The chamber plunged into darkness, Ra’s booming declaration still ringing in Alastor’s ears: “You are not worthy.” The god’s judgment weighed on him like a chain around his soul, his heart sinking with the realization that everything had slipped just out of reach.

The glow of the Eye of Ra on the pedestal flickered, dimming as if sensing Alastor’s failure. The relic seemed almost hesitant now, as if it could slip back into slumber, lost forever beneath the sands of time.

Selene tensed beside him, her violet eyes darting to the swirling shadows gathering in the chamber. "We’re out of time," she whispered. "The temple’s closing in on us—we need to move."

But something else shifted in the air, subtle yet sharp—a spark of hidden intent, a shadowy undercurrent that prickled at the edge of Alastor’s awareness. The same cold feeling he had learned to trust— the same one that told him betrayal was close.

And then, in a flash, it all clicked.

He spun too late.

Aurora was already moving, faster than he’d ever seen her. With the precision of a predator and the skill of someone who had planned this moment for a long time, she darted past him, straight for the pedestal.

"Aurora!" Alastor shouted, his voice echoing through the chamber.

But Aurora wasn’t listening. Her fingers closed around the Eye of Ra, and the room flared with golden light as the relic responded to her touch. The glyphs on the walls glowed brighter, crackling with ancient magic as the temple groaned in protest, recognizing that something unnatural was unfolding—a theft against the will of the gods.

Selene’s blade flashed in the dim light, but Aurora was too fast—too prepared. She twisted, narrowly avoiding the arc of the blade, and gave Selene a sly grin as she clutched the glowing relic to her chest.

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"Sorry, boys," Aurora whispered, her neural interface flickering with a chaotic pulse. "I think I’ll take it from here."

Alastor’s pulse pounded in his ears. "Aurora, don’t!" He stepped forward, his hand reaching toward her—but before he could stop her, she activated her neural system, merging it with the relic’s power.

For an instant, the room exploded with visions—countless futures spiraled out from the Eye, crashing into Alastor’s mind like a wave of static. He saw timelines where Aurora ruled from the shadows, manipulating both the digital and physical worlds until they bent to her will. A world where everything—data, life, death—was under her control.

Aurora’s eyes gleamed with something wild, almost euphoric. This was what she had been waiting for all along. The loop wasn’t just a curse to her—it was a playground. And now, with the Eye of Ra in her hands, she could tear down every barrier between the real and digital worlds, creating a universe where she reigned supreme.

"I knew you’d hesitate, Alastor," Aurora said with a smirk, her voice laced with satisfaction. "That’s always been your problem. You think too small."

"Aurora," Selene hissed, her blade still poised, "you don’t know what you’re playing with. The Eye isn’t a toy."

Aurora tilted her head, her neural interface glowing brighter. "That’s the thing, Selene. I’m not playing."

Alastor stepped forward again, desperation tightening his chest. "You can’t control it, Aurora! The Eye doesn’t just show futures—it consumes them. You’ll lose yourself."

Aurora’s grin widened, the wild hunger in her expression deepening. "Maybe. Or maybe I’ll become something more." Her eyes gleamed with the fire of ambition. "Either way, I intend to find out."

And with that, she activated her interface fully, and the room erupted in a storm of flickering data streams, ancient glyphs colliding with shimmering lines of code. The Eye of Ra merged with her system, warping the air around her.

Selene lunged, but it was too late—Aurora vanished into the shadows, the glowing Eye clutched tight in her hand. The glyphs along the walls flickered and died as the ancient magic fractured, giving way to something new—something unstable.

Her laughter echoed through the chamber, a sound that sent a chill down Alastor’s spine.