Celestial Bonds - Shattered Paths (Book 3)

Chapter 18: The Crown's Challenge

Kian

The temple walls close around me as I watch Lyara stumble back, her face ashen. She's just seen a vision—a future filled with impossible choices. I want to rush, steady her, and tell her she doesn't have to face this alone. But the words die in my throat. It's not that simple. Nothing between us has been simple for a long time.

I glance around the chamber, feeling the oppressive energy emanating from the Cosmic Crown. It pulses with an eerie, rhythmic hum as if it's alive and aware of us, aware of our fears. Jax is pacing near the entrance, his hands balled into fists, his jaw tight. His eyes dart between Lyara and me, and I can almost feel the turmoil radiating off him. He's seen something, too, something that's shaken him to his core.

Lira stands a few paces away, her posture tense but poised. Her face is calm, and she's worn the mask of the advisor so well over the years. But when she looks at me, just for a moment, I see the raw emotion flicker in her eyes—fear, resolve, and something else that makes my chest tighten. There's so much unspoken between us that I've refused to acknowledge. But now, as the Crown draws us into its web, I know we can't hide from it any longer.

The room grows colder, a chill that seeps into my bones—the Crown's light flares, casting harsh shadows across the stone floor. Deep and commanding, a voice echoes within the chamber, reverberating through my mind. I know it's not coming from the others—it's the Crown itself, calling us out.

"You seek power, yet you understand nothing of the cost," the voice booms, resonating inside my skull. I wince, fighting the urge to cover my ears. It's as if the Crown is peeling back the layers of my mind, exposing every insecurity, every doubt I've tried to bury.

The room vibrates with the Crown's presence, and suddenly, I'm not in the temple anymore. I'm standing on the battlefield, surrounded by the chaos of war. Terra's banners fly above me, but they're soaked in blood. Soldiers scream, weapons clash, and I see Lyara on the other side, holding a sword, her face twisted with pain and determination. My heart lurches at the sight. No. This isn't what I want.

I turn, searching for Lira. She's there, standing beside me, her hand outstretched. But as I reach for her, she starts to fade, dissolving into mist. "Kian," she whispers, her voice filled with anguish. "You must choose. Power, love, or unity. You can't have them all."

The scene shifts again, and I'm back in the temple, gasping for breath. My heart pounds in my chest as the Crown's voice fades, leaving an echo of its message behind. The others are staring at me, their eyes wide. I see it on their faces—their visions have confronted them, their fears.

"What did you see?" Lyara asks, her voice strained, barely more than a whisper. She's looking at me with an intensity that makes my throat tighten. I know she's desperate for answers, for some way to make sense of this nightmare. But what can I tell her? I saw a future where we're all forced to make impossible sacrifices. That the Crown demands us to give up the things we hold dear?

"It doesn't matter," I reply, my voice rough. I can't let them see how shaken I am. I'm supposed to be their leader, who holds everything together. "The Crown is testing us, trying to break us down. It wants us to choose between our desires and our duty."

Jax laughs harshly, the sound brittle in the tense air. "And what choice do you think it's giving us, Kian?" He steps forward, his eyes blazing with defiance. "Because from where I stand, it looks like the Crown demands that we give up everything for some vague notion of balance."

I meet his gaze, feeling the weight of his words. He's right, in a way. The Crown isn't giving us a clear path; it's throwing us into a storm of emotions, forcing us to confront what we're willing to sacrifice. But there's something else, something deeper. I felt it during the vision, a whisper at the edge of my consciousness.