Celestial Guardians: Uniting Dimensions (Celestial Guardians Series, #1)

Chapter 37

Chapter 37

Jamaica's POV

Kevin was alive, but everything else felt fractured, like the shards of a broken mirror reflecting a world we could barely recognize.

The glow of dawn seeped through the classroom windows as I sat on the floor beside him, the cold tile pressing against my back. He had only just fallen asleep after waking from what felt like death itself. I couldn't sleep when the artifact—the one thing keeping Kevin alive until now—was gone and in the hands of the Destroyer.

It wasn't just the artifact, though. It was how Kevin looked at me before collapsing—like he knew this fight wasn't over. Like he knew what it would cost us.

Nel paced near the door, his wings shifting uneasily, their faint glow dimmer than usual. His fists clenched and unclenched as he muttered to himself. He'd been like this since the battle ended, his frustration building with every passing hour.

"You're going to wear a hole in the floor," I whispered, trying to lighten the mood.

He stopped and turned to me, his eyes blazing with anger and fear. "How can you be so calm, Jamaica? The Destroyer has the artifact now. Do you even realize what that means?"

I stood up, brushing the dust off my jeans. "Of course I do, Nel," I said sharply. "But panicking won't solve anything."

He ran a hand through his hair, his frustration bubbling over. "We can't just sit here and wait for him to make his next move."

"I know," I said, meeting his gaze. "But Kevin just came back from—" I swallowed hard. "From whatever that was. He needs time to recover."

"And while he recovers, the Destroyer grows stronger," Nel shot back.

I sighed, my patience thinning. "Do you think I don't care? That I don't feel the weight of this? He's my best friend, Nel. You two are my best friends." My voice cracked, and I hated how weak it sounded.

Nel's expression softened, and he sighed. "I'm sorry," he said, his shoulders slumping. "I just... I'm scared, too."

Before I could respond, the room grew colder, the air thick with an unnatural stillness.

"What's happening?" Nel asked, his voice tense.

A low hum filled the room, and the shadows in the corners seemed to stretch and grow, pooling together like ink. I stepped closer to Kevin, my heart racing.

Then, she appeared.

Sofia.

But it wasn't the Sofia we had known before. Her once warm, playful eyes were now black voids, her body surrounded by a faint, sinister glow.

"You're alive," she said, her voice dripping with mockery as her gaze locked onto Kevin's sleeping form. "How quaint."

Nel stepped in front of me, his wings flaring out protectively. "What do you want, Sofia?"

She smirked, tilting her head like she was amused. "I've come to deliver a message from the Destroyer," she said, her tone light but deadly.

"Go on," I said, forcing my voice to stay steady.

Sofia's smile widened. "The artifact has merged with him completely. His power is absolute. But he's generous, you see. He's offering you a choice."

"What choice?" Nel asked, his voice laced with suspicion.

"Submit," Sofia said, her gaze cold and calculating. "Bow before him, pledge your allegiance, and he might spare your pitiful little lives."

I felt anger rise in me, hot and unrelenting. "Never," I spat, stepping out from behind Nel.