The sky was painted in soft shades of orange and purple as I sat near the window of our temporary quarters, my mind heavy with the memories of the past. Everything felt like it was coming apart—Nico's struggle with the Void, the tension building within the group, and the looming threat of the Rift Nexus. But through it all, one thought lingered more than anything: How had we come to this point?
As the night settled, I found myself drifting back to the beginning, to when I first met Nico and the others. It felt like a different life, a simpler time before the weight of our abilities and the dangers we now faced had become so real.
Flashback: Five Years Ago
I was just 12 when I first saw Nico. I had only recently started training in the basics of Aether manipulation, and my understanding of the world was still limited to the boundaries of the small village where I grew up. Nico, though… he was different.
The first time I saw him, he was standing on a hill just outside the village, his posture relaxed but with a quiet intensity about him. Even then, there was something about him that drew people in. He was a year older than me, more confident, and far more skilled with his powers than I was at the time.
"Hey," Nico called out when he noticed me watching from a distance. His voice was calm but filled with curiosity. "What's your name?"
I hesitated for a moment, unsure if I should approach. But something about Nico made it hard to resist. "Lucian," I finally replied, stepping closer. "What's yours?"
"Nico," he said with a smile that felt both genuine and slightly mischievous. "I haven't seen you around here before. You new to this place?"
I nodded, feeling a little shy. "Yeah. Just moved here with my family. They want me to train."
Nico's eyes brightened with interest. "Training, huh? Maybe we can spar sometime. I could show you a few things."
I wasn't sure if he was serious or just teasing, but there was something about his energy that made me want to be around him more. From that moment, we clicked. Nico had this way of making everything seem lighter, like all the challenges of training and mastering Aether were just part of the game. He took it seriously, sure, but there was always that playfulness underneath. And for a 12-year-old like me, that was exactly what I needed.
As time went on, Nico and I grew closer. He was always pushing me to be better, but never in a way that felt harsh. He encouraged me, guided me, and even when I messed up, he had this way of making me laugh about it. It wasn't long before I realized that my feelings for Nico were more than just friendship.
I remember one day, when we were practicing near the river, Nico caught me staring at him. He raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips. "Something on your mind, Lucian?"
I quickly looked away, feeling my face heat up. "No! I mean… it's nothing."
But Nico wasn't one to let things go easily. He nudged my shoulder with a playful grin. "Come on, out with it. You've been acting weird around me for days."
I swallowed hard, trying to find the right words, but they wouldn't come. So instead, I just blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "I think you're… really cool."
For a moment, Nico just stared at me, his expression unreadable. Then, to my surprise, he laughed—a light, genuine laugh that made the tension in my chest ease. "You're not so bad yourself, Lucian."
It wasn't exactly the heartfelt confession I had imagined, but it was enough. From that moment on, there was this unspoken understanding between us. We didn't talk about it much, but it was there, simmering beneath the surface of our friendship.
Not long after I met Nico, I crossed paths with Vallen and Lilith. They were part of the same training circle, though their personalities couldn't have been more different.
Vallen was quiet, methodical, and always focused on improving his skills. He had this intense drive to be the best, but he wasn't arrogant about it. He was just… driven. Over time, we became close, not just because we trained together, but because Vallen and I shared a similar sense of responsibility. I guess that's why he became my closest friend—he understood the weight that came with power.
Lilith, on the other hand, was fiery and quick to speak her mind. She had a confidence that was impossible to ignore, and even at 12, she carried herself like she was already a leader. She and Nico butted heads a lot, mostly because Nico loved to tease her, but I could see that there was a mutual respect between them.
The four of us trained together often, pushing each other to improve, challenging each other in ways that only friends could. Those were some of the best days of my life—the laughter, the camaraderie, the sense that we were all growing together.
The Present
Now, as I stood in the dimly lit room, the weight of those memories felt heavier than ever. Everything we had built—our friendships, our bonds—it all felt like it was on the verge of crumbling. Nico wasn't the same boy I had met all those years ago. The Void was changing him, warping the parts of him that I had cared for most.
