Kai's breath caught in his throat. The figure standing before him, the one he had been so desperate to save, was unmistakably Lysandra. But her eyes once warm and vibrant now glowed with a cold, unnatural light, as if something far darker had taken hold of her.
"Lysandra..." Kai whispered, his voice barely audible over the roar of the abyss receding around them. "What... what happened to you?"
She didn't respond, not in words. Instead, her lips curled into a cold, twisted smile so unlike the Lysandra he had known. The very air around her seemed to distort, warping as if the balance between light and shadow had been completely broken. Kai could feel it, the raw, corrupted energy radiating from her like heat from a blazing fire.
But beneath that fire, he could sense something else—a deeper pain, a torment she was being forced to endure. The shards of light that flickered from her eyes were not her own. They belonged to something far more malevolent.
"You can't have her," Kai growled, his fists clenching, the shadows swirling around him in response to his rising fury. "Lysandra is not yours to take!"
A dark laugh bubbled from her lips, sending chills down his spine. "You misunderstand, Kai. The light… has chosen me." Her voice was a cruel echo, layered with a tone that wasn't hers. "I am the vessel now."
His heart clenched. Whatever this thing was, it had taken control of her, using her as a puppet. He had seen her true self, felt her heartbeat still pulsing deep within when he had reached for that shard of light. Lysandra was still in there, buried beneath whatever this force had done to her.
But how could he save her?
Kai took a cautious step forward, his eyes locked on her. The abyss around them continued to shift and churn, as if waiting for the next move. He knew he couldn't fight her directly at least, not without hurting her. But there had to be another way, something that could sever the hold this force had over her.
"Lysandra, I know you're in there," he called out, his voice louder now, more determined. "I felt you. I know you can hear me!"
For a brief moment, her eyes flickered, the glow dimming slightly. Kai's heart leaped. Maybe she was fighting, trying to break free from whatever had taken hold of her.
But just as quickly as the flicker appeared, it vanished, and the cold smile returned to her lips.
"You're too late, Kai," the voice hissed, a dark edge to her words. "She's mine now. And soon, you will be too."
Kai's body tensed, instinctively preparing for the attack. He had no idea how powerful this thing was, but he wasn't about to let it take him down without a fight. His shadow abilities flared to life, wrapping around him like armor as he braced himself.
Lysandra moved with lightning speed, her form a blur of light and shadow as she lunged at him. Kai barely had time to react, throwing himself to the side as her hand sliced through the air where he had stood just moments before. The force of her strike sent shockwaves through the ground, shattering the dark surface beneath their feet.
He skidded to a stop, breathing heavily, his mind racing. She was fast—far faster than she had ever been before. And the energy she wielded… it was a twisted blend of light and shadow, something far more dangerous than anything he had faced before.
"Lysandra, stop!" he shouted, desperation creeping into his voice. "You don't have to do this!"
But she was relentless, attacking again and again, each strike faster, more precise than the last. Kai dodged, parried with his shadows, but he could feel the strain wearing him down. He couldn't keep this up forever.
As they fought, the abyss seemed to shrink around them, the edges of the void closing in, as if the space itself was constricting under the weight of their battle. The very balance of the world felt like it was teetering on the edge of collapse.
Kai's mind raced. He needed to end this, and fast.
He ducked under another strike, rolling to his feet as Lysandra lashed out with a beam of searing light. The attack missed him by inches, the heat scorching his skin even from a distance. But as he rose, something caught his eye something on Lysandra's chest.
A faint glow, pulsing rhythmically.
The shard of light.
It was still inside her, buried deep beneath the corruption, but it was there. That shard was the key. If he could reach it if he could sever the connection between Lysandra and whatever force was controlling her then maybe, just maybe, he could save her.
But how?
The attacks were relentless, and Lysandra wasn't holding back. Her strikes came with deadly precision, and the force behind them was growing with each passing moment. Kai was barely keeping up, his energy waning.
Then, in a brief moment of clarity, a plan formed in his mind. It was risky, reckless even, but it might be his only shot.
Kai dodged another blast of light, his heart pounding. "Lysandra!" he shouted, forcing as much conviction into his voice as he could muster. "I'm not giving up on you! Not now, not ever!"
He could see it again that flicker of recognition in her eyes. It was faint, but it was there, and he needed to act fast.
Summoning every ounce of strength he had left, Kai did the unthinkable.
He let down his guard.
For the briefest of moments, he let the shadows around him dissolve, leaving himself completely exposed. Lysandra hesitated, just for a split second, as if confused by his sudden vulnerability.
And in that moment, Kai moved.
He lunged forward, his hand reaching for the shard of light on her chest. Lysandra's eyes widened in shock, her body frozen in place as his fingers brushed against the glowing fragment.
Time seemed to slow as Kai's hand made contact. The light surged through him, burning, searing his flesh, but he held on. He could feel the connection—the twisted bond between the light and the darkness within her.
Kai gritted his teeth, his hand tightening around the shard. He had to break the bond. He had to free her.
"Lysandra…" he whispered, his voice strained. "Come back."
For a moment, it seemed like it was working. The light in her eyes flickered again, the corruption wavering. He could feel her fighting, struggling to break free.
But then, just as he thought he was getting through, something changed.
The abyss roared to life, and Lysandra's body convulsed, the light flaring brighter than ever before. Kai's eyes widened in horror as the shard in his hand pulsed violently, the energy within it spiraling out of control.
"No… no, no, no!" he gasped, trying to pull back, but it was too late.
The shard exploded.
A blinding flash of light consumed everything, and in the final moment before the world went dark, Kai saw Lysandra's face her eyes filled with sorrow.
And then, nothing.