Scarlet chains

Chapter 10--choose a side

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*Still unconscious…*

Darkness surrounded Nova—until suddenly, she was standing.

Not in a hospital. Not in her world.

But between two realms.

On her left: *Hell*—a blood-red sky, rivers of fire, shadows crawling and whispering. Power. Rage. Chaos.

On her right: *Heaven*—blinding golden light, towering gates, voices like song, peace and judgment laced together.

Nova stood barefoot on a thin stone bridge suspended between the two.

Above her, time felt frozen. Around her, everything trembled.

She looked down—her reflection showed *wings* of both *feather and flame*, her eyes glowing white and red.

A voice echoed around her, layered with hundreds more.

*"Choose."*

She looked up. Two figures emerged.

From Heaven: a radiant being with eyes like suns, calm and distant.

From Hell: the Devil himself, smirking, amused.

"You don't belong to one," the angel said. "But you must walk toward either light… or flame."

The Devil stepped forward. "Or you can rewrite the path. Become what neither of us could control."

Nova raised her chin. "I'm not yours. I'm not anyone's."

The bridge cracked beneath her feet.

She looked down. *The world—*her world—*was burning.

Nova stood tall as both Heaven and Hell watched her.

The angel stepped forward, hands raised. "Submit, and you will have peace."

The Devil grinned. "Submit, and you will have power."

Nova laughed softly. "I'm done submitting."

She spread her arms—wings of *fire and light* exploding from her back, a surge of energy radiating through the dimensions.

The sky cracked.

Heaven's haloed warriors drew back. Hell's demons fell to their knees.

"You want me to choose?" she shouted. "Fine."

*"I choose *both*."*

Light and flame spiraled around her, fusing, storming, bending to her will. The bridge beneath her became gold-laced obsidian. The two realms trembled.

And then—silence.

Nova stood alone. Crowned in fire and feathers.

*She was no longer just a girl. She was balance itself.*

---

*She gasped awake.*

Soft sheets beneath her. Warmth. The smell of sandalwood and something masculine.

Dominic's house.

Her chest rose and fell slowly. She sat up—

—and her reflection in the mirror caught her breath.

---

*In the in-between realm…*

Nova stood tall as both Heaven and Hell watched her.

The angel stepped forward, hands raised. "Submit, and you will have peace."

The Devil grinned. "Submit, and you will have power."

Nova laughed softly. "I'm done submitting."

She spread her arms—wings of *fire and light* exploding from her back, a surge of energy radiating through the dimensions.

The sky cracked.

Heaven's haloed warriors drew back. Hell's demons fell to their knees.

"You want me to choose?" she shouted. "Fine."

*"I choose *both*."*

Light and flame spiraled around her, fusing, storming, bending to her will. The bridge beneath her became gold-laced obsidian. The two realms trembled.

And then—silence.

Nova stood alone. Crowned in fire and feathers.

She was no longer just a girl. She was balance itself.

---

*She gasped awake.*

Soft sheets beneath her. Warmth. The smell of sandalwood and something masculine.

Dominic's house.

Her chest rose and fell slowly. She sat up—

—and her reflection in the mirror caught her breath.