Page 48 of Angel of Ruin

The scene changes once more. Now I'm standing at the edge of a lush garden, filled with xaphan with beautiful wings. A twinge of envy courses through me as I eye those wings. A shimmering portal stands before me, promising an easy escape from the labyrinth.

"Just step through," a soft voice whispers, seductive and alluring. "You've suffered enough. Take the easy way out. Don't you deserve peace after everything you've endured?"

For a moment, I'm tempted. I'msotempted. My body aches down to my bones, my spirit is nearly broken. It would be so easy to give up, to stop fighting. To let go of all this pain and misery. The shimmering portal beckons, promising relief from this endless torment.

But then I think of Sariel, of the risks he's taken for me. The way his golden eyes softens whenever he looks at me, the gentleness in his touch. I think of my real family, waiting for me to return victorious. Their faces swim before me—hopeful, expectant. I've already failed them once before. How could I do that again?

I also think of all the humans who've been deceived by these trials, who've suffered and died for the xaphan's twisted entertainment.

"No," I growl, squeezing my eyes shut against the temptation. "Fuck you. You're not real. None of this is real. I won't fall for your tricks, not now, not ever again."

I force myself to remember the cold stone walls of the labyrinth, the feel of the rough ground beneath my feet. When Iopen my eyes again, the illusions are gone, but the emotional toll lingers.

Tears stream down my face as I press forward. The visions may have been fake, but the pain they stirred up is all too real. I carry the weight of my family's hopes, the burden of every failed human candidate before me.

But I also carry their strength. Their determination. Their dreams.

I wipe my wet cheeks and set my jaw. Nothing is going to stop me from getting those fucking wings.

Turning another corner, I stop in my tracks at the sight before me. The artifact. A magical barrier shimmers around it, an intricate web of energy that seems to pulse with a life of its own. I can feel the power radiating from it, a force so strong it makes the hair on my arms stand on end.

This is it. The final test. Everything I've been through, every sacrifice, every moment of pain and doubt, has led to this.

I take a deep breath. I know I need to bring everything I've learned together—my physical strength, my growing magical abilities, and every ounce of mental fortitude I possess.

I reach out, my fingers trembling as they near the barrier. The air crackles with energy, and I can feel the resistance pushing against my hand. I grit my teeth, pushing harder, channeling every bit of strength I have into breaking through.

Nothing happens.

Frustration bubbles up inside me, threatening to overwhelm me. But I push it down, forcing myself to focus. This isn't about brute force. It's about balance.

I close my eyes, reaching deep within myself. I feel for that spark of magic that's been growing inside me throughout the trials. It's there, a warm glow in my chest, pulsing in time with my heartbeat.

I let it flow through me, down my arm and into my fingertips. At the same time, I steel my mind, pushing away all doubt and fear.

I am worthy. I am strong. I belong here. And fuck everyone who thinks otherwise.

As my fingers touch the barrier again, something shifts. The energy doesn't push me away this time. Instead, it seems to recognize me, to welcome me.

Suddenly, I feel it. A connection, deep and profound, to the very essence of xaphan magic. It flows through me, encapsulating me, filling every fiber of my being. For the first time, I truly understand what it means to be one with this power.

The barrier begins to dissolve under my touch, like mist evaporating in the morning sun. I can see the artifact clearly now, its surface gleaming with an otherworldly light.

In this moment of transcendence, I realize that I've already won. Whatever happens next, I've proven to myself—and to everyone else—that a human can truly master xaphan magic. I am more than what they thought I could be. I am more than I ever dreamed I could become.

With a surge of confidence, I reach for the artifact. An astonished breath escapes me as I grab it with both hands.

The moment my fingers close around the artifact, the world shifts. The labyrinth's oppressive walls melt away like ice in the sun, and suddenly I'm back where I started. My legs wobble, threatening to give out as the adrenaline starts to fade.

I blink, disoriented by the abrupt change. The roar of the crowd hits me like a physical force, and I stagger slightly. They're cheering. For me. A human. I did it. I actually fucking did it.

Tears spring to my eyes, blurring my vision. My chest heaves with sobs I can't control. Joy, relief, exhaustion—it all crashes over me in waves, threatening to drown me.

"I did it," I whisper, my voice cracking. "I really did it."

The artifact in my hands pulses with warmth, as if responding to my emotions. I look down at it, still hardly believing it's real. That any of this is real.

My gaze sweeps over the crowd. Some are cheering, others look stunned. I understand their shock. No human has ever completed the trials before.

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