pieces of the past few hours started to filter through.

I was looking for Kaiser. I rember that much. My mind had been fixated on him—his safety, his whereabouts. I couldn't stop thinking about him. I was desperate to find him, to make sure he was okay.

That grotesque, though... that disgusting, horrible thing. I ca across it, and I... I tried to fight, but I was so tired. I wasn't prepared for sothing like that. I couldn't do anything to stop it.

My chains kept swinging, but it wasn't enough. My energy was gone, and the creature's brutality was too much.

Then... Zain. And Levi. They were there, saving . But I... I still passed out. My vision went black, and everything stopped.

I held my head, trying to force myself to think. Where is Kaiser now? Where did he go? I can't let sothing happen to him too.

The thought made my heart race again, my breathing uneven as I stood there, unable to do anything, unable to reach him. The grotesque. Kaiser. Was there a connection? Was he... Was he in danger too?

I clenched my fists, feeling the sharp sting of worry and fear. I can't... I can't lose him too. No. I refuse to lose him.

"Celia."

The voice was quiet, distant, yet it cut through the silence like a knife. I froze. My whole body went rigid as the hairs on my neck stood on end. That voice. I knew it. I... I knew it.

I turned around slowly, dread pooling in my stomach. What I saw made my heart drop into my stomach.

It was him. Ronan. But... it wasn't the Ronan I used to know. This was a broken, dying version of him. His face was pale, his eyes clouded with pain, and his body was barely holding together. He looked... wrong. So wrong. His once-proud posture was now crumpled and weak.

"Ronan..." My voice trembled, barely more than a whisper, as my feet felt frozen to the ground. I didn't want to move closer, didn't want to face what he was now. The pain in my chest was unbearable, a mix of fear, guilt, and confusion that I couldn't shake.

"You killed ," he said, his voice flat, hollow, as if there was no life left in it.

I stumbled backward, my hand instinctively going to my chest, as if it could stop the aching that had started to spread throughout my body. It wasn't physical, though. It was all inside. The guilt. The sha.

I killed him... didn't I?

It was a question that had haunted ever since that night—after that night Kaiser had been unconscious, the night I had been left alone. I asked Levi about what had happened to Ronan, to Kiel.

Levi told that he found Kiel, but Ronan... Ronan was already dead. Strangled by his own flas, bound by chains—my chains. I never wanted this. I never wanted any of this. But now, looking at him... I couldn't help but feel like the weight of that guilt was crushing .

I looked at Ronan, my chest tensing. His eyes were empty, cold. He was dying, but it didn't feel like he was gone. The voice that ca from him felt like a ghost, a shadow of who he had been before.

I killed him. I did. And now he was here... telling it was my fault.

"I didn't leave you, Ronan," I whispered, my voice shaking. "I didn't... I didn't want this. I didn't want you to..."

But he didn't let finish.

"You abandoned , Celia. You were the one that killed ." His voice grew more haunting, more accusing. "You transford into that thing, the Queen of Curses, and I tried to stop you. You pushed to the edge, but it was you who took everything from . You trapped my soul forever, cursed to never rest."

I flinched, his words like daggers. Trapped his soul? I had trapped his soul? My heart clenched, and all the air left my lungs as I struggled to hold onto myself. The guilt... the suffocating guilt.

"No... no, I didn't an to, Ronan!" I cried out, my chest paining. "I didn't... I never wanted to hurt you. I didn't want to be the Queen of Curses. I didn't want to change! You left ... you left to die!" My voice cracked with the weight of my own anger and confusion.

"You were the first one to turn away! You betrayed first, Ronan!"

But he didn't listen. He just stood there, that dead, empty gaze never leaving .

"You were the one who betrayed , You chose to beco a curse. You let die, and now... now you have to live with it. You took my life. You took everything."

"You didn't just kill , Celia. You took my soul, bound it, and made your slave. Now, I'm nothing more than a curse you control, trapped in this endless tornt because of your choices."

I staggered backward, my knees buckling as his words crushed further. No, no, no. I didn't do this. I wasn't the one who killed him. He was the one who turned his back on first.

