The void shattered around Xavier like a broken mirror, reality snapping back into place with a violent jolt. He stumbled, his vision swimming as the cold of the mountain plateau rushed back into his senses. He felt Anathema vibrating at his side, pulsing with the same dark energy that had whispered in the void. But the words of the cloaked figure still echoed in his mind, a haunting reminder of the choice that loomed before him.
Luna rushed to his side, her eyes filled with concern. "Xavier! What happened? You disappeared for a moment—you were just standing there, but your eyes…" Her voice trailed off, fear creeping into her tone.
