Lila floated in the abyss of her own mind, her body no longer her own. She could feel the Core—its cold, serpentine grip coiling through her veins, moving her limbs, speaking through her lips. Every word it uttered in her voice was like a knife twisting in her chest. She screamed into the void, but the Core smirked in reply, her protests muffled by the suffocating darkness.
Then, Aiden's words from before echoed like a beacon: "Lila… I believe in you. I would do anything for you."
A warmth flared within her, faint but growing stronger, piercing through the darkness. Her mind's eye opened, her consciousness fully awake. Though she still couldn't control her body, she could see. She could feel. The shadows no longer felt impenetrable; the fog began to lift.
The cave pressed in on her like a suffocating weight, every shadow alive with malice. Lila's mind was her own again—barely—but her body moved like a marionette under the Core's control. Each step the Core forced her to take dragged her closer to Aiden and further from herself.
The Core's voice, smooth and mocking, slithered through her mind. "Finally awake, are we? How quaint. You should've stayed asleep, little Lila. Watching this will be so much harder."
She could see it all: the flicker of dim blue lights along the jagged walls, the goblin shadows slinking into view ahead, and Aiden behind her, his weapon held high, though his shoulders sagged with exhaustion. And then there was him—the small, flickering figure the Core insisted was her brother, Jake.
But through her awakened eyes, she could see the truth. The boy wasn't Jake. He wasn't even human. His form shimmered, a distorted shadow given a child's shape. The Core's sick games were unfolding, and she was powerless to stop them.
"Jake," she heard her voice cry out, dripping with emotion she didn't feel. The sound made her sick. "Hold on! We're almost out of here!"
Aiden surged forward, slashing at the goblin shadows that leapt from the darkness. His strikes were forceful, but his movements were slowing. From her vantage, Lila could see the faint shimmer of a Blue Glaucus shadow clinging to the back of his neck, its tiny tendrils burrowed into his skin. It pulsed faintly, feeding off his hope and strength.
"Look at him," the Core hissed in her mind, its voice a chilling whisper. "He's barely holding on. Soon, he'll collapse. All it will take is one final push."
"Leave him alone," Lila snapped, her inner voice trembling with rage. "If you touch him, I swear—"
"You swear what?" the Core interrupted, its laugh cold and sharp. "You can't stop me. You're nothing but an observer, trapped in your own body. Watch as I finish what I've started."
Lila's fingers tightened around the sword in her hands—a weapon she had no control over. Her body moved fluidly, slashing through a goblin that lunged at Aiden's side. He glanced at her, gratitude flashing in his weary eyes.
"Thanks," he panted, his voice strained.
"Of course," she heard herself say, soft and kind. But in her mind, she screamed.
The goblins scattered, retreating into the shadows as the Core forced Lila forward. Jake's shadowy form stumbled along beside her, his small hand clutching hers. To Aiden, the boy must have seemed terrified, but Lila saw the way its hollow, red eyes flickered with malice.
"Why him?" she demanded, her inner voice sharp. "Why are you so fixated on Aiden?"
The Core didn't answer immediately, its silence unnerving. Finally, it spoke, its tone laced with disdain. "Because he's dangerous. More dangerous than he even realizes. His resolve, his strength… if left unchecked, he could destroy me—or Sylva."
"Then let me go!" Lila shouted. "I will make sure he never hurts you."
The Core laughed again, cruel and mocking. "Oh, I think I have a better idea. My plan is simple: break him, turn him against Sylva. She'll never strike him down—she has a soft spot for that one. And when he's weak, And when she's gone…"
Lila's breath hitched. "You'd kill him, too."
"Oh, sweet Lila," the Core purred, her tone dripping with mockery. "You make it sound so brutal. But yes. He'll be so weak, so ripe for the taking. And then… your body will finish him."
Lila's mind screamed in defiance. "I won't let you. I'll fight you every step of the way!"
The Core laughed coldly. "You're a ghost in your own body. You can scream all you like, but I hold the strings. Aiden's fate is sealed, my dear."
Lila's fury boiled over. "You'll never make me do that."
"You won't have a choice," the Core said, its voice dripping with confidence. "Watch, Lila. Watch as I unravel him."
Through her eyes, Lila watched helplessly as Aiden trailed behind her, his steps growing heavier, his breaths shallow. The Blue Glaucus shadow on his neck pulsed faintly, its tendrils digging deeper into his skin. He fought valiantly, slashing at the goblin shadows that lunged at him, but it was clear the fight was draining him. Every swing of his weapon was slower, every dodge less precise.
"Aiden," the Core said, using her voice, soft and trembling, as if she were afraid. "Jake and I can't keep going if we're surrounded like this. Please… help us."
Aiden didn't hesitate. "I'll handle it," he said, his voice hoarse. His blade flared, cutting through the encroaching goblins. The Core smiled, her lips curling with satisfaction, but within, Lila howled.
"You coward!" Lila spat. "Stop using my voice to manipulate him!"
Ahead, the air grew colder, the oppressive weight in the cave thickening. The goblins stopped their retreat, scattering into the shadows like roaches. Even the Core's puppet, the shadow child, hesitated, its form flickering as a low growl echoed through the cavern.
The ground trembled. From the depths of the cave, a massive, serpentine form emerged, its body coiled in darkness. The shadow dragon's eyes glowed crimson, and its maw opened in a deafening roar that sent tremors through the air.