But those memories, those connections… they weren't gone. And I had to believe that somewhere deep inside, the real Nico was still there, waiting to be saved.
"Lucian," a voice broke through my thoughts. It was Lilith, standing in the doorway, her expression hard but concerned. "We need to get ready. The Rift Nexus is drawing closer, and… Nico's getting worse."
I nodded, my resolve hardening. "I know. But we're not losing him, Lilith. Not yet."
She gave me a small, tight smile. "I hope you're right."
As the day of the Rift Nexus approached, the tension between us all grew thicker. Nico's behavior became more erratic, his connection to the Void deepening with each passing hour. The easy smiles and playful teasing that had once defined our friendship were gone, replaced by cold logic and manipulative charm. I could see it in the way he spoke to Vallen and Lilith, the way he pushed us toward more dangerous paths without fully acknowledging the risks.
And as much as I hated to admit it, the Nico I had once known was slipping further away.
The night before we were set to confront the Rift Nexus, we gathered as a team—Vallen, Lilith, Amara, and I. The atmosphere was tense, our conversations strained. Nico sat apart from us, his eyes distant, as if he was already somewhere else entirely.
"We need to be ready," Vallen said quietly, his gaze flicking between us. "Whatever happens tomorrow… we need to be prepared."
Lilith nodded, her jaw clenched. "We stick together, no matter what."
But as I glanced over at Nico, sitting in the corner with his eyes closed, I couldn't shake the feeling that things were about to fall apart in ways none of us were ready for.
The air in the room felt suffocating, heavy with the weight of everything unspoken. Nico sat in the corner, the soft glow of the moon casting shadows over his face. His eyes were half-closed, his mind distant, but the tension in his body was unmistakable. It was as if he was holding himself together by the thinnest of threads, and I knew—we all knew—that something was coming. The Rift Nexus was looming on the horizon, a moment that would either save us or destroy everything we had built.
I glanced at Vallen, whose sharp, calculating eyes were fixed on the table, tracing invisible patterns. His mind was always a step ahead, planning, calculating. But even he looked troubled. Lilith, on the other hand, was pacing the room like a caged animal, her fists clenched at her sides. Her fiery determination was always our driving force, but now, even that seemed muted, worn down by the weight of Nico's growing darkness.
We were a team. We were supposed to be strong. But now, we were fraying at the edges, held together by memories of the past that felt more like ghosts than anchors.
"We need a plan," Vallen said, his voice low but firm. His gaze flickered up, meeting mine for a moment. "If Nico loses control… if the Void takes him…"
He didn't need to finish the sentence. The words hung in the air like a death sentence.
"I know," I whispered, my throat tight. "I've been thinking about it. Kien's been helping me, giving me ways to counter the Void's influence."
Lilith stopped pacing, her eyes locking onto mine. "But will it be enough? We've seen what the Void can do, and Nico's… he's stronger than he's ever been, but in all the wrong ways."
I didn't have an answer for her. I wished I did. Instead, I looked down at my hands, feeling the faint hum of the Aether Core I had worked so hard to form. The power inside me was immense, but even now, it felt like a drop in the ocean compared to what Nico was becoming. The Void was changing him, warping him into something unrecognizable.
"We won't know until it happens," I said finally, my voice thick with the fear I was trying to suppress. "But we can't give up on him. Not yet."
Lilith's eyes softened, and for a moment, she was the girl I had met all those years ago—fierce, loyal, but scared. "I'm not giving up," she said quietly. "But I don't know how to save him, Lucian. And I'm scared that when the time comes… we won't have a choice."
Vallen placed a hand on her shoulder, his calm presence grounding her. "We'll figure it out. We always do."
But even he didn't sound convinced.
