Umbra stepped out from the churning darkness of the gateway, his face set in a grim mask. The talk with the gods had left an uncomfortable fogginess in his heart, one he couldn't seem to shake. Somewhere deeper, far stronger, a peril was at work.
He clutched his fists, looking up in the sky full of stars. It seemed to stare back at him, infinite and indestructible.
Am I even to know who I am?" he whispered, and the wind took his words away. "Have my whole life been a lie? The only things I've ever been certain of were love, hate, and rage. Now I want nothing more than for everything to be destroyed, but it can't be like that. Not on my behalf. I need to be strong. For my family. For my kingdom.
He steeled himself as he took a deep breath. He knew what had to be done. The sacrifice wasn't necessary, but inevitable. In order to protect whom he loved, he needed to face this threat alone.
