That heartbeat thundered in Eli's ears.
Amon was kneeling before him.
Kael stood behind him in silence.
And the First Sin — that mirror of fire and feathers — cast its fiery consciousness just beyond him, eager to see who would give way.
"Choose one. Destroy the other," it said again.
But Eli took a step back.
"Not on your life."
The fire-phantom stirred. "You refuse again?"
"I do not refuse," Eli croaked. "I rewrite the rule."
Amon's head whipped upward.
"What are you doing?"
Eli turned to him. "You said you'd set the world on fire for me. What if I don't want that? What if I want to create something instead?"
Kael came forward slowly. "Eli, you can't rewrite divine law."
"Divine law was written by beings who fear what we represent," answered Eli. "Three hearts. One bond. One force stronger than anything the heavens or hells can control."
The First Sin's flames writhed unsteadily.
"It broke you once. It will again."
"No," Eli whispered. "What broke me was being forced to choose. What shattered us… was the lie that love must be divided."
He raised both hands.
Amon's hand trembled in his. Kael hesitated—then took the other.
Light ignited between them.
But it wasn't the same as before.
This wasn't the old Trinity Bond.
This was something new. Unstable. Wild. Free.
The room erupted in burning white energy. The fire-shadow screamed—not with pain, but with surprise.
Outside, the sky cracked.
The stars pulsed blood-red. The wind died. The trees bowed.
Somewhere in a realm far above, the gods stirred.
And somewhere far below, a gate unlocked itself—unbidden, ancient, and hungry.
The First Sin cracked.
The version of Eli made of memory and grief fell to one knee.
"You... fool…''
Eli took a step toward it. "You're not my enemy. You're a part of me. But we don't burn for guilt anymore."
He reached out.
Touched his own fire-shadow.
And for a moment, the air screamed.
It was gone.
Absorbed.
Integrated.
Whole.
Back inside,
Amon and Kael lay collapsed, breathing hard. Their hands were still in his.
They looked at him—stunned, afraid, awed.
"What did you just do?" Amon whispered.
"I ended the split," Eli said. "I made peace with my own past. I chose… not to destroy either of you. And the bond that rises now will be different."
Kael frowned. "The Council will come."
"They already are," Eli said, his eyes vague. "But this time, we won't kneel."
Later that night
The three of them lay in the cabin, silent under flickering candlelight.
Amon's arm draped over Eli's chest.
Kael sat at the edge of the bed, shirtless, wings out, silent.
Eli's heart was calm.
But the world outside was not.
Far away, inside some forgotten temple of the gods, a fissure appeared on a golden statue.
And a voice whispered:
"The First Sin walks whole again. End it."