Echo 5 The Gathering Storm
The air was still thick with the aftershock of what had just transpired. Nico lay motionless on the bed, the last traces of the Void flickering out of his body. The scene replayed in my mind—the shadows that twisted around him, the smile that wasn't Nico's, the darkness that consumed him before he collapsed again.
It wasn't just Nico who was in danger. The Void was no longer just a distant threat; it was here, surrounding us like a gathering storm.
Amara's footsteps echoed in the narrow hallway as we made our way back to the guest quarters. Her face was unreadable, but I could feel the tension in her every step. Lilith trailed behind, her expression distant, eyes shadowed by the weight of what we'd witnessed.
I wanted to say something—anything—that would make sense of the nightmare that was unfolding before us. But the words felt heavy, stuck in my throat.
"We should regroup," Amara said quietly. "Rest, reflect, and try to make sense of what we know. We need clarity before we move forward."
Lilith's voice was barely above a whisper. "How can we rest when Nico…" Her words faltered. I could feel the helplessness in her tone.
"We have to trust them," I said, though the knot in my stomach said otherwise. "Mother Rose and her team—they'll help him. They know more about the Void than we do."
Amara nodded, but there was something in her gaze—something unresolved.
Later That Night:
Sleep didn't come easily. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Nico. The shadows, the smile, the Void tugging at him like a predator ready to devour its prey.
A sudden knock on the door jolted me awake. Kien hovered above me, his glow dim but alert.
"Something's wrong," he said, his voice tense. "I sense a disturbance. It's faint, but it's growing."
I sprang out of bed, already reaching for my gear. "Is it Nico again?"
Kien shook his head. "It's not just him. The energy… it feels off. The Void isn't just affecting Nico. It's leaking into the world around us."
A chill crawled up my spine. "We need to check on the others."
Amara and Lilith were already waiting in the corridor when I reached them. Lilith's face was pale, her eyes wide with fear. "I felt it too," she said. "It's spreading."
"We need to act quickly," Amara added. "If the Void is expanding its influence, we might not have much time."
At the Medical Center:
The shadows were back.
This time, they weren't just confined to Nico's room. The hallways were bathed in darkness, the once-sterile walls now flickering with eerie tendrils of black mist. The air felt heavier, the oppressive weight of the Void pressing down on us from every angle.
Amara's hand was already on her sword, her posture tense. "Stay sharp. We don't know what we're walking into."
We reached Nico's door, and just as I feared, the scene was worse than before. The shadows seemed to pulse from the room, alive and writhing like serpents.
Inside, Nico was standing. His body was no longer slumped or limp—he was upright, his back to us. But something was wrong. The shadows coiled around him, moving in sync with his every breath.
"Nico!" I called out.
He didn't turn.
"Nico, can you hear me?"
A pause. Then, slowly, he shifted, his eyes glowing with that same unsettling black and purple hue. His voice was a low whisper, echoing like the wind through an empty canyon.
"The Void… it calls."
Lilith took a step forward, but Amara stopped her. "Wait."
Something wasn't right. This wasn't Nico.
His smile widened a cold, hollow expression that made my blood run cold. "You were right, Lucian," he said, his tone unnervingly calm. "We are all connected by this darkness."
He turned fully to face us, the shadows curling at his feet. "The Void… it's part of everything. And soon, you'll understand."
I clenched my fists, my mind racing. This wasn't Nico talking. This was something else—something far more dangerous.
"Fight it, Nico," I said, stepping forward despite the growing tension in my chest. "This isn't you. The Void is manipulating you."
For a moment, his expression flickered. I saw a flash of recognition in his eyes, the real Nico fighting to break free. But it was gone as quickly as it had appeared, replaced by that cold, distant gaze.
"You don't understand, Lucian. The Void doesn't take. It gives."
Before I could respond, the shadows surged forward. Kien flared up, casting a protective barrier around us, but the darkness pushed back, testing the limits of the shield.