As the hours ticked by, we prepared in silence. Each of us lost in our own thoughts, our own fears. The Rift Nexus was tomorrow, and with it would come the battle that would define everything. But tonight, there was nothing left to do but wait.
Flashback: Five Years Ago
It had been raining the day Nico and I first fought side by side.
We were barely teenagers, still trying to grasp the basics of our abilities. The training grounds were slick with mud, and the older kids had been watching us with thinly veiled amusement, waiting for us to slip up. But I remember Nico's eyes, bright and sharp, focused on the target ahead of us. He wasn't afraid. He never was.
"We've got this, Lucian," he had said, his voice steady despite the chaos around us. "Just follow my lead."
And I did.
The fight itself was a blur—a whirlwind of Aether and sheer determination. But what I remember most was the moment we stood victorious, mud-streaked and exhausted, but triumphant. Nico had looked at me with that same mischievous grin, his eyes glinting with pride.
"Told you we'd win," he had said, nudging my shoulder. And for the first time, I had believed him. From that day forward, we had been inseparable. Partners. Friends. Maybe more.
The Present
Now, as I looked across the room at Nico, the boy I had once followed into battle without hesitation, I wondered if I would be able to do the same tomorrow. The Void had its claws in him, deeper than ever before, and it terrified me.
Kien appeared beside me, his glow dim but steady. "You're thinking about him again," he said softly.
"How can I not?" I replied, my voice barely above a whisper. "He's my best friend, Kien. And now… I don't know if I can save him."
Kien's eyes, usually playful, were filled with a sadness that I had only seen once before. "The Void is a powerful force, Lucian. It feeds on fear, on doubt. But it's not unbeatable."
"I know," I said, swallowing the lump in my throat. "But it's changing him, Kien. He's not the same Nico anymore."
Kien hovered closer, his voice quiet. "Nico is still in there, Lucian. You just have to reach him before the Void consumes him completely."
I clenched my fists, feeling the power of the Animara coursing through my veins. "I'll do whatever it takes."
"Just remember," Kien warned, his tone darkening, "the Void isn't just about destruction. It's about transformation. Nico believes he's in control, but the deeper he sinks, the more he loses himself."
I nodded, my resolve hardening. "I won't let that happen."
The next morning the sky was dark, thick with swirling clouds that mirrored the storm brewing inside of us. Rose had use some of her connetions to allow her to use the Rift nexus.
"Honestly though how much power did that woman have? She told us back then that the Rift Nexus was Guarded by "Them" and even when we raided them– well I guess there will always be someone stronger. Don't all of you reading this agree?"
"Rose always finds a way," Vallen muttered beside me, his voice low. He must have seen the same tension on my face.
"Yeah," I replied, though my mind wasn't entirely on Rose. I glanced toward Nico, standing at the far edge of the group. His figure was still, the swirling tendrils of dark Void energy subtly flickering around him. It was like watching a storm on the horizon—beautiful and terrifying, with the potential to destroy everything in its path.
Lilith approached from the other side, her expression tight. "This isn't like before. The Void's grip on Nico is stronger. I can feel it."
I nodded. "I know."
We had all seen it—the subtle changes in Nico's demeanor, the growing ease with which he wielded the Void's destructive power. He was faster now, more efficient, but there was no joy in it. No spark. Just cold, calculated violence. And the worst part was, I wasn't sure if he even realized it.
Kien floated closer, his sapphire-blue glow dimmed with concern. "We're almost out of time. If you don't reach him now, Lucian… the Nico you know may be gone for good."
I took a deep breath, the weight of Kien's words pressing on my chest. I couldn't let that happen. Not after everything we had been through. Not after all we had built.
"Let's go," I said, more to myself than anyone else. The others nodded, falling into formation as we approached the heart of the Rift Nexus.
As we neared, the air grew heavier, the sky above swirling with dark clouds that mirrored the storm of energy below. The Rift Nexus wasn't just a place—it was a force, alive and brimming with chaotic power. The ground trembled beneath us, cracks of glowing light splitting the earth, and I could feel the Void pressing in on all sides.
