(Cyrus Pov)
"Ezra and Zaire must have been disappointed when you came out of the womb. I wonder if he fostered more children after this failure," an echo said, taking on the form of the lady who sold fruit at the market. I didn't even bother to look up or defend myself against her statement. Every word spoken was something I had thought deep down. I did feel like a failure compared to the things my father, uncle, and grandfather were known for.
Everyone was counting on me to awaken that power, and I failed. I failed my clan, and I failed to keep Mom safe when Dad was gone.
"I expected more of a fight from the bratty prince," the instructor said as he slapped me across the face. The hit stung, yet I still felt numb afterward. The ground crumbled further around me, creating chasms in every direction.
"Fight back, you piece of shit," another echo said before punching me in the stomach, forcing me to keel over.
Trying to push myself up, I was knocked right back down. Multiple punches and kicks landed all over my body. The echoes didn't stop; they continued to berate me, both physically and emotionally. Each statement cut deeper than the last. I wanted to fight back, but it felt like this was my punishment for all my shortcomings.
Rain began to fall from the sky, the water filling the chasms and craters in the dismantled ground.
Lying face down as the beating continued, the water began to submerge my body. It wasn't long before I was fully consumed, mirroring the overwhelming guilt and doubt that threatened to drown me from within.
The beating stopped, and I heard the echoes drift away as my astral form sank deeper into the water, swallowed by my emotions.
"Let him rot down there. One less pathetic soul to worry about," one of the echoes muttered.
I was crazy to think I could avenge my clan and my family. What was my father thinking when he let me escape? There was no way he believed I could save him.
Sinking further into the abyss, all I saw was the darkness of the void. I didn't know how much time had passed, but it felt like forever. Then, suddenly, the sinking sensation stopped, and my body lurched upward.
"Cyrus, honey, it's not your fault." A voice echoed through the void, slowly breaking me out of my negative feedback loop.
Snapping out of my daze, I frantically searched for the familiar voice.
"You are not a failure. Never doubt yourself, my sweet, precious boy." The voice soothed me, easing my senses.
"Mom? Is that you? How am I hearing you? Are you just another echo playing games with my head?" I asked, desperate for an answer.
"Yes, it's me, but I am not an echo."
"But that can't be. I watched you die."
"Yes, you did, and I'm so sorry you had to experience that, honey. There was so much I didn't get to show or teach you about my clan and where I came from. But I don't have much time to explain. I'm only able to do this because the rift exists outside of normal space-time. You need to understand that echoes feed off of negative emotions, much like how the rift shifts based on your emotional state and resonance."
"I understand, but in that moment, it all felt so real and true."
"I know, Cy. You were forced to face the guilt and doubt you harbor toward yourself, even though the things you felt and thought were not the truth."
"They weren't?"
"Of course not. The devastation of a clan is not the fault of a young child."
"But what about my constellation? I failed with that too. I ended up connecting with something completely different than what was intended. I've doomed our clan. It will never be restored."
"That wasn't a mistake either, Cyrus. In the celestial tapestry, there are no mistakes. You will understand this in due time. But for now, you need to clear this rift so you can save your father."
"You know about that?"
"Yes. You need to remember all of your training, Cyrus. Your father was preparing you for this. Calm your mind and trust what you know is real. If you can do that, you will pass this test and move forward."
"Alright," I said, acknowledging the voice in my head. I began pulling myself upward through the water, infusing cosmic energy into my astral body. It wasn't long before I reached the surface. Sitting on a small floating island—all that remained of the ground before I was submerged—I saw the phantom echoes lingering near the exit.
I put into action the meditation techniques I had learned over the years and began calming my spirit.
"Good, Cyrus. That's the boy I know," my mother's voice rang in my head.
"I believe in you, and I know your father does too. You can do this. I'm proud of you, and I will always be proud of you. I know things are hard now, and they will probably continue to grow more difficult and dangerous. But please, try to keep a positive outlook on life, okay, son? I just want you and your father to be happy. Just do that for me, okay?"
I didn't respond right away, because deep down, I knew my intentions were different from what she wanted for me. She wanted peace, my father wanted peace—but I wanted revenge.
"I'll do my best to fulfill your wishes, Mom," I finally said with a slight smirk.
"Thank you, sweetie."
"Do you have to leave now?"
"Yes, I do. I'm running out of time."
"I've missed you so much, Mom. Please stay. Is there any way I can see you again? Do I have to enter another rift? Just tell me what to do, and I'll do it. I need you here with me—I'm alone right now."
"I've already exhausted what I'm allowed to do. But we will meet again."
"When?" I asked.
"We will meet again when the very stars you gaze upon lie at your feet."
Before I could interject, something shimmered before me. A figure appeared—it was my mother.
She had the same long, flowing curly hair. The same caramel skin. The same dark brown eyes and freckles that speckled across her face. She emitted a radiant yellow aura, flames dancing around her as she floated toward me. Gently, she cupped my face in her hands.
"I love you, Cyrus. I will be waiting for you. Now go save your father. The cosmos only knows what trouble he would get himself into if left alone."
She leaned in, pressed a gentle kiss to my forehead, and dissolved away.