"We need to get him out of here," Amara said, her voice sharp. "Now."
The Escape:
We didn't have much time. The Void's influence was growing, spreading through the medical center like wildfire. With every step, the shadows grew thicker and more aggressive.
Amara led the way, her blade cutting through the encroaching darkness as we navigated the winding hallways. Lilith stayed close to Nico, her hands trembling but determined.
Kien's voice cut through the chaos, his tone urgent. "The Void is feeding on something in this place. It's not just Nico. There's something else here, something it's drawn to."
I didn't need to ask what he meant. I could feel it too—the pull of something ancient, something dark and powerful.
"We need to get to higher ground," I said, pushing through the growing shadows. "If we can get to the teleporter, we can put some distance between us and this place."
Amara nodded, her jaw set in grim determination. "Let's move."
The Teleporter Room:
The room was a mess of chaos. Shadows writhed in every corner, clinging to the walls and the floor like a living entity. But we didn't have a choice. This was our only way out.
Amara activated the teleporter, the hum of energy filling the room as the device powered up. But something was wrong. The darkness seemed to latch onto the energy, corrupting it, twisting it.
Kien hovered beside me, his voice low. "The Void is using the Rift's energy to grow stronger. We need to be careful."
I gritted my teeth. "We don't have a choice. We have to take the risk."
The platform beneath us began to shimmer, the teleportation sequence initiating. Colors blurred together, the world around us distorting as the Void pressed in from all sides.
Just as we were about to be pulled through, Nico spoke again, his voice soft but filled with a quiet certainty.
"Lucian… the Void isn't the enemy."
Then, everything went black.
When I opened my eyes, we were no longer in the teleporter room. We were somewhere else—somewhere that felt… wrong.
The landscape around us was twisted, the sky a swirling mass of dark clouds. The ground beneath our feet was cracked and uneven, and the air was thick with the scent of decay.
Lilith gasped, her eyes wide with shock. "Where are we?"
Kien's glow dimmed as he hovered beside me. "This… this isn't Halthor."
Amara's grip tightened on her sword, her eyes scanning the horizon. "The Void has taken us somewhere else."
I swallowed hard, my heart pounding in my chest. "We need to find out where we are. And we need to get Nico back."
Because wherever we were, it was clear that the Void was far from done with us.
The storm had gathered, and we were at its center.
Suddenly, the world dissolved into darkness. I was pulled from reality, my mind and body swept into a suffocating void. It felt like being swallowed whole by the weight of something far larger than I could comprehend. Beside me, Nico stood, his breathing ragged and shallow.
Before us, two massive eyes emerged from the void. They were immense, pulsating with a sinister energy. The dark glow emanating from them sent a tremor through my body, threatening to crush me with their mere presence. Every word this entity spoke was beyond understanding, yet each syllable held the weight of a thousand worlds.
I could feel the pressure build, unbearable. My knees buckled as the voice of the entity pressed down on us, raw and overwhelming. It was like standing at the edge of oblivion, with the void itself ready to consume everything we were.
Nico's body tensed, and I saw his eyes glaze over as the Void began resonating with him. The entity's eyes flashed, sending out a pulse of dark energy that wrapped around Nico like invisible chains. The tendrils of darkness twisted and curled toward me, and I could see Nico struggling against it.
"No!" I screamed, reaching out.
My heart pounded, fighting against the encroaching darkness. Then, just as I felt it closing in, my heart pulsed again—this time stronger. The light within me, that connection to something ancient and vast, surged forward.
Thud.
Another powerful heartbeat resonated through my chest, rippling outward. Water surged from within me, creating a barrier between us and the Void's energy. The darkness recoiled from the water, swirling angrily, but unable to penetrate the protective shield. The entity's power couldn't touch us anymore, at least not for now.
Before I could react, a voice echoed in my mind. It was calming, and soothing, like a gentle tide washing over me.
