Chapter 71

• Ariana nodded, though her heart ached with the weight of what she had become. She wasn’t the same person who had entered the cave. The power she had unleashed had stripped away parts of her, leaving behind something new—something dangerous, unpredictable, and darker than she could have ever imagined. It was as if the ancient magic had peeled away layers of her soul, revealing a version of herself she had never known existed.
• "I don’t know who I am anymore," Ariana whispered, her voice trembling with uncertainty, each word feeling like a confession of defeat.
• Demion stood beside her, his expression softened despite the harsh realities they faced. He reached out and gently brushed a blood-soaked strand of hair from her face. His touch, usually grounding, now felt distant, like a tether to a life she wasn’t sure she could return to. "You’re Ariana. And you’re still here."