FATE

Orpheus didn’t move. But something shifted—the air, the space around them, the weight pressing down on Ella’s chest, squeezing the breath from her lungs. It was as if reality itself was holding its breath, watching.

Ella’s voice was hoarse, but she held her ground. “I don’t trust you.”

Orpheus exhaled, almost in disappointment. “Trust is irrelevant. This is about what you wanted.”

The door behind him trembled, the glowing symbols flickering unstably, darkening at the edges turning a sickly red.

Ella’s fingers curled into fists. “Then I want the truth,” she shot back. “No more riddles. No more cryptic visions. Tell me what really happened to Tom.”

Orpheus' smoky form swirled violently, growing more defined, his shifting silhouette twisting into something far more solid—far more monstrous. His once-hollow eyes gleamed with something dark and insatiable.

"You lied," she whispered, breathless.

“I only gave him what he asked for!” Orpheus said raising his arms horizontally.

Ella pushed herself up, rage burning through her veins. "You…twisted the deal. You trapped him here."

Orpheus made a slow evil chuckle. "You think you understand, but you don’t. You never did. You mortals always assume you have a choice.” His voice dropped to a whisper, caressing the edges of the chamber like a breath of ice. “But you are all the same, vile little creatures."

The stone beneath Ella’s feet cracked and the journal slipped from her fingers, falling on the ground.

Ella barely had time to react before tendrils of darkness shot toward her like serpents slithering. She staggered back, arms up in defense, but the watery blackness coiled toward her, faster than she could move. She felt a hand grab her wrist yanking her back. A sharp pull, a rush of air, and the tendrils slammed into the spot where she’d stood, shattering the stone with a force that sent dust spiraling into the air.

Ella turned wildly, heart in her throat—

Orpheus let out a snarl, his smoky form surging back into the air like a storm gathering strength. "You!" he spat, his voice colder than before. "You should not be here."

Tom stood in front of Ella, arms spread protectively, his stance steady despite the tremors shaking the ground. "Yeah, well. You didn’t exactly make it easy, did you?"

Ella felt her throat tighten. "Tom…how…?"

"It's not important," he cut in sharply, eyes still locked on Orpheus. "We need to get out of here."

Orpheus let out a deep, reverberating sound—half-laughter, half-growl. “There is no escape, Keeper. She belongs to me.”

Tom exhaled sharply. "Yeah, I figured you’d say that. But I’m afraid I can’t let you have her."

He moved fast picking up the journal and flipping it open. The pages flared to life, burning with an unnatural golden light.

Orpheus recoiled as soon as the light from the journal touched him, hissing as though it pained him. "You dare…?"

Tom didn’t give him the chance to finish. He slammed the journal onto the ground between them. The light exploded outward, streaking across the stone and illuminating the ancient symbols. The air around them crackled, the red glow flashing into something impossibly bright.

Ella shielded her eyes, staggering backward. "What’s happening?!"

Tom turned to her, urgency in his expression. “I found out what this place really is. The door doesn’t bring anyone back. It just takes you and feeds him."

Ella’s breath caught. "Then my grandfather—?"

Tom’s expression darkened. "Not real. Just a voice he’s using to lure you in. Same way he used Sarah against me." His jaw tightened. “I made the wrong choice.”

A wretched shriek tore from Orpheus as the golden light spread, carving lines of energy into the floor, slicing through the darkness like cracks in a breaking mirror.

"No," Orpheus snarled his form elongating wildly. "You cannot defy me!"

Tom turned to Ella, gripping her hand. "Say it. Say his name."

Ella’s heart pounded. "What?"

"He’s bound to his name," Tom said urgently. "Say it, Ella. Call him by it."

Orpheus let out a vicious roar as his shadows surged up to close the book, though they burned him upon contact, his form crackling like wood catching fire.

"Silence—!"

Ella took a deep breath, bracing herself against the pull of shadows trying to drag her forward. And then, with everything she had, she screamed—

"Orpheus!"

The chamber shuddered.

Orpheus’ form twisted violently, his rage manifesting in a tremor that rocked the chamber.

“You think this changes anything?!” he bellowed.

Tom's grip tightened on her hand. “Now make the choice, Ella. I cannot make it for you.”

Ella looked up at Orpheus, at the pulsing, terrifying darkness that had tried to deceive, manipulate, and nearly consume her.

"No!" she shouted. "I won’t open the door!"

The effect was immediate.

The chamber roared to life, and the symbols burst into golden flames. Orpheus let out a guttural howl, his smoky form convulsing and distorting as if reality itself were unraveling him.

"You—insignificant—"

Tom cut him off. “You were wrong. Not all humans are vile. At least Ella isn’t.”

The golden energy surged, a flood of light engulfing him. The force of it detonated through the chamber, knocking Ella and Tom back as Orpheus’ final, agonized wail echoed off the stone. He was disintegrated into nothing like a shadow caught in the morning light.

There was silence except for Ella’s heavy breathing. And then, creeping from where Orpheus had vanished, the shadows began to stir again—slithering across the ground, curling toward them.

Tom grabbed her arm. “Move!”

The wooden door she had entered from loomed ahead—shut tight. But as they neared, it trembled and swung open of its own accord.

Together they stepped through the door-leaving the nightmare behind.

The door slammed shut behind them with a final, resounding boom.