"Ah, so this is where you were, little brother. I'm glad you're safe."
The voice was familiar, like a long-forgotten memory. It brought with it a sense of warmth and protection amidst the cold darkness surrounding us.
"I can't help much right now, but I can give you this," the voice continued.
Suddenly, my vision flashed. My eyes burned with intense energy, as though they were being filled with ancient power. I felt a surge of something powerful inside me, and my irises changed I could see them in the reflection on the water barrier. They began to glow with a brilliant blue and gold light, like the image of the Sea —vast, endless, and ancient.
The light danced across my eyes, and I could feel it—my connection to the Phantasmal Sea was now real. It was no longer just a distant, mythical force. It was part of me.
"Keeper of Secrets. It will be of great help to you. All that is hidden and known can be revealed."
The voice whispered the title to me, though it didn't explain what it meant. But there was no time for questions.
"Our parents are strong," the voice said, a mix of fondness and regret slipping into its tone. "But they aren't always reliable. You'll have to grow stronger on your own. You'll need to, for times like these. But for now, this will help."
The voice faded into the background as a final pulse of energy surged through me. The water barrier around us strengthened, shimmering with vibrant light.
And then, just as quickly as we had been taken into the dark space, we were pulled back into reality. The oppressive darkness shattered, and we found ourselves standing back in the world of Halthor.
I gasped, blinking rapidly as the weight of the void faded from my chest. My eyes flicked to Nico, who was beside me, his chest rising and falling slowly. He was still breathing. He was alive. But the Void hadn't fully left him. The dark energy clung to him, faint but still there.
Around us, the world seemed different. We weren't in the same part of Halthor as before. The sky had shifted in color, a deep, vibrant red lining the horizon. And off to the side, I spotted Vallen, still training. He hadn't noticed anything. He hadn't felt the void we had just been trapped in. It was as though he had been cut off from everything happening around him, entirely focused on his training.
Amara rushed over to us. Her sharp gaze flickered between me and Nico. Without a word, she gestured for us to move. "Get him into the containment cell. We'll talk afterward."
Nico was quickly placed inside a Damping containment cell, his body locked into a space designed to suppress the powers running rampant through him. It was a necessary precaution to prevent any further outbursts from the Void's influence.
Later that Night: Strategy Meeting
The dim lighting of the room reflected the weight of our situation. Nico, though contained and under constant surveillance, sat with us for the strategy meeting. He was still under the influence of the Void, but his composure remained unnervingly calm. However, I noticed it—small, fleeting moments where the Void's grip flared, and his expression darkened briefly before fading away.
"We need to push forward," Nico said, his voice low and deliberate. His proposal was chilling, yet logical. "The only viable option is the Rift Nexus."
"How do you know of that, Nico?" Rose's eyes narrowed, her tone suddenly filled with concern.
"That's restricted information," Rose added, her voice sharp as she stared Nico down. "The Rift Nexus can only be accessed by the Eternal Conclave. You shouldn't know of that place."
Lilith and I exchanged a glance, then I spoke up. "What is the Rift Nexus? And how could it help Nico?"
Rose sighed deeply, her usually strong demeanor faltering for a moment. "The Rift Nexus is a highly restricted, almost mythical location. It exists at the confluence of multiple rifts, where the boundaries between dimensions and realms are weakest. It's a hub where the energies of the Phantasmal Sea, Void, and forces beyond our comprehension converge. It's incredibly dangerous—too dangerous. The Eternal Conclave keeps it secret because the Nexus could reshape reality itself if someone knew how to wield the energies there."
The weight of her words hung over the room. Even Lilith, always quick to calculate the risks, seemed visibly shaken.
Amara, ever the cautious warrior, shifted uncomfortably. "That's dangerous, Nico."
Nico's eyes flashed, his voice taking on an icy tone. "There's no time for caution anymore. Every second we waste, the Void grows stronger."
