Valjean's eyes snapped open, and for a moment, everything seemed to freeze. The chaotic energy of the rift pulsed around her, the darkness swirling like a living force, yet her gaze was clear—sharp and aware. King stood frozen, his heart hammering in his chest as their eyes met for the first time since he had entered the rift.
But something was wrong.
Her expression was unreadable, her eyes devoid of the warmth and recognition he had longed to see. It was as if she were seeing through him, detached from reality, and King felt a sudden chill sweep over him. The ground beneath him trembled, the energy of the nexus surging, fighting back against the shard's influence.
"Valjean!" King shouted, his voice cracking with urgency. "I'm here! I'm going to get you out of this!"
But Valjean didn't respond. Her body remained suspended in the energy, the cocoon of light and shadow tightening around her like a prison. The darkness of the nexus flared violently, sending waves of power crashing into King, forcing him to stumble back. He gripped the shard, willing it to push through, to break the hold the rift had over her.
"Fight it!" he called out, desperation creeping into his voice. "I know you're still in there!"
The rift roared in response, as if mocking his words. The ground cracked beneath his feet, sending jagged fissures spreading out in all directions. King braced himself, refusing to be moved. The nexus was growing unstable, its energy spiraling out of control, and the shadowy figures lurking at the edges of the rift were becoming more solid, their eyes glowing with malevolent intent.
Suddenly, Valjean's body convulsed, her hands twitching as if she were struggling against unseen chains. Her eyes, still locked on King, flickered with something—a spark of recognition, or perhaps a plea for help. It was faint, but it was enough.
"Valjean," King whispered, his grip on the shard tightening. "I know you can hear me. I'm not leaving without you."
The cocoon around Valjean pulsed, and for the briefest moment, King saw a flash of emotion in her eyes—pain, fear, something deeply human. Then, her voice echoed through the rift, soft and distant, as if carried on a whispering wind.
"King..." Her voice was fragile, trembling under the weight of the rift's influence. "You shouldn't have come."
King's heart clenched. "I had no choice. I couldn't leave you here—"
"I'm part of this now." Her voice cut through his words, and the darkness around her flared again, wrapping tighter. "The rift... it's inside me. I can't—"
"No," King said, stepping forward, even as the energy pushed back against him. "That's not true. I saw you fighting it. You're still here. We'll break the nexus and—"
A sudden, violent tremor shook the ground, and Valjean's body arched in pain. The cocoon of energy flared, and the rift's power surged, pulling her deeper into its grasp. Her face contorted in agony, and for the first time, King saw fear flash across her features.
"You don't understand," she gasped, her voice strained. "It's not just me... It's everything. If you destroy the nexus, the rift collapses—our world, your world—everything falls with it."
King's blood ran cold. "What are you saying? There has to be another way—"
"There isn't," she said, her voice breaking. "If you free me... the rift will die, and with it... the fabric of reality. You have to stop. You have to let me go."
King staggered back, his mind reeling. The weight of her words crashed down on him like a tidal wave. Could it be true? Was the rift so intertwined with Valjean that to free her meant risking everything? The ground beneath him continued to crack and shift, the rift's energy feeding off the growing instability.
"No," King muttered, shaking his head in disbelief. "That can't be right. We can find another way—there's always another way."
"There's no other way." Valjean's voice was firm now, her eyes locking onto his. "You have to go, King. If you stay, you'll die. The rift will consume you, too."
The shard in King's hand pulsed violently, as if protesting Valjean's words, but for the first time, doubt crept into his heart. He had come here to save her, to pull her from the rift's grasp, but now... now it seemed that freeing her would come at a cost neither of them could bear.
"I'm not leaving without you." King's voice was low but resolute. "You're not a part of the rift. You're stronger than it. I know you can break free."
Valjean's body shuddered again, the cocoon tightening its hold. Her face twisted in pain, but she managed to speak. "You don't understand what I've seen... what I've become." She closed her eyes for a moment, and when she reopened them, her voice was softer. "You were always the one who believed... even when I didn't. But this time, it's different."
King's mind raced. His options were dwindling, and every second he spent hesitating was another second the rift grew stronger. He could feel the weight of the darkness pressing down on him, the shadows closing in, waiting for him to make a mistake.
The nexus pulsed again, and Valjean's form began to fade, her features becoming less distinct. The rift was pulling her deeper, reclaiming its hold on her. The shard in King's hand grew hotter, its light flaring as if it were fighting back against the rift's power.
And then, in that moment of chaos, Valjean spoke again—her voice barely above a whisper.
"I need you to let me go."
The words hit King like a blow to the chest, and for a moment, he couldn't breathe. He had come all this way, fought through every obstacle, because he believed he could save her. But now, standing on the brink of the rift's destruction, he was faced with the impossible choice: save Valjean, or save the world.
The shard in his hand flickered, and he looked down at it, the weight of the decision pressing down on him. He could still push forward, break the nexus, and free her. But if what she said was true, the cost would be unimaginable.
"There's no time," Valjean said, her voice fading. "You have to choose."
King closed his eyes, his heart pounding in his chest. Everything he had fought for led to this moment. The choice was his.