He had been the one to abandon when I needed him the most. And yet, his words... they made it feel like I was the villain. I was the one who failed him. I was the one who killed him.

I could feel the tears building, but I tried to hold them back. I couldn't cry. Not now. Not with him standing here accusing , making feel like a murderer.

"I didn't want this... I swear," I whispered, my voice trembling. "I never wanted to hurt you, Ronan. I never wanted any of this. I just wanted to protect Kaiser... I just wanted to protect him."

But he didn't soften. He just looked at like I was the one who had done everything wrong. And with each passing second, the weight of my guilt grew heavier.

"I didn't ask for this, Ronan," I said, my words barely audible as my body shook with the guilt. "I never wanted to be what I am. But... but you... you left . You tried to kill ... and you didn't even think about what happened to . You just... you just left ."

My breath hitched as my tears finally began to fall. I couldn't stop them. They blurred my vision, the guilt squeezing at my chest until I thought I might suffocate from it.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry... I never ant to hurt you."

The words tumbled out of my mouth in a stream, my voice choked with emotion. "I'm sorry, Ronan. I'm sorry I couldn't save you. I'm sorry I couldn't stop this. I'm sorry for everything."

I collapsed to my knees, unable to stand under the crushing weight of the guilt anymore. My hands gripped my chest as if I could sohow hold my broken heart together.

I couldn't stop apologizing. The words kept slipping from my lips, like a broken record, but they felt so empty. Each "I'm sorry" was just a drop in an ocean of guilt, a pit of regret that seed to swallow whole. My tears ca faster now, uncontrollable, my voice barely more than a whisper.

"I'm sorry, Ronan. I'm so sorry..."

But as I stood there, crying, repeating those words over and over, I felt myself slipping again. I was becoming that pathetic, sobbing weak girl—the one who only knew how to apologize, how to beg for rcy, and that terrified .

If I stayed like this, if I kept crawling back to my old self, I'd never be strong enough to protect anyone. Not even Kaiser.

It was in that mont, when I felt the weight of my failure crushing , that Ronan's laugh broke through the silence.

"Ahahahaha!"

It echoed, loud and jarring, twisting and distorted, making my skin crawl. It was a laugh that felt so unnatural, so... demonic.

"You think you can save him, Celia?" he sneered, each word dripping with mocking venom. "You've always been so naïve."

My heart skipped a beat, and a cold chill crept down my spine. His words hit harder than any physical blow. I felt it... that knot in my chest tightening. I couldn't breathe.

"W-Why are you laughing?" I whispered, my voice trembling. Fear clawed at , mixing with confusion, as if his laugh itself was a poison spreading through .

The darkness around felt colder, heavier now, like Ronan's presence was suffocating from all sides.

Ronan's smile grew wider, his eyes dark, full of a sinister gleam. "Kaiser is dead," he spat, cold and sharp. "It's your fault. You were too weak. You couldn't even fight properly to save him this ti. You've lost the fight, Celia. And now, because of you, the one person you care about is going to die."

I felt my blood boil. The anger that had been simring inside , threatening to burst, finally erupted. All my doubts, all my fears... everything faded away. His words, ant to hurt , were nothing more than fuel for the fire.

"You'll get what you deserve, Celia," Ronan continued, his voice dripping with venom. "Karma's coming for you. You'll lose the only person who ever trusted you. The only person you've ever had by your side. He'll die, and it'll be because of you."

I could feel my pulse thundering in my ears. My hands clenched into fists, and I took a step forward, the urge to rip him apart overwhelming. He was just a curse. A dead soul trapped in this nightmare. He had no power over anymore. And yet... I still hated hearing those words.

I could feel his words gnawing at , each one sinking deeper, piercing into the place I least wanted to acknowledge: my own weakness. My hands tightened into fists, nails biting into my palms.

I could almost hear the sound of my heart pounding, a deafening rhythm that matched the fury in my chest. But despite the anger bubbling up, I couldn't escape the truth.

He was right.