His reasoning was flawless, the cold logic of it undeniable. But something was chilling behind his words. This wasn't the Nico I knew, the one who always thought of the team first. He was pushing us toward a dangerous path, and yet his charm—his confidence—kept most of us from questioning it too deeply.
Lilith, ever the commander, wasn't so easily convinced. She crossed her arms, her gaze sharp as she questioned him. "I don't like this. Your visions… what exactly are you seeing?"
For a moment, emotion flickered across Nico's face. Then, his familiar smile returned—charming, almost disarming. "The sky… it turns black as if all the stars have been swallowed in an instant. Darkness rains down. And then… the Dukes of Chaos arrive."
A cold chill shot down my spine. "The Dukes of Chaos?" I asked, barely above a whisper.
Nico nodded slowly, the glimmer in his eyes unsettling. "They wait for the heart of the Phantasmal Sea to beat. They wait for Tiamat's Cry."
His cryptic words felt like a prelude to something catastrophic, like he was seeing the end before it even started. The way he spoke, and the imagery he painted, hung heavily in the air, lingering over us like a storm about to break. But then, for just a second, Nico's voice softened. The charm and control faded, and for the briefest moment, I saw the Nico I used to know.
"Lucian," he said quietly, almost vulnerably, "I don't know how much longer I can hold on. If I lose control… I need you to stop me."
The same plea, the same weight. I couldn't shake it, couldn't ignore it. Nico, the one I relied on for his steady presence, was unraveling. And it wasn't just him—something else, something darker, was trying to take over.
As the strategy meeting continued, Nico's calm demeanor returned. His voice was even, his logic sharp. He suggested bold moves, and dangerous paths forward, and while his proposals seemed sound, there was an underlying coldness to his reasoning. Every word carried a sense of detachment—like the Nico, I knew was slipping away, replaced by someone more ruthless.
Even Amara, strong and confident as she was, hesitated. There was something about Nico's suggestions that felt wrong, but his persuasive charm—his flawless logic—kept everyone from voicing their doubts. It was like watching someone pull strings in a delicate web, all the while smiling calmly, assured of the outcome.
After the meeting, I pulled Lilith aside. My mind was racing, swirling with a mixture of fear and doubt. "Lilith… do you think we could stop him if it comes to that?"
Lilith, the strong and decisive commander, let out a slow breath. "I don't know, Lucian," she admitted, her tone more serious than I was used to hearing. "Last time, we barely survived. And we're not strong enough to handle this yet. We've been lucky."
Her words cut deep, but they were true. We'd ventured into Rifts, faced monsters far beyond our level, and somehow survived—but it had been by sheer luck, not strength. The Flora Naga, for instance, wasn't even a Master-ranked monster like we thought. It had been a Level 280 Adept—and we'd barely walked away from that.
Amara joined us, her arms crossed and her tone more relaxed but firm. "You don't need to worry about the ranking systems for now. The Celestial Arts users have their own set of ranks, but they're outdated. Those classifications won't last. Besides," she added with a smirk, "they're going back to simpler systems. You don't need to say something like 'Supreme Grandmaster Summoner Wave Rider' every time you introduce yourself."
A chuckle slipped from me, despite the tension in the air. Even in times like this, I had to admire Amara's ability to lighten the mood, even just a little. But beneath the humor, the weight of the situation lingered.
Nico was changing. The visions he'd spoken of—the darkness swallowing the stars, the Dukes of Chaos, the Phantasmal Sea, and Tiamat's Cry—it felt like a puzzle we didn't have all the pieces for yet. And if Nico was right, we were running out of time.
As we gathered ourselves, preparing to rest, the doubt gnawed at me. Could we stop Nico, if it came to it? Could I stop him?
That question haunted me, the memories of his earlier plea echoing in my mind. Stop me, Lucian. If I lose control… you have to stop me.
But was I strong enough? Was any of us strong enough?
