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Chapter 18 - Episode 18: Fate Chains

### ** sinner **

** [scene: Inner Chamber - Heart of Fortress] **

*(Darkness swirls around them, pulls Ela, Lucian and Seraphine through the shadows. When the magic finally relaxes, they find themselves in a huge, circular chain. The black chains scream the wall and the pulsating weak crimson.

** serraphine: ** (groan) "I*I hate*magic kidnapping."

** Lucian: ** (Sword grip) "Where are we?"

** Elara: ** (Whispering) "Heart of Fortress."

*(Deep laughter is reflected through the chamber. The curious figure raises the head and shining crimson eyes pierce the darkness. A sinner - Care Malachi Ravenshade.)*

** Sinner: ** (quietly) "You came back, my daughter."

** Elara: ** (award itself) "I came to the truth."

** sinner: ** (smiling) "And the truth, my child is that you have never been to fight against your fate."

** Lucian: ** (step forward) "It's not yours to claim."

** Sinner: ** (laughs) "Oh, noble knight. Tell me, boy - do you really believe that they belong to*?"

** Lucian: ** (clenched teeth) "belongs to*sama*."

** sinner: ** (amused) "and yet he carries my brand. My blood." (Looking at Elar) "You feel it, right?

*(Elara hesitates. The vision of her dark future still persists in her mind. Flames, destruction ... herself, crowned in the shade.)*

** Elara: ** (quietly) "I'm afraid you will become*."

** Sinner: ** (quietly) "You're*."

*(Chains are forcibly rattling him as if they were responding to his words. The whole chamber shakes.)*

** seraphine: ** (grasping your daggers) "Yeah, I really don't like it."

** Lucian: ** (firm) "This is now."

*(Falls forward, its blade lights with silver light. But when it strikes, chains pulse - and the whole room is thrown into chaos. The throne breaks out of the dark energy and sends Luciana to fly back.)*

** Elara: ** (Shouting) "Lucian!"

*(Definitions against stone and cough when trying to get up. The voice remains calm, almost amused.)*

** Sinner: ** "You can't kill me, boy. I'm bound by magic much older than your deadly blades."

** Elara: ** (desperate) "So what is*this place?"

** Sinner: ** (grinned) "My prison. My kingdom. My tomb." (Pauses) "And soon… yours."

** serraphine: ** (hissing) "Yeah, that's*hard*passage."

** Sinner: ** (ignores it) "Elara, step forward."

*(Elar's legs move before they realize it. The move is undeniable as if the air itself convinced it forward.)*

** Lucian: ** (trying to get up) "Elara, no -"

** Sinner: ** (quietly) "Let me show you*who really you are*."

*(A sudden pulse of energy is growing through the chamber and instantly - Ela's mind is invaded into another vision.)*

---

** [scene: Vision - forgotten past] **

*(Elara stands in a large throne room, untouched in time. Massive stain-glass windows throws frightening red light over the obsidian floor. In the center of the room stands a woman-woman who looks exactly like Elara but older, colder and dressed in royal black robes.)*

** Dark Elara: ** (smiling) "You walked a long way, right?"

** Elara: ** (breathes hard) "Who… are you?"

** Dark Elara: ** (tilts her head) "I am what you become."

** Elara: ** (shook his head) "No. This is not*me*."

** Dark Elara: ** (laughs) "You say it now." (steps closer) "But what happens when it betrayed you? When the world turns back on you? When your love becomes your greatest weakness?"

*(Blinking pain intersects Elar's face but clenched his fists.)*

** Elara: ** (firm) "I won't let it happen."

** Dark Elara: ** (quietly) "I didn't do it either."

*(With the rupture of her fingers, the vision breaks.)*

---

** [scene: back in fortress - reality] **

*(Elara stumbles back, snaps for breath. Lucian catches her just in time.)*

** Lucian: ** (Fear) "What have you seen?"

** Elara: ** (shaken) "I. But not me."

** Sinner: ** (quietly) "You start understanding."

** serraphine: ** (irritated) "Oh,*enough*with cryptic nonsense!" (pull a dagger) "Can we kill him or not?"

** sinner: ** (laughs) "They can't*kill shadow, assassine."

*(Lifts the hand and the chains shine brighter, burst with energy.)*

** Lucian: ** (warning) "trying to free."

** Elara: ** (Panicking) "How do we stop him?"

*(Answer comes from deep in yourself - whisper, memory. The brand on the hands burns.)*

** Elara: ** (realizing) "chains… are tied to my blood."

** seraphine: ** (eyebrow lifting) "So what?

** Elara: ** (brass) "Maybe ... or maybe I have to decide."

*(The sinner smiles as if he already knows what he thinks.)*

** sinner: ** "Yes, daughter.

** Lucian: ** (desperate) "Elara, don't listen to him!"

** Sinner: ** (gently) "You don't see a baby? The world will never accept you. They are afraid of you.*He's worried about you." (look at Luciana) "But I ... I * understand."

*(Elara shakes, torn between fear and power. Chains of pulse waiting for her command.)*

** Lucian: ** (quietly) "Elara, you're more than his blood."

** serraphine: ** (urgent) "Make the right choice, princess."

*(Elara takes a deep breath. Her fingers are jerking. The strength in her hum, waits ... and knows - whatever she chooses, changes everything.)*

** Elara: ** (Whispering) "I choose -"

*(The chamber explodes with light when deciding.)*

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