I had failed. The grotesque, that vile creature that tore through with such ease—I had failed. If I had just been stronger, faster, more prepared, I wouldn't have been trapped like that. I wouldn't have been caught off guard. And Kaiser... Kaiser wouldn't have been left alone.

The thought twisted in my chest, like a knot tightening every ti I breathed. If only I had been stronger. The bla weighed heavy, suffocating .

It wasn't just the grotesque that I couldn't defeat. It was my own lack of experience, my inability to stand my ground. I didn't know how to fight the way I needed to. I didn't know how to win. If I had been trained, had the right tools, maybe I could have protected Kaiser. Maybe I wouldn't have lost him in the first place.

I swallowed hard, forcing the lump in my throat down. The guilt, the self-loathing, threatened to drown , but I wouldn't let it. Not now. Not after everything.

Because one thing I knew for sure was that I couldn't afford to let this be the end. I couldn't let weakness dictate my fate.

I won't lose again.

I straightened, my hands relaxing, but the fire inside was growing. This feeling, this horrible helplessness—it wasn't going to define . It was ti for to grow. To train. To understand my powers. To know how to use them, so that no one, not even a grotesque or a curse, could ever overpower again. I refused to be a victim of my own inability.

I would never let soone make feel powerless again.

I would make sure that, the next ti, it would be my power that overwheld them.

I took another step forward, my body shaking with the rush of newfound determination.

"I'll never lose again," I whispered to myself, the words falling from my lips like a vow.

Because I was done being weak. I was done being the one who lost.

I was the Queen of Curses.

And from now on, I alone would have the authority to make them kneel.

But then, just as I was about to say sothing—anything—a sudden rush of cold energy blasted through the ground. I didn't have ti to react before cursed chains shot out from behind Ronan, impaling him with cruel precision.

His eyes widened in agony, and he scread—his voice raw, twisted by the pain.

"AHHHHH!" Roman scread.

"Shut up," I whispered, my voice colder than ice.

Ronan's scream echoed around us, but it only fueled the fire inside . I took slow, deliberate steps toward him, my gaze dark and unforgiving.

"Watch your mouth, Ronan," I said, each word carrying the weight of an unspoken threat. "You're nothing but a dead curse. A curse I killed. If you even dare to bring up Kaiser again, I won't hesitate to kill you again. Understand?"

My eyes glowed a fiery red, the familiar aura of power surrounding once more. It was as though the dream had ignited sothing deep within .

Sothing dark. Sothing dangerous. I could feel the pulse of that power in my veins, growing stronger with every word I spoke.

"I'll get stronger," I vowed, my voice low and deadly. "I'll use this power, no matter how long it takes, no matter how much pain I have to endure. I'll learn to control it, and I'll save Kaiser."

I stepped right in front of him, towering over his kneeling form. I looked down at him with disdain. The anger and pain I'd felt for so long had found its release.

"Just like he saved ," I whispered, my words dripping with venom. "I will save him."

The dream began to crumble, the world around us starting to fracture. The cursed chains that had bound Ronan's body began to retract, pulling away from him. He fell to his knees with a sickening thud.

"Praise your queen, Ronan," I said coldly, my voice full of power. "Praise your queen... or suffer."

The last remnants of his dignity crumbled as he was forced onto his knees, his head bowed in submission. I smiled, a dark, twisted smile. It wasn't a smile of happiness—it was a smile of power.

I stepped forward, placing my foot firmly on his head, pressing down with all the force I could muster.

"Know your place," I said, the words coming out like a command. "You are nothing but a cursed slave I own. Because I alone am the Queen of Curses. You're nothing but a bug beneath ."

I could feel my negative emotions flooding through , feeding into my power. Every ounce of pain, every ounce of anger, every ounce of fear I'd ever felt—it all ca together in that mont, in that dream, in that darkness.

I was the one in control. I was the one who was cursed, but I was also the one who would reign.

Ronan's voice quivered as he tried to resist, but his words cracked under the weight of my power. "I... I acknowledge you, Queen," he rasped, the words scraping out with the last of his pride. "You are my master. I... I am yours."

I leaned down, my eyes glowing red with malice, and I crushed his head further under my foot. "Say it properly, Ronan," I whispered coldly. "Admit it. You're nothing without ."