Lilith placed a hand on my shoulder, sensing the turmoil within me. "We'll figure this out," she said quietly. "But we need to be ready. If we can't stop him…"
She trailed off, but I knew what she meant. If we can't stop Nico, the Void might devour us all.
Vallen and Lilith moved away from the rest of the group, their footsteps light against the ground as they made their way to a secluded spot near a set of cascading waterfalls that flowed through the city of Halthor. The moonlight glinted off the surface of the water, casting a serene glow over the otherwise tense night. The faint hum of the falls offered them some privacy, a quiet sanctuary away from the weight of the Rift Nexus discussions and the darkness looming around Nico.
Lilith, ever the commanding presence, stopped by the edge of the stream, her arms crossed as she gazed out into the distance. Her eyes, normally sharp with determination, were softer now, the layers of tension from recent events showing through. Vallen stood beside her, the gentle sound of the water creating an oddly peaceful backdrop as they lingered in silence.
"Do you ever just... feel like you're running in circles?" Lilith finally said, her voice quieter than usual, a rare vulnerability lacing her words.
Vallen shifted, looking over at her with his usual calmness. He was always the one who seemed the least bothered, the most grounded, but even he couldn't mask the weariness that lingered in his eyes. "Yeah, I know what you mean. It feels like no matter how much we grow, we're always just one step behind."
Lilith let out a soft, frustrated sigh. "Exactly. We've been training, fighting, pushing ourselves—and for what? To end up in situations where we're still outmatched, still not strong enough."
Vallen looked down at the water, his reflection rippling against the moonlit surface. "That Flora Naga... It wasn't even a Master-ranked monster, and we barely survived. It was a wake-up call." His voice was steady, but there was a heaviness to his words. "I guess it makes you wonder how much we know… or how prepared we are."
Lilith's usual hardened expression softened, and for a moment, the weight of her leadership slipped away, revealing the uncertainty that had been brewing beneath the surface. "I hate it," she admitted, her voice low. "I hate not knowing. I hate feeling powerless." She glanced over at Vallen, her eyes searching for something in his expression. "But most of all, I hate watching everyone—Lucian, Nico, you—get hurt because of it. I feel like I should have done more."
"You've done everything you could, Lilith," Vallen said, his voice gentle, the sincerity clear in his tone. "You've led us through impossible situations. And we're still here, still fighting. That's because of you."
Lilith shook her head, her frustration clear. "I appreciate that, but sometimes I feel like I'm leading you all into the fire. I keep telling myself that pushing harder, and being stronger, will keep everyone safe, but what if it's not enough?"
Vallen stepped closer to her, his usual calm presence offering a sense of reassurance. "Lilith, none of us have all the answers. But what matters is that you care—more than you'd ever admit out loud." He chuckled softly, trying to lighten the weight of their conversation. "You hide it well, but I see it. You're always thinking of us, even when you act like the hardass."
Lilith looked up at him, her lips curving into a faint smile. "You're probably the only one who sees that side of me. Everyone else thinks I'm just some control freak."
Vallen's gaze softened as he looked at her. "You're not a control freak. You're a leader. And you care more than you let on. That's why we follow you."
The air between them shifted slightly, a silent understanding passing between them. Lilith's tough exterior cracked for just a moment, revealing something deeper, something more vulnerable. She glanced away, her voice quieter now. "You know, I… I'm not used to relying on others. But with you… it's different."
Vallen's heart skipped a beat, but he kept his expression steady, not wanting to pressure her. "How so?"
Lilith hesitated for a moment, then looked back at him, her eyes meeting his. "With you, I don't feel like I have to carry everything on my own. It's like… you're my balance. My filter, when I need it."
Vallen smiled a warm, genuine expression that lit up his face. "You don't always have to be the strong one, Lilith. It's okay to lean on others sometimes."
Lilith's gaze softened as she looked at him, her barriers slowly coming down. "I guess I'm still learning how to do that."
