The prison realm trembled as Orion forced his power outward. Chains cracked, the shadows recoiled, and the Veiled Queen's magic tried to contain him.
Seraphina's expression twisted in shock. "No—wait! Orion, you don't understand!"
But he did. He understood more than ever before.
The Veiled Queen had been using them all—Seraphina, Lyra, even him—to maintain the cycle. She thrived on their conflict, feeding off their choices.
Not anymore.
With a roar, Orion shattered the prison realm.
As reality reformed around him, he found himself standing in the heart of the cosmos—between the forces of creation and destruction.
Lyra stood before him, her golden eyes unreadable. Seraphina stood behind him, her fate intertwined with his own.
And beyond them, the Veiled Queen watched, waiting for the final move.
"No more," Orion whispered. "This ends now."
The paradox would be broken.
Even if it meant rewriting the stars themselves.
Chapter 31: The Veil Between Love and War
The cosmos trembled as Orion stood at the precipice of fate. The war wasn't just about power—it was about love, sacrifice, and the threads of destiny woven through time itself.
Lyra's golden eyes shimmered, her expression unreadable. "Orion, do you trust me?"
Before he could answer, Seraphina stepped forward. "Orion, she was the reason this cycle began. Can't you see? We were supposed to end it together."
A surge of memories struck him—past lives, past battles, past loves. In one life, he had chosen Lyra. In another, Seraphina. Each choice led to ruin. But this time… this time had to be different.
The Veiled Queen's laughter echoed through the void. "Oh, what a delicious tragedy. Will you follow your heart, Orion, or your duty? Choose wisely, for love and war are but two sides of the same coin."
Orion clenched his fists. "No more games. No more cycles. I will forge my own fate."
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