Kael woke with a start, his mind hazy and disoriented. The cold stone beneath him felt harsh against his skin, and the heavy, oppressive air of the prison pressed down on him. He blinked rapidly, trying to adjust to the darkness of the cell. His hands were bound by thick chains, but the familiar feeling of his powers—his connection to the cosmos, to time itself—was gone.

  For a moment, a sense of helplessness gripped him, but he quickly shook it off. He wasn’t a prisoner, and he wouldn’t be for long. The memory of Aeon’s mocking words still stung. "You’re nothing more than pawns now."

  "No," Kael whispered to himself. "I’m not. I’ll break free."

  He tested the chains again, straining against them. They were firm, but his resolve was firmer. There was a way out—there had to be.

  Across from him, in the far corner of the cell, Lyra sat silently, her hands also shackled. The glow of her celestial armor had faded, leaving her looking smaller, more vulnerable. But her eyes—those eyes—still held a spark of defiance.

  Kael’s voice was soft but filled with conviction. "Lyra."

  She looked up at him, her expression weary but unbroken. "Kael… I thought you were gone. I thought they… broke you."

  Kael gave a half-smile, despite the pain in his chest. "No. They can’t break me. Not while I still have you by my side."

  Her lips twitched, a small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. "I never doubted that. But we’re not out of this yet. We’re prisoners in his domain, stripped of our powers."

  Kael’s fists clenched, his eyes narrowing. "Not for long. Aeon may have taken our powers, but he hasn’t taken our will. We’ll escape, and when we do, we’ll bring him down."

  Lyra’s gaze softened. "I know you’ll find a way, Kael. But we have to be smart. Rushing in blind will only get us killed."

  Kael nodded, taking a deep breath. "We have to find the key—something, anything, that can break these chains."

  As if on cue, a door creaked open at the far end of the room, the harsh light spilling into the dark cell. A male guard, clad in dark armor, stepped inside. His eyes lingered on Lyra for a moment, a predatory gleam in them.

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  Kael’s jaw tightened, and he shifted his weight, ready to act if the situation turned hostile. But he remained still, watching, calculating.

  The guard’s voice was low, almost taunting. "Time to see if you’ve learned your place, celestial one. Aeon has plans for you."

  Lyra stiffened, her eyes narrowing in silent defiance. She didn’t speak, but her presence alone radiated strength, even in the face of her captivity.

  The guard approached her, his steps slow, deliberate. "Don’t worry. You’ll serve your purpose soon enough. But first…"

  Kael’s vision blurred with rage, his instincts screaming for action, but he knew he had to wait. If he acted without thinking, it could put them both in more danger. He gritted his teeth, his mind racing for a plan.

  But Lyra surprised him. She looked directly into the guard’s eyes, unflinching, her voice steady. "I’m not yours to command. And you won’t touch me."

  The guard sneered, raising his hand to strike her. But before his hand could land, something unexpected happened. A faint, shimmering light flickered around Lyra. It was barely visible, but Kael caught it—the faintest trace of the power she once wielded.

  In that instant, Lyra’s chains snapped, the glowing metal falling to the ground with a resounding clink.

  Kael’s eyes widened in astonishment. "Lyra, how—"

  She stood up, her movements graceful but filled with fury. The celestial glow returned, stronger than ever, as the guard took a step back, surprised by the sudden surge of energy.

  Lyra didn’t wait for him to react. With a flick of her wrist, she summoned her blade—the Blade of Eternity—its radiant light cutting through the air. The guard raised his arm to defend himself, but Lyra’s strike was too fast, too precise.

  The blade cleaved through his armor like paper, and with a single motion, she sent him crashing to the ground, unconscious.

  Kael stood in stunned silence for a moment, his heart pounding in his chest. "You… you found a way?"

  Lyra met his gaze, her face calm, though her eyes were filled with a mixture of pride and determination. "I never lost it. Aeon may have taken my strength, but my spirit—he can never take that."

  She moved toward Kael, her steps steady and confident. "We’re not done yet. Let’s break these chains and end this nightmare."

  Kael nodded, a fire igniting in his chest. "You’re right. We fight together, as we always have."

  Together, they worked quickly to break the remaining chains, the sound of metal snapping echoing in the cold cell. Once free, Kael felt his strength returning, the edges of his powers flickering at the back of his mind, still distant but slowly reawakening.

  Lyra reached out, touching his arm gently. "We have to be careful. Aeon won’t let us escape easily."

  Kael looked at her, his eyes burning with renewed determination. "I’m done running. He’s going to pay for what he’s done to us."

  But as they moved toward the door, ready to face whatever awaited them beyond the prison, a voice echoed in the distance—deep, cold, and mocking.

  "So, you think you can escape?" Aeon’s voice rang through the halls. "You think I didn’t expect this? You’ve played right into my hands."

  Kael’s heart raced, but he stood tall. "This time, Aeon, you’re the one who’s going to fall."

  And with that, the battle for their freedom truly began.