Nico stood at the edge of the Nexus, his back to us. The swirling black and purple energy coiled around him like a living thing, reacting to his every movement. He was so still, yet I could sense the storm raging inside him.
"Nico are you ok? What was the plan now that we were here? Rose? Amara? How is this supposed to help Nico?" I asked them
"It's said that the Nexus is where you can convene with the gods. So more than likely he'll have to disprse or expel all the energy inside him into the nexus this should allow it to go into the void which lies in the outer realms of the universe beyond the boundaries of this plane. The Nexus is what the "Gods" used to cross dimensions to come here." Rose stated looking at Nico with unease slowly moving her hand towards her sword.
"If that all he needed to do why are you grabbing you sword?" Lilith asked slowly moving into a defensive stance.
"Be on guard something is off with your friend there." Amara replied.
Once we turned around that's when we saw Nico who stood at the edge of the Nexus, his back to us. The swirling black and purple energy coiled around him like a living thing, reacting to his every movement. He was so still, yet I could sense the storm raging inside him.
"We can't let him activate the Rift," Vallen said, his voice tight with urgency. "If he does, the Void will—"
"I know," I interrupted, my heart pounding in my chest. "I know."
Lilith's eyes were filled with a mix of worry and determination. "What do we do, Lucian? If we don't stop him now…"
"We'll stop him," I said, though my voice wavered with the uncertainty I was trying so hard to hide.
I stepped forward, calling out to Nico, hoping—praying—that there was still a part of him that could hear me.
"Nico!" I shouted over the howling winds that surrounded the Rift Nexus. "It's me, Lucian. We're here to help you!"
He didn't respond, didn't even turn to look at us. The dark energy swirling around him intensified, the ground beneath his feet cracking and shattering under the weight of the Void's influence.
"Nico, please!" Lilith shouted, taking a step closer. "You don't have to do this!"
For a brief moment, I saw something flicker in Nico's eyes—something familiar. But it was gone as quickly as it appeared, replaced by the cold, emotionless void that had been consuming him for weeks.
"I don't need your help," Nico said, his voice cold and distant. "The Void gives me everything I need. Power. Clarity. It's more than any of you could understand."
My heart clenched at his words, the sharp edge of his tone cutting deep. This wasn't the Nico I knew. This wasn't the boy who had stood by my side, who had fought with me, laughed with me, shared everything with me. This was something else. Something darker.
"We don't want to fight you, Nico," I said, my voice shaking. "But we can't let the Void take you from us."
His gaze shifted toward me, and for a split second, I saw it again—that flicker of something real, something human. But then, the Void's power surged around him, and the connection was lost.
"I've made my choice, Lucian," Nico said, his voice colder than ever. "And if you won't stand with me, then you're against me."
I felt the ground tremble as the Rift Nexus pulsed with dark energy, the air growing heavier with every passing second. Nico raised his hand, dark tendrils of Void energy swirling around him, crackling with power.
"This is it," Vallen said, stepping up beside me, his sword already drawn. "We have to stop him."
Lilith and Amara flanked us, their expressions grim but determined. I could feel the tension between us, the fear that we might lose Nico forever, but there was no turning back now.
"Nico!" I shouted one last time, my voice filled with desperation. "Don't do this!"
But Nico didn't respond. The Void had consumed him, its power wrapping around him like a shroud, and I knew—we all knew—that this was it.
The ground beneath us cracked, and the air around the Rift Nexus exploded with energy as Nico unleashed the full force of the Void. Dark tendrils lashed out toward us, tearing through the earth, and we barely had time to react.
"Move!" Vallen shouted, and we scattered, dodging the onslaught of energy that surged toward us.
Amara was the first to strike, her blade glowing with radiant Aether as she charged at Nico, her movements swift and precise. But the Void swirled around him like a shield, deflecting her attacks with ease.
