The mire pulsed faintly underfoot, its stillness a deceptive calm that mirrored the tension in the air. The Sentinel stood tall, his cracked armor glinting dully in the glow of the Core's crimson light. His jagged shadow blade shimmered ominously, and his crimson eyes bore into Aiden with an intensity that was both regretful and unyielding.
"Aiden," the Sentinel rumbled, his voice resonating like a distant storm. "You're being deceived. She's lying to you."
Lila's voice cut through the tension, sharp and commanding. "Don't listen to him, Aiden. He's trying to manipulate you."
The Sentinel's gaze shifted to Lila, his tone hardening. "You're not Lila. You're the Core wearing her face."
Aiden's grip on the Ring of Vows tightened, his constructs flickering faintly at his fingertips. "What are you talking about?" he demanded, his voice edged with confusion and anger.
The Sentinel kept his gaze steady on Aiden. "That thing beside you is the Core's puppet. It's playing on your love, your memories. But she's not real."
"That's not true!" Lila shouted, stepping closer to Aiden. Her free hand reached for his arm, her touch firm and grounding. "You know me, Aiden. You've always known me. I'm Lila."
Aiden's mind raced. The whisper in the back of his thoughts grew louder, the faint static hum of Sylva's voice brushing against his consciousness.
"Aiden… remember…"
He shook his head, doubt creeping into his thoughts like a whisper in the dark. "Then prove it," he said, his voice steady but lined with uncertainty. "Where were we when the bombs fell? What were we doing?"
Lila didn't hesitate, her confidence unwavering. "At the diner. You were sketching something for me. I wore my green scarf—you said it matched my eyes."
"No," Aiden said quietly, shaking his head. "That's not right. We were at the park. You dragged me out of my room that day, and… you weren't wearing a scarf."
For the first time, Lila faltered. Her confident facade cracked, and her gaze flickered with uncertainty. "I—it's the stress," she stammered. "Ask me something else, anything else."
Aiden's voice hardened. "Where did we live, Lila?"
Her hesitation stretched unbearably long. "I—I don't…"
The Sentinel stepped forward, lowering his blade slightly as if to make himself less threatening. "She doesn't know because she's not her," he said, his voice filled with regret. "You can feel it, can't you? She's lying."
Lila staggered back as if struck, her form glitching faintly. Her hands trembled, her face twisting in anguish. "No… no, I am Lila," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I am…"
And then, like a light piercing through the darkness, the real Lila surfaced.
Her body shuddered, and tears streamed down her face as she clutched her chest. "Aiden," she choked out, her voice raw and filled with pain. "It's me… I'm still here."
Aiden's heart wrenched, his breath catching as he stepped forward. "Lila?" he asked softly, hope warring with fear.
She nodded, her teary gaze locking onto his. "I swear, it's me. But it's stronger than me. I… I can't hold it back for long."
"You don't have to fight it alone," Aiden said, his voice breaking. He reached for her hand, his grip steady despite his trembling fingers. "We'll figure this out together."
Lila shook her head, her tears falling faster. "If I lose control, Aiden… you have to stop me. Promise me. If it's between me and the world, you have to choose them."
"I won't," Aiden said firmly, his voice trembling with emotion. "There's another way. There has to be."
Lila turned her head, her eye's locking on to the sentinel. "If he can't, Promise me!"
The Sentinel's gaze lowered, his voice full of sorrow. "If that it what you desire."
Before she could respond, her body convulsed violently. The glitching returned, her form twisting unnaturally as the Core's influence reasserted itself. When she opened her eyes again, the warmth was gone, replaced by an icy detachment.
The Core had returned.
"That was pathetic," it sneered, its tone dripping with disdain. "Begging them to kill you? How weak."
Aiden took a step back, his fists clenched as anger surged through him. "Let her go."
The Core tilted its head, a mocking smile spreading across its lips. "She's mine now, Aiden. And she was right—you do have to choose. Kill the Sentinel. Kill Sylva. Destroy anyone who stands in your way, and together, we'll rule. Be my king, and love only me. You wont only save her… you will save everything."
"I dont love you though," Aiden snapped, his voice resolute.
The Core's smile faded, its expression growing cold and calculating. "Then you've made your choice."
The Core's smile faded, its expression hardening into cold resolve. "So be it," it said, its voice dripping with disdain. "The charade is over. I'll kill your friends myself. And when they're gone, you'll have no one left but me."
Without another word, it turned and strode toward the distant glow of the Core's sanctum. The Sentinel watched it go, his grip on his blade tightening.
"I'll stop her," the Sentinel said, his tone heavy with resolve. "You can't. You've already admitted you can't."
Aiden stepped between him and the path forward, his blade glowing brighter. "I won't let you kill her."
The Sentinel raised his weapon, his gaze filled with both regret and determination. "Then you'll have to stop me."
Their blades clashed, the force of the impact sending sparks flying. The Sentinel's strikes were heavy and deliberate, each one filled with the weight of his conviction. Aiden met him blow for blow, his constructs shifting seamlessly between offense and defense.
"Why are you doing this?" Aiden shouted, his voice strained as he parried a powerful strike. "You said you wanted to save her!"
"I do," the Sentinel growled, his voice filled with pain. "But saving her means ending this… even if it means ending her."
Aiden's blade locked against the Sentinel's, their faces inches apart. "There's another way," Aiden said through gritted teeth. "I'll find it. I swear I will."
The Sentinel's gaze softened for a brief moment, a flicker of understanding passing between them. "You remind me of me once," he said quietly. "Niave to the bitter end."
Their blades clashed, the sound echoing across the mire as the two warriors fought for their convictions. Sparks flew with every strike, the weight of their decisions shaping the battle. In the distance, the Core disappeared, its alien smile lingering in Aiden's mind.
And for the first time, he felt the tears threatening to fall.