Chapter 14: The Final Test

Eliza stood alone in the center of the dark room, her heart racing. The whispers that had followed her for so long were silent now, but she knew they weren’t gone. They never truly left.

“You think you’re free?” The voice echoed through the shadows, low and mocking.

Eliza’s chest tightened, her fingers instinctively tightening around the veil. “I’m not free yet,” she muttered, “but I’m not giving in.”

The darkness shifted, forming a shape in front of her. The figure that emerged was tall and menacing, its face hidden in shadow. “You think you’ve won, Eliza?”

“I haven’t won,” Eliza replied, her voice steady despite the fear gnawing at her. “But I will.”

The figure stepped closer, its presence suffocating. “You think you can resist me forever?”

“I don’t think. I know,” Eliza said firmly, though a tremor ran through her voice.

The figure laughed darkly, circling around her. “You’ve defied me so far, but you will break. Everyone does. You can’t outrun me.”

“I don’t have to outrun you,” Eliza said, her eyes narrowing. “I just have to stand my ground.”

The figure’s laugh faded, replaced by a deep, chilling silence. “You’re not strong enough. You can feel it, can’t you? The darkness inside you, always waiting to take control. It will consume you. It will break you.”

Eliza’s breath caught in her throat, and she almost stumbled, but she steadied herself. “No.”

“You can’t hide from yourself forever,” the figure taunted. “The darkness is a part of you, Eliza. You are the curse now.”

“I’m not the curse,” Eliza retorted, stepping forward. “I won’t be what you say I am.”

The figure tilted its head, its voice a whisper now. “Are you sure?” it said, “You’ve already accepted it. You’ve already chosen it.”

“I didn’t choose this,” Eliza snapped, her fists clenching. “I didn’t choose you.”

The figure moved closer, its breath cold against her skin. “You chose to wear the veil. You chose to take the burden upon yourself. You chose this path, Eliza.”

“I didn’t have a choice,” Eliza said, her voice cracking. “It was thrust upon me.”

“But you accepted it,” the figure pressed. “You’ve let it inside you, and now you will never be rid of it.”

“I don’t need to be rid of it,” Eliza replied through gritted teeth. “I’ll fight it. I won’t let it control me.”

The figure’s eyes flashed with fury. “You think you can fight forever? That you’re strong enough?” It leaned closer, its voice turning sharp and menacing. “You are nothing without me. Nothing without the curse. You can’t escape it.”

“I am something,” Eliza said, stepping back, her voice stronger now. “I am me. And no matter what you say, I won’t let you take that from me.”

The figure’s form began to flicker, its presence unstable. “You can’t outrun your true nature. You’ll succumb. You’ll give in to the darkness. It’s inevitable.”

“I choose to resist,” Eliza replied, her voice unwavering. “I choose to keep fighting.”

The figure snarled, its shape contorting violently. “You think you have the strength to keep resisting me? You think you can deny who you truly are?”

“I don’t care what you think I am,” Eliza shouted. “I am not the curse. I am not you.”

The figure roared, its form shattering into a whirlwind of shadows, but Eliza stood firm. She could feel the weight of the curse pressing against her, but this time, it didn’t feel as suffocating. She felt lighter. Stronger.

The darkness twisted and writhed, but Eliza didn’t flinch. “You’ve tried to break me. But you won’t.”

The figure, now a swirling mass of shadows, seemed to pause, as if considering her words. Then, in a final, deafening scream, it dissolved, leaving the room silent once more.

Eliza collapsed to her knees, breathing heavily. She had done it—for now. The darkness had retreated, but she knew it wasn’t gone. The battle wasn’t over.

But she had won this fight. And that, for the first time, felt like enough.

Sister Clara’s voice, calm and gentle, broke the silence. “Eliza…”

“I did it,” Eliza whispered, her voice shaky but full of determination. “I fought it.”

“You did more than that,” Clara’s voice was filled with pride. “You chose to fight, and you chose to win. But remember, Eliza, the fight doesn’t end here. You must keep choosing it, every day.”

Eliza took a deep breath, standing up slowly. “I will,” she said softly, her voice steady. “I will keep choosing to fight.”

And for the first time, she felt a flicker of hope—small but real.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***