His body trembled as he gasped for air. His pride shattered, and he finally broke. "I... I am nothing," he choked. "I'm yours, Queen Celia. I live for you. I die for you. I swear my life to you."

I pressed harder, watching him writhe beneath . "Good," I purred, a twisted smile on my lips. "You understand your place now. A slave. Nothing more. You're mine to control and discard when you've ran out of uses."

His voice barely ca through, weak and desperate. "I... I am your slave. I exist to serve you... to be crushed by you... forever."

I chuckled darkly, my boot still pressing against his skull. "And you will, Ronan. You'll exist only to serve , to bow to . You'll beg for rcy that will never co."

His eyes glazed over with defeat. "I am yours. I'm nothing without you, Queen Celia. Please... let serve you."

I stood over him, watching him tremble in submission, his dignity lost. "Rember this mont," I spat, "The mont you gave your life to . Because that's all you are now. A broken thing. My broken toy."

He nodded, his voice nothing more than a whisper. "I'm yours... Queen Celia... forever."

I smiled, stepping back, knowing he was nothing but a broken curse in my control.

As the dream crumbled further, I stood there, looking down at the broken form of my old friend. The chains vanished, and the nightmare began to fade.

But as I woke, the darkness didn't leave . The weight of it, the coldness of my own heart, stayed with .

After a while the nightmare ended.

I slowly blinked my eyes open, the dim light from the window blurring in my vision. My head felt heavy, like I'd just woken from the deepest sleep. It took a mont to focus, but when I did, I saw her.

Emma was sitting by the bed, her head resting on the edge of the stool, her soft breathing filling the quiet room. I rubbed my eyes, still feeling groggy, and I tried to sit up.

"Emma," I whispered, my voice croaky from the sleep. I reached out a hand, gently tapping her shoulder.

She startled, her eyes shooting open. "Celia! You're awake!" Her voice sounded like the sweetest lody to my ears, a relief that I didn't even realize I needed. Without a second thought, she jumped up from the stool and wrapped her arms around , pulling into a tight hug.

"I—I didn't know if you'd wake up," Emma whispered, her voice shaky with emotion. "I was so scared."

"Thank you, Emma," I murmured, my voice muffled against her shoulder, but even through my gratitude, sothing gnawed at , a sense of sothing wrong, sothing missing. I couldn't place it yet, but the pit in my stomach deepened.

The words hit harder than I expected. Days? I furrowed my brow, trying to process it. Days? I had been out for that long? I felt a sharp pain in my chest at the thought. It didn't feel right. Sothing was off.

I tilted my head, my eyes scanning the room, desperately searching for the one person who should've been here. Kaiser? Where was he?

My heart began to pound louder, my breath catching in my throat. He wasn't here. He should've been here. I couldn't ignore the dread that grew inside , twisting tighter and tighter.

"Where's Kaiser?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper, but it was laced with fear I couldn't hide. "Why isn't he here with ?"

I tried to sit up again, but my body protested imdiately. A sharp pain shot up my side, making wince. My hands were shaky, struggling to move, but I wanted to stand. I needed to see him, make sure he was okay. He has to be okay.

Emma imdiately stood and rushed over to , her face full of concern. "Celia, you need to rest. Your injuries—"

"No," I said, my voice cracking slightly. "Where is he, Emma?" My heart pounded in my chest. There was sothing in her eyes that told the truth before she even spoke. I could feel it. I didn't want to hear it, but I could feel it. Sothing terrible had happened.

Her gaze faltered, and she stuttered, her hands trembling as she wrung them together. "K-Kaiser... I... I...," Emma's voice broke, and she choked on her own words as tears welled up in her eyes.

I leaned closer, my heart pounding harder. No. No, this can't be happening. My voice shook as I grabbed her arms, desperate. "Where is he, Emma? Please, tell . Where is he?"

Emma looked away, her face crumpling with grief. Her voice shook as she spoke, barely audible through her sobs. "Celia... we... we couldn't find him. We searched everywhere, but... but there were so many... so many bodies." She paused, swallowing hard, her hands trembling as she clutched the edge of the bed. "The area... it was full of corpses. But there was no sign of him. Not a trace."

