The severance ritual left Lira shattered. She spent the following days in a daze, her thoughts clouded with loss and exhaustion. Her mind felt like a hollow shell, stripped of the vibrant, haunting presence she'd come to crave. Aeron was gone, and though she should have felt relieved, all she felt was emptiness.
Despite her best efforts to move on, echoes of him lingered. She thought she saw him in the reflections of glass, heard his voice inthe silence of the library, felt his touch in her dreams. Even in moments of peace, memories of Aeron came back unbidden, sharper and more vivid than ever. Each memory felt like a wound, a reminder of what she had lost - and what she had become willing to risk for him.
One evening, she returned to the library where she'd first encountered his memory, hoping to find some solace. It was quite, only the sound of her footsteps echoing through the darkened aisles. She felt a strange comfort here, even in the emptiness. For the first time since the ritual, she was beginning to feel herself again.
But as she walked deeper into the library, she felt a familiar chill in the air. Her breath caught, and she stopped, her heart pounding. She knew he was gone, that the bond had severed, yet a part of her couldn't help but hope.
"Lira, " A voice whispered.
Her heart frozed. She turned, but no one was there - only rows upon rows of ancient, dusty books staring back at her. She clenched her fists, forcing herself to breathe. It was just her imagination. She was still haunted by him, even if he was gone.
But the voice came again, softer this time, like a breeze rustling through the pages. "Lira.... You can't escape me. "
A shiver ran down her spine, and she forced her to move, retreating from the librarys depths. But the voice followed her, echoing in her mind, a haunting reminder of the man she had once risked everything for. The cold seemed to seep into her bones, and as she stumbled back into the corridor, she felt a strange, hollow dread settle over her.
A part of her wondered if the severance had truly worked. Or, if in losing him, she had somehow lost herself.