"Nico, stop!" Amara shouted, but her voice was drowned out by the roar of the Rift.
Lilith followed close behind, her twin blades slicing through the air in perfect synchrony. She was fast—faster than I had ever seen her—but Nico was faster. The Void gave him strength, unnatural and terrifying, and he moved like a shadow, slipping through our attacks like water.
"Stay together!" I shouted, trying to rally the team, but the Void's energy was overwhelming. It pulsed with every strike, growing stronger, feeding off Nico's anger, his fear, his despair.
I gritted my teeth, feeling the Animara surge through me. This was what I had been training for—this moment, this fight. I had to reach him. I had to break through the Void's hold on him.
"Kien!" I called out, my voice barely audible over the roar of the Rift. "We need to contain him!"
Kien appeared at my side, his glow brightening as we prepared to combine our power. "We'll use the barrier, but this time… you'll need to tap into the full power of your Animara."
I nodded, raising my hands as I felt the Aether Core pulse within me. The energy flowed through me, raw and powerful, and together, Kien and I created a shimmering water barrier around Nico, trying to contain the storm of energy that raged around him.
"Nico!" I shouted, my voice filled with emotion. "This isn't you! You're stronger than this! Fight it!"
For a moment, Nico hesitated, his eyes flickering with something—regret? But then the Void surged again, and he lashed out, shattering the barrier with a single strike.
"No!" I shouted, the force of the blow knocking me back. I hit the ground hard, the air knocked out of me, but I scrambled to my feet, refusing to give up.
"Nico, please!" I called out, my voice breaking. "We're your friends! We're your family! Don't let the Void take you from us!"
For just a moment, the storm around Nico faltered, the tendrils of Void energy pulling back as if uncertain. And in that brief second, I saw him—really saw him. The boy I had grown up with, the boy I had fought beside, the boy I had loved.
"Lucian…" Nico's voice cracked, his body trembling as he fought against the darkness. "I… I don't know if I can…"
"You can," I said, my voice shaking. "You're stronger than this, Nico. You always have been."
Nico's voice trembled, his words laced with the familiar warmth that had once defined our friendship. "Lucian… I don't know if I can…"
I stepped closer, the weight of everything pressing down on my chest. My heart pounded, not from fear, but from the overwhelming urge to save him. "You can," I said, my voice thick with emotion. "You're stronger than this, Nico. You always have been."
But then, something in his eyes shifted—a glint of the old Nico was there, just beneath the surface. For a fleeting moment, I saw him struggling, fighting against the Void. But before I could reach out, before I could grasp that sliver of hope, the Void surged once again, tightening its grip on him like a vice.
The ground beneath our feet trembled, and Nico's body tensed, his eyes now fully consumed by the swirling black and purple energy of the Void. He looked up at me, his expression cold and distant, and when he spoke, his voice was calm—but there was something menacing beneath the surface. "The Void isn't what you think it is, Lucian."
I felt a chill crawl up my spine as his words hung in the air. His voice was steady, almost eerily so, but it was the Void speaking now, not Nico. "Its power… it's not a curse. It's a gift. The Void isn't our enemy. It's freedom."
The swirling energy around him pulsed, dark tendrils lashing out, tearing through the ground like hungry snakes. The power radiating from him was unlike anything I had felt before. It was oppressive, all-consuming.
"Nico, please," I said, my voice breaking as I tried to reach him. "This isn't you. The Void is lying to you—manipulating you."
His eyes—now fully engulfed by the Void—met mine, and I saw no recognition in them. Only darkness. "You don't understand, Lucian. None of you do. The Void is pure. It strips away weakness, fear. It's… perfect."
Behind me, I could hear Lilith shift, her grip tightening on her blades. "Lucian, we have to stop him now. He's too far gone."
But I couldn't move. I couldn't give up. Not yet.
Kien's voice echoed in my mind, his telepathic warning sharp and urgent. "Lucian, he's on the edge. If we don't act now, we'll lose him forever. He's far closer to the Void's complete control than any of you realize. We're running out of time."