The vulnerability in her voice touched something deep within Vallen. Without thinking, he reached out, gently placing a hand on her shoulder. "You don't have to do it alone anymore."
For a moment, neither of them said anything, the weight of their shared experiences hanging in the air. Lilith's eyes flickered with something unspoken, and she allowed herself to relax, just for a second, under Vallen's steady gaze.
"Thank you," she whispered.
Vallen's hand lingered on her shoulder, the warmth of his touch grounding her in a way she hadn't expected. "Anytime."
The moment lingered, and for the first time in a long while, Lilith allowed herself to breathe.
Meanwhile, I sat with Nico in the dark containment room, the faint hum of the dampening field pulsing in the background, barely perceptible but always present. Nico's usual air of control was muted here, his eyes softer, his posture less rigid. The isolation of the dampening chamber stripped away some of the exteriors he'd built around himself, revealing someone far more vulnerable than the Nico I was used to seeing.
"How are you feeling?" I asked, my voice steady, though the concern weighed heavily in my chest.
Nico smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "I've felt better." He shifted slightly, looking down at his hands as if he wasn't sure what to do with them. "It's strange… being in here. It's like… the Void is quieter."
I swallowed hard, the heaviness of his words hitting me. The Void—whatever it was, whatever it wanted—was always there, lurking beneath the surface. But here, in this room, it seemed to lose its grip on him, if only slightly.
"Nico," I began, my voice soft, "I'm worried about you. All of us are."
His gaze flickered up to meet mine, and for a moment, there was something raw in his expression. Vulnerability, fear… and something else I couldn't quite place.
"I know," he said quietly. "I can feel it, too. The way the Void creeps in… It's like it's slowly taking pieces of me, bit by bit." He chuckled, but it was a hollow sound, devoid of humor. "I'm not sure how much of me is left, Lucian."
My heart clenched at his words. This was Nico—the one who always had a plan and had control. To see him like this, uncertain, vulnerable… terrified me.
"You're still in there," I said, my voice firmer than I felt. "You're still you, Nico. You're still the person I trust more than anyone."
Nico's eyes softened, his usual confidence giving way to something more fragile. "You believe that?"
"Of course I do." I leaned in closer, my voice dropping to a whisper. "I won't let the Void take you."
He smiled again, and this time, it was softer, more genuine. "Lucian… there's something I need to tell you."
My heart skipped a beat, the weight of his words pressing down on me. "What is it?"
Nico hesitated for a moment as if weighing whether or not to say what was on his mind. Then, he sighed, his shoulders relaxing slightly. "I don't know how much longer I have… before the Void takes over completely. But before that happens, I want you to know…"
He trailed off, his voice catching slightly. I waited, my breath caught in my throat.
"I care about you, Lucian. More than I've ever said." His voice was barely a whisper, but the weight of his words was undeniable. "And I need you to know that, in case… in case I can't say it later."
My heart pounded in my chest, a rush of emotions flooding through me. I had always known Nico cared, always felt something unspoken between us, but hearing him say it like this—raw, vulnerable—it hit me like a tidal wave.
"Nico," I whispered, my voice barely holding together. "I… I care about you, too. More than you know."
His eyes softened, and for a moment, the room felt smaller, the distance between us fading. "I don't want to lose myself, Lucian. But if I do… I need you to stop me."
The plea hit me like a punch to the gut. I had heard it before, but now, with the weight of his confession, it felt even heavier.
"I'll do whatever it takes to save you," I promised, my voice firm despite the whirlwind of emotions inside me. "But I won't let it come to that. We'll find a way. Together."
Nico smiled, his expression softer, more at peace than I'd seen him in a long time. "Thank you, Lucian. That means more than you know."
We sat there in the quiet for a moment, the hum of the dampening field fading into the background as the weight of our words lingered in the air. For now, it was just the two of us, and despite everything—the Void, the chaos, the uncertainty—I felt a sense of peace.
Whatever came next, we would face it together.