Eternal Huntress

Chapter 37

The weight of what lay ahead pressed down on me as we stood in the dim light of the flat. Every breath I took felt heavy with the knowledge that by dawn, everything could be different—or it could all be over. The Heart of the Covenant sat ominously on the coffee table, its pulsing light casting shifting shadows that seemed to move with a life of their own.

"What's the plan?" Alex's voice broke through the thick tension, his eyes locking onto Sinclair, who paced near the window.

She turned toward him, her expression grim. "We'll have to move fast. Gabriel is mobilizing a small army, and with his new alliances, his strength has grown exponentially. We can't afford to meet him head-on."

"So, what then?" Alex pressed. "If we can't fight him directly, what are we supposed to do? Run?"

Sinclair shook her head, her gaze shifting toward me. "Helena has to use the Heart. It's the only way. But you'll need to master its power—channel it—before Gabriel gets to you."

I felt the weight of the Heart's pull, like invisible hands reaching for me, wrapping around my soul. Its dark whispers seemed to grow louder the closer we came to the inevitable confrontation. The idea of using it terrified me. What if I lost myself? What if, in trying to stop Gabriel, I became just like him?

"How do I even begin to control it?" I asked, my voice low but steady. "It's already pulling me under."

Sinclair's eyes softened slightly, as though she understood the fear I was grappling with. "The Heart feeds on desire, on power, and... on emotion. It will try to bend you to its will, but you need to stay focused. Anchor yourself to something pure—something that matters more than power."

I glanced at Alex. His steady gaze, his presence, his love—it was my anchor. He had been there for me through everything, and now, as the stakes reached their peak, I would need him more than ever. I nodded, a small flicker of determination rising within me.

"Where do we go?" I asked, turning back to Sinclair.

"There's a place," she said, her tone thoughtful. "An old stronghold—neutral ground. Gabriel won't expect us to go there because it's considered forbidden by the Covenant. But we'll have the advantage of secrecy. It's where you'll face him."

"Neutral ground?" Alex raised an eyebrow. "Why would it be neutral?"

Sinclair paused, her expression unreadable. "It's a place where ancient pacts were made. A sanctum of sorts—sacred, in a way. No one is supposed to spill blood there. But Gabriel won't care about those old rules. He'll follow us if he knows we're there."

I crossed my arms, considering the implications. If Gabriel truly had no regard for ancient pacts, then the sanctum might offer little protection. But it sounded like our best option—if I was to face Gabriel, it needed to be on my terms, in a place where I could focus the power of the Heart without his forces overwhelming us.

"We leave now," Sinclair said abruptly, breaking the silence that had settled between us. "We don't have much time."

Alex and I exchanged a glance, both of us fully aware that this might be the last night we ever spent together. Without a word, we gathered our things, preparing for the battle that loomed over us.

The drive to the sanctum was a silent one. Sinclair led the way, her car moving quickly but carefully through the winding, rural roads. The further we got from the city, the more isolated the landscape became. Dense forests stretched out on either side of us, their shadows looming in the moonlight like watchful sentinels.

Alex held my hand the entire way, his fingers laced tightly with mine. He didn't say much, but he didn't need to. His presence was enough to calm the storm inside me, even as I felt the Heart tugging at the edges of my consciousness. Its power was growing, becoming harder to ignore. Every pulse was louder, more insistent, as though it was alive, hungry for release.

"We're close," Sinclair called from the car ahead of us, her voice crackling through the radio. "Brace yourselves. Once we're inside, there's no going back."

The weight of her words hung in the air as we pulled off the road and onto a narrow dirt path. The trees pressed in on us, thick and foreboding, until suddenly they opened up into a small clearing. In the center of the clearing stood a large, stone building, ancient and covered in ivy, its towering facade seemingly untouched by time.

"This is it," Sinclair said as she stepped out of the car. She turned to face us, her expression serious. "The sanctum."

The sight of the building sent a shiver through me. It felt old, older than anything I had ever encountered. The air around it was thick with an energy that seemed to vibrate just below the surface, as though the very ground we stood on held secrets long buried.

Alex and I followed Sinclair toward the entrance. As we passed through the towering archway, the temperature dropped, and a faint hum filled the air. Inside, the sanctum was vast, its stone walls adorned with ancient symbols, some of which I recognized from my studies, others foreign and unreadable.

"This place..." Alex whispered, his voice filled with awe. "What is it?"

"It's a crossroads," Sinclair replied, her voice echoing in the massive chamber. "A place where magic, power, and time converge. It was once a meeting ground for the most powerful beings in our world. But that was centuries ago. Now, it's a place of secrets—and of reckoning."

My heart raced as we approached the center of the sanctum. There, in the middle of the room, stood a raised stone platform, its surface etched with intricate runes that glowed faintly in the dim light.

"This is where it will happen," Sinclair said, turning to face me. "You'll use the Heart here. It will amplify your power, give you the strength to face Gabriel."

I stared at the platform, feeling the pulse of the Heart quicken in my chest. It wanted this—it was calling to this place, as if it had been here before, as if it had been waiting for this moment.

But there was still a question burning in the back of my mind. "Why are you helping us, Sinclair?" I asked, my voice sharp, cutting through the tense air. "What do you get out of this?"

Sinclair's expression faltered for a brief moment, her eyes flickering with something I couldn't quite place. She hesitated, then sighed. "I told you before, Helena. Gabriel has gone too far. If he succeeds... none of us will be safe. Not even me."

It wasn't the whole truth. I could feel it. But now wasn't the time to push. We were running out of time.

A low rumble echoed through the sanctum, the stone walls vibrating as if in warning. The Heart pulsed violently in response, its energy crackling through me like a live wire.

"They're here," Sinclair said, her voice tight. "Gabriel's forces."

I closed my eyes, focusing on the Heart, feeling its power surge within me. It was time. Time to face Gabriel. Time to decide if I could wield the Heart without letting it consume me.

Alex moved closer, his hand resting on my shoulder. "I'm with you," he whispered, his voice grounding me, steadying the whirlwind inside me.

I nodded, my resolve hardening. "Let's end this."

The doors of the sanctum creaked open, and the cold night air swept inside, carrying with it the unmistakable scent of death and decay. Gabriel had arrived.