I clenched my fists, feeling the Animara inside me pulse with raw power. The Phantasmal Sea surged within me, urging me to act, to unleash the strength I had been holding back. But I hesitated. If I lost control now, I didn't know what would happen—not just to me, but to everyone.
Amara and Vallen stood at the ready, their eyes locked on Nico, their weapons glowing faintly with Aether. They were prepared to fight, to do whatever it took to stop him. But I wasn't ready for that. I couldn't give up on him.
"Lucian!" Lilith's voice snapped me out of my thoughts. "We don't have time for this! He's going to open the Rift!"
And she was right. Nico's hands were outstretched, and the Nexus was reacting to him, the very air warping and twisting as dark energy poured into it. The Rift Nexus, the gateway between realms, was feeding off his Void-fueled power. If it opened fully, there would be no going back.
I had to act.
The Phantasmal Sea roared inside me, responding to my desperation, to my fear. I could feel it—the Animara welling up, powerful and untamed. The air around me crackled with energy as my connection to the Sea deepened, its ancient, overwhelming force surging through my veins.
Without thinking, I unleashed it.
A pulse of pure Animara burst from my body, and for a moment, everything went silent. The storm of Void energy surrounding Nico faltered, the dark tendrils recoiling as the Animara swept over them, a brilliant, radiant force.
But then, something unexpected happened.
The Animara didn't just affect Nico. It affected everything.
The sky above us darkened, and from the heavens, droplets of pure Animara began to fall. At first, it was subtle—a soft rain of glowing, ethereal water—but quickly, it became something far more dangerous.
The rain fell in sheets, saturating the ground, the air, and everyone in its path. I could feel it—the raw, overwhelming power of the Phantasmal Sea flooding the Nexus, cascading over us. It was beautiful… and terrifying.
Kien's voice echoed in my mind again, filled with alarm. "Lucian! You've unleashed the Sea's power! The Animara… it's too potent for this realm. It's causing… transformations."
And he was right. All around us, the effects of the Animara rain began to manifest. Vallen stumbled back, his body glowing faintly as the Animara seeped into his skin, healing old wounds but at a cost. His breathing became ragged, his muscles tensing as his body struggled to process the overwhelming energy.
Lilith let out a sharp gasp, her blades flickering with uncontrollable power. "Lucian, what… what is this?"
I didn't have an answer. The Animara rain, the pure essence of the Phantasmal Sea, was too much for this world. It was healing, yes, but it was also doing something far more dangerous. It was changing us.
Amara fell to her knees, her sword clattering to the ground as her body convulsed under the pressure of the Animara. "Lucian, stop this! It's too much!"
But I couldn't stop it. The Phantasmal Sea had been unleashed, and now, it was cascading through the Rift Nexus, spilling across realms, affecting not just us, but everything. I could feel it—beings across different planes, different dimensions, were feeling the effects of the Animara rain. Some were healed. Some were transformed. Some… were destroyed.
Kien hovered beside me, his glow frantic. "This is the power of the Sea, Lucian. Unchecked, it's more destructive than you could ever imagine. You have to regain control, or the consequences will be catastrophic."
But before I could act, a powerful surge of Void energy erupted from Nico. His body convulsed, and he screamed, a sound that tore through the Nexus like a blade. The Void and the Animara were clashing within him, battling for dominance. His body couldn't handle the strain.
"Nico!" I shouted, rushing toward him.
But just as I reached him, the ground beneath us shattered, and the Nexus exploded with raw, unbridled energy. Nico's form was consumed by the Void, and the world around us was torn apart.
In that moment, I felt it—a presence. Something ancient, something far beyond my understanding. It wasn't the Void, and it wasn't the Phantasmal Sea.
It was something… darker. Something deeper.
And as the world around us collapsed into chaos, I realized that the fight was far from over.
Tiamat's Cry had begun.