Page 41 of Essence of the Throne

Chapter Thirteen

Ariella

The wind screams, a vicious howl that drowns all sound except the pounding of my heart. The ground is unstable beneath my feet—more like a series of shifting illusions than solid terrain. I swear I can see the streets of Whisterra peeking through the sky. I keep running anyway, not having any other choice, stumbling but driven forward by sheer will. Black tendrils of void-like essence snap at my heels, eager to consume anything in their path. I clutch the artifacts against my chest, their energy pulsing through my hands. They’re impatient, ready to forge the Accord that will hopefully save the realms by binding them together. It's the theory of a seer, but we've no time to think of any other options—or what will happen if this Accord doesn't work. So I hold on to the artifacts as if my life depends on it…because it does. Their touch burns cold, sending spikes of pain up my arms, but I can’t release them. Not now. We’re almost there.

“Hurry, Aris!” Caelum shouts, his voice barely audible over the deafening chaos.

I risk a glance at him, catching the briefest glimpse of his determined face, streaked with sweat and dirt. His hair, once a rich, vibrant hue, is now tangled by the violent gusts of rawessence whipping wildly around him. Even in this chaos, there’s a fire in his eyes—a mixture of faith and desperation.

“We’re running out of time!” he adds, his voice strained. His arm snaps out, shoving me to the side just as a piece of the ground breaks away and falls into the sky.

My chest constricts—not just from the air that feels like thick sludge, or the fact that I’ve been running like this for hours, but from the weight of what I haven’t told him.He deserves to know, a voice whispers in my mind, but I shove the thought aside. There is only the Accord now. Only the fragments of reality I must bind…before it costs us everything.

The air is suffocating, each breath more a struggle than the last. I gasp, my throat raw, the taste of metallic essence coating my tongue. Pressure from the other realm bears down on me, making my limbs feel heavy and foreign. For a moment, I falter as the atmosphere itself tries to crush my resolve. The twisting strands of essence, pulling our realms together, seem to grow more frantic and demanding by the second. Their pull is both physical and mental—a gaping void threatening to devour everything.

“It’s too much!” I yell, my voice cracking as I try to fight the dread rising, churning every organ inside me. “Everything’s breaking apart faster than we expected! We’re not going to make it, Caelum!”

He grabs my hand as we sprint, fingers warm and firm against my cold, trembling skin. “Whatever happens, I’m here with you,” he replies, silver eyes locked on mine.

There’s a beat—a silent promise exchanged between us. I nod, even as a lump forms in my throat, and we continue to press forward. The world around us is a riot of clashing colors—brilliant whites colliding with demanding blues, pinks, and purples, like dawn and dusk locked in battle. The wind cuts at my face, leaving stinging welts, burns forming from the relentless assault of the elements. More essence strands whip past, each one shrieking like a wraith.

As we approach the steep incline, the ground beneath us trembles violently again. I squeal, almost slipping, but Caelum’s arm hooks around my waist, steadying me, though not stopping our momentum. For a fleeting moment, I lean into him, seeking reassurance in his touch.

“Stay with me,” he breathes, so close I can feel the heat of his words against my ear. It’s not a command, but a plea.

I want to respond, to reassure him, but the truth lodges in my throat. “Just a little further,” I manage to say, voice thick with a fear I cannot hide.

We crest the incline, and I cry out as the crystal finally looms ahead—its massive form a stark contrast to the chaos. It glows with a steady, eerie light, a beacon of stability in a realm collapsing around us. I can feel its pull, like a magnet drawing my essence toward it.

“It’s here,” I yell, grasping the artifacts tighter. I want to feel relieved, but I know better. “This is it.”

Caelum releases my arm, moving beside me to shield my body from a burst of wild essence that lashes out, black and jagged.He blocks it effortlessly, his strength unwavering. Our essence is volatile and unpredictable, yet he somehow manages to weave enough to cover us. “What now?”

I fumble, placing the artifacts—a heartstone, my mother’s favored hand mirror, and the jewelry box that’s served generations of my family—down before the crystal. My hands shake as I start the ritual, the strands of essence fighting against me. Each one feels like a barbed wire, slicing through my concentration. The process is excruciating, but I cannot afford to falter.

“Eris’ena ethra ulthira, sey’enya varan’dai élum. Ariseth velura, éna na’yris.” Become one with the binding essence, take form within the eternal vow. Seal your power, accept the sacrifice.

I push the first artifact into the crystal as it opens itself to the binding, and a relieved breath fills my lungs. The first part of the Accord is done, just three more to go. Caelum watches me intently as I grab the mirror next. “What’s happening?” he asks, voice barely audible over the winds.

My stomach twists. I don’t look at him as I answer before repeating the words to bind the second artifact. “It’s…complicated,” I reply, my voice tight and urgent. “I have to bind them using part of my essence.”

He doesn’t move, but I sense a shift in his aura—a silent acknowledgment of the stakes. “And what do you need from me?”

My heart feels like it’s breaking. “Just stay close,” I say after the crystal accepts the next artifact. “Stay with me, no matter what. If thisdoesn't work, I love you.”

I want to say more, but force myself to focus, to channel the energy through the last artifact. The crystal hums, responding to the ritual, its surface glowing brighter. It feels like I’m tearing reality apart to piece it back together again. Everything sharpens—the colors, the sounds, the pressure against my skin. The air vibrates with tension, almost like the realm itself is holding its breath.

And then, a sound—a horrible, wet crunch.

I whip around, eyes wide as the ritual’s words die on my tongue. Caelum stands there, his expression shifting from confusion to pain. The jagged shard of dark essence juts out from his chest, black ichor dripping down its edge. His breath catches, a choked gasp escaping him. His eyes lock onto mine—they express so much without any words. Admiration, love, regret, acceptance.

“No!” I scream, the word tearing from my throat.

I reach for him, everything around me blurring into a nightmarish swirl as I drop the jewelry box. He tries to speak, but blood bubbles at his lips. His knees buckle, and he collapses, his gaze still fixed on me, full of nothing but happiness through our shared bond.

“I’m sorry!” I cry, lunging forward, but I’m too late.The vision fractures like shattered glass.

The darkness splinters as I jolt awake, heart still pounding from that final, brutal image. It must have been some kind of vision, because that was no dream. My breath is ragged, each inhale clawing its way into my chest. My fingers clutch the rough blanket beneath me, needing to grip reality itself.

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