Liora stood where Cairis had left her.
Same place.
Same silence.
But something inside her had shifted.
Not calmer.
Not better.
Just… heavier.
"…I understand."
The words she had said earlier echoed back to her.
And now they felt different.
Colder.
More real.
Because understanding didn't make it easier.
It just made it hurt in a more precise way.
She exhaled slowly.
Her hand lifted again without thinking.
Silver light flickered to life.
"…Control."
The word felt like a habit now.
Something she repeated to keep herself steady.
The magic gathered.
Soft at first.
Then stronger.
She focused.
Like before.
Breathing evenly.
Keeping it contained.
For a moment—
It worked.
The light wrapped neatly around her fingers.
Stable.
Obedient.
Liora stared at it.
"…Good."
But then—
Her thoughts slipped.
Just for a second.
Back to him.
"I would do it again."
The memory hit too fast.
Too sharp.
The magic reacted instantly.
The silver light flared violently.
Cracks of energy snapped through the air.
The walls trembled.
"No—"
She clenched her hand.
Trying to pull it back.
But the magic surged harder.
Faster.
Stronger than before.
Her breathing broke.
"…Stop—!"
The air distorted.
The floor beneath her feet fractured slightly.
Light burst outward in jagged waves.
This wasn't control anymore.
This was something else.
Something deeper.
Something emotional.
Her chest tightened painfully.
Because now—
It wasn't just power.
It was everything she hadn't said.
Everything she hadn't processed.
Everything she didn't understand.
And it was all spilling out at once.
"STOP!"
The room exploded in light.
—
Outside—
The palace shook.
Guards stopped mid-step.
Magic barriers flickered violently.
A surge of energy pulsed outward from one of the inner chambers.
"…What was that?!"
"The princess—!"
"Get the Crown Prince—now!"
—
Inside the room—
Liora couldn't breathe.
The power was everywhere.
Around her.
Inside her.
It wasn't listening anymore.
It was reacting.
To her.
To her emotions.
To her thoughts.
To him.
"…I didn't ask for this—!"
The walls cracked further.
Silver light carved through stone like it wasn't even there.
Her knees weakened.
But the magic didn't stop.
It grew.
Feeding on everything.
Fear.
Anger.
Confusion.
And something else—
Something darker.
Something ancient.
A voice whispered faintly at the edge of her mind.
"…Yes…"
Liora froze.
Her eyes widened.
"…No."
The voice deepened.
Colder.
Familiar.
"You were always meant to become this."
Her heart slammed against her chest.
"…Azhrael."
The name slipped out instinctively.
The energy around her twisted.
Darkness flickered briefly through the silver light.
Corrupting it.
Warping it.
"NO—!"
She dropped to one knee.
Clutching her head.
"Get out—!"
The voice laughed softly.
"You cannot control what you are."
The light surged again—
This time darker at the edges.
More unstable.
More dangerous.
And then—
The door shattered open.
Cairis.
He stepped into the chaos without hesitation.
His wings snapped open instantly.
Dark energy surged around him, pushing back against the violent silver light.
"Liora!"
She looked up.
Her vision blurred.
Her voice broke.
"…Don't come closer—"
Too late.
He was already moving.
The pressure in the room intensified.
Two forces colliding.
Silver.
Crimson.
The entire chamber trembled.
"You're losing control."
"I know!"
Her voice cracked.
"Just—stay back—"
"I can't."
The words were immediate.
Firm.
Unyielding.
That made something inside her snap again.
"…You always do that."
Her laugh was shaky.
Unstable.
"You don't listen."
"I won't leave you like this."
"Why?"
The question slipped out before she could stop it.
Raw.
Broken.
"You didn't last time."
Silence.
For a split second—
Everything froze.
And that hesitation—
That one moment—
The magic reacted again.
Violently.
The silver energy surged straight toward him.
Uncontrolled.
Instinctive.
Dangerous.
Cairis didn't dodge.
He raised his hand—
Crimson power collided with her magic head-on.
The impact shook the entire room.
Stone shattered.
The floor cracked beneath them.
Liora's eyes widened.
"I didn't mean—!"
"I know."
His voice cut through the chaos.
Steady.
Grounding.
"I know."
But the magic didn't stop.
It kept pushing.
Stronger.
More unstable.
Liora's breathing became erratic again.
"…I can't stop it—"
Cairis stepped closer.
Forcing his way through the storm of her power.
Each step cracked the floor further.
His wings shielded him from the worst of it.
But even he—
Was starting to strain.
"Then don't stop it."
Her head snapped up.
"What?"
"Control it."
"I'm trying—!"
"Not like that."
He stepped closer again.
Now—
He was right in front of her.
Close enough that the energy between them felt suffocating.
"Look at me."
"I can't—"
"Liora."
His voice dropped.
Sharp.
Commanding.
"Look at me."
Something in his tone—
Cut through everything.
The chaos.
The fear.
The noise.
Slowly—
She did.
Her eyes met his.
Crimson.
Steady.
Unmoving.
"…Focus."
Her breathing slowed slightly.
Just a little.
"The power isn't the problem."
The silver light flickered violently again.
"Your fear is."
Her chest tightened.
"…I'm not afraid."
"You are."
His voice softened slightly.
"Not of the power."
"Of what it means."
Silence.
Because he was right.
And she knew it.
"If you keep rejecting it…"
He stepped even closer.
"…it will keep fighting you."
The magic surged again—
But weaker this time.
Less chaotic.
"Don't push it away."
"Then what do I do?"
Her voice was barely steady.
His answer came quietly.
"…Trust yourself."
That word again.
Trust.
Liora hesitated.
Just for a second.
Then—
She closed her eyes.
The magic flared—
Then stilled slightly.
Her breathing slowed.
Not perfect.
Not stable.
But better.
"Good."
His voice was closer now.
Softer.
"Again."
She focused.
The light shifted.
Less violent.
Less sharp.
More contained.
The cracks in the walls stopped spreading.
The pressure in the room eased slightly.
"…I think—"
Her voice trembled.
"I think it's working—"
Then—
The door slammed open again.
Guards flooded into the room.
Magic drawn.
Weapons ready.
And the moment they saw her—
Surrounded by unstable power—
One of them shouted—
"She's out of control—!"
Everything froze.
And in that single moment—
The fragile balance broke.
The silver light exploded outward again.