She looked back at then, her eyes filled with raw pain. "I—I thought he'd be fine, that he'd co back, but... now, I don't know..." Her voice broke, and fresh tears poured down her face as she leaned into , unable to hold it back any longer.

The pain in her eyes hit harder than anything. No... not Kaiser. Not him.

I shook her lightly, my voice growing frantic. "Emma, tell !" I almost begged. "What happened to him? Where is he?"

Emma collapsed against then, sobbing uncontrollably, her entire body shaking with grief. "Celia, I—I couldn't do anything. I tried... I tried to stop them, but..." She gasped for breath, her sobs thick with pain. "He... he's gone. He was... he was killed. They took him from us, Celia. They took him from you. I couldn't save him..."

Emma's breath hitched as she tried to speak through her tears. "Levi... Levi told ... he told Kaiser couldn't fight a Grotesque. He said... he said there was no way... no way he could survive... He... he's gone, Celia. I'm so sorry..." She choked on her words, the pain in her voice deepening with each sob. "They... they killed him, Celia. I... I couldn't do anything."

Her words shattered . My vision blurred as the world around seed to crumble. I felt my heart crack, each piece falling into an abyss deeper than anything I'd known. No, no, no, NO!

The words hit like a hamr to my chest. My entire body went cold. I couldn't breathe. My vision blurred as everything around seed to spin, to fall away. No. This can't be true. Kaiser can't be dead. I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing ca out. I couldn't process it. I couldn't... accept it.

Tears welled up in my own eyes, but they didn't fall yet. I was frozen, stuck in the mont, my mind refusing to catch up with the reality Emma had just shattered for . I was barely aware of Emma's trembling hand on my arm as she whispered again, her voice breaking.

"I'm so sorry, Celia. I—I'm so sorry."

My heart shattered. Pieces of it splintered and scattered everywhere, leaving only this empty, hollow feeling inside . I had failed. I couldn't protect him. I couldn't protect the one person who mattered more than anything else to .

He's gone. The words kept repeating in my mind, but I couldn't make sense of them.

I slowly sank back into the bed, the weight of the world crashing down on . "Kaiser...," I whispered, as the tears finally spilled down my cheeks, hot and heavy, burning my skin as they fell.

I... I didn't tell you, Kaiser. I—I—didn't... I didn't say it.

Why didn't I say it? Why didn't I...? I kept pushing it away, telling myself there'd be more ti. But... now you're gone. And there's no more ti. There's no more... you.

You always made feel safe. You made feel... whole. When you smiled, it was like everything could be okay. And now... now I'll never see that smile again. I'll never hear your voice again. I'll never feel your hand holding mine, or that warmth that always kept from falling apart.

Why did you have to leave ? Why now? Why couldn't we... why couldn't we have had more ti?

I wasn't ready. I'm not ready... I'm not ready to be without you.

I... I... I didn't even tell you... how much I cared for you...

The door creaked open, and Levi stepped into the room. His usual cold, unreadable expression was replaced with sothing... softer, more solemn. My heart skipped a beat, and for the briefest mont, I thought—maybe—there was still a chance.

There has to be a way. Kaiser can't be gone. He can't be.

Emma had told he was dead, but she hadn't seen it herself. She was just as lost in grief as I was. I couldn't—I wouldn't—accept it. Not without seeing it with my own eyes.

I lifted my head, my voice trembling as I whispered, "Levi... You must know sothing. Please tell . There has to be a way to bring him back. You've seen things. You must—"

Levi's gaze softened for a fraction of a second, and then he stepped closer, his eyes dark with an unreadable sadness. He opened his mouth, about to speak, but just before the words left his lips, I felt my chest tighten. I knew this wasn't going to be good, but I couldn't stop myself from hoping.

"Celia... It's about Kaiser." Levi began, his voice low, hesitant.

My heart stopped, the words hanging in the air like a death sentence, waiting to fall.

And then—everything paused.