The sanctum pulsed with chaotic energy, the Core's crimson glow twisting and thrumming as if responding to the intensity of the battle. Aiden and Lila circled each other, the tension in the air crackling like a storm about to break. Above them, the Core's presence loomed in the sky, a vast, pulsating mass of crimson energy. Its tendrils extended downward, connecting to Lila as if feeding her its malevolence.
Sylva hovered nearby, her roots trembling, her luminous gaze flickering between Aiden and Lila—the Core's puppet. She glanced briefly at the glowing mass in the sky, her expression grim but resolute. This was part of her plan, but the cost weighed heavily.
Aiden's voice cut through the storm. "Sylva, you said we can't destroy the Core without destroying the Otherworld." His tone was steady, but his eyes burned with determination. "Then what do we do? How do I save her?"
Sylva hesitated, her glow dimming slightly. "Aiden... the Core and I are tied to this world. If one of us falls, the balance shatters. But there's another way."
Lila tilted her head, the Core's malevolent grin twisting her features. "Oh, do tell, Sylva. I'm dying to hear your plan." Her voice dripped with mockery, layered with the Core's unrelenting malice.
Sylva's roots curled tightly beneath her, her voice sharp. "Just as you've absorbed countless Lilas, I can choose to absorb you. All of you. I can bring balance by becoming whole again."
The Core laughed through Lila's lips, the sound wild and fractured. "Balance? Is that what you call it? You'd just be a prettier cage."
Aiden's fists tightened around the glowing twilight blade in his hand, the light and shadow swirling as if mirroring his inner conflict. "No," he said firmly. "That choice isn't yours to make, Sylva. It's hers."
Above them, the Core in the sky pulsed violently, its tendrils tightening as if in response to the challenge. Sylva's roots twitched, her gaze darting upward. The massive presence in the sky was being siphoned into Lila's body, little by little. It was dangerous, but it was the only way the Core could pull lila's strings.
The Core hissed, its tendrils lashing out. Aiden deflected them with ease, his body redawning his dark mist armor as he pressed forward. The fight reignited in a burst of energy, Lila lunging at him with wild, erratic strikes. Her blade, forged of shadow, clashed against his constructs in a dazzling display of sparks.
"You can't save her," the Core spat. "She belongs to me!"
Aiden sidestepped a swing, his blade morphing into a chain of light and shadow that coiled around Lila's weapon, wrenching it from her grasp. The shadow blade clattered to the ground, dissolving into smoke. For a moment, the Core hesitated, and Aiden seized the opportunity.
He darted forward, his movements fluid and precise. Before the Core could react, he reached for Lila, his hand brushing her cheek. Her eyes widened, and for a split second, something human flickered behind them.
"Lila," Aiden said softly, his voice breaking through the chaos. "You can still hear me in there right?"
He leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss to her cheek. The Core shrieked in fury, its control surging back. Lila's hand lashed out, aiming to strike him, but it froze mid-swing. Her body trembled as her voice—Lila's voice—broke through the Core's control.
"Aiden… I'm trying," she whispered, her tone raw with emotion. "She's to—strong..."
"You're stronger than this," Aiden said, his voice filled with conviction. "Either I lose you to one of them or I'm forced to grant your wish. Im sorry, but this is just really messed up."
The Core's presence roared within her, a desperate, furious cry. "No! Stop this! This changes nothing!"
Aiden stepped closer, his weapon dissipating as he cupped her face in his hands. "I can't make this choice for you, Lila," he said, his voice steady. "But I love you. And whatever happens, I'll stand by you."
Lila's tears spilled over as she looked into his eyes, her voice trembling. "I don't want to be part of her. Or Sylva. I just want to be myself."
Aiden kissed her, a deep, heartfelt gesture that carried every ounce of his love and hope. The Core's power surged violently, a crimson light exploding around them as tendrils lashed out in desperation. But as the kiss lingered, a new light blossomed from Aiden's Ring of Vows, a brilliant fusion of twilight energy that began to pull the Core's essence from Lila's body.
Lila gasped, her body convulsing as the Core's hold weakened. She placed her hands on Aiden's chest, her voice breaking as she spoke. "No," she said firmly. She pushed herself away from him, her gaze locking onto Aiden."This isn't your burden. It's mine."
Above them, the Core in the sky convulsed, its massive tendrils unraveling as streams of crimson energy funneled downward to retake Lila. The sanctum shook violently as the Core screamed in defiance, its voice echoing across the Otherworld. "No! You will not take me!"
Sylva's eyes narrowed as the final piece of the plan clicked into place. Her roots unfurled, reaching toward Lila. "I can take the rest," she said, her voice trembling. "Aiden, step back!"
Aiden fell to his knees, his body trembling from the strain of absorbing so much of the Core's power. He turned to Sylva, his voice hoarse. "What are you doing?"
Sylva's roots coiled tightly around Lila, a shimmering string of crimson energy forming between them. "I'm drawing the Core out," Sylva said, her tone resolute. "All of it."
Lila's body convulsed as the crimson threads unraveled, the Core's essence siphoning down to lila and into Sylva's glowing form. The connection between Lila and the sky severed, the last remnants of the Core's massive presence descending into Sylva.
Aiden ran sliding as he knelt beside Lila, his hands cradling her fragile frame. "Are you okay?" he asked, his voice gentle.
Lila looked up at him, her eyes glistening with tears. "I'm free," she whispered, a faint smile breaking through her exhaustion. "For the first time… I'm free."
The sanctum erupted with light and shadow as Sylva absorbed the Core's essence. Her body trembled violently, her luminous glow flickering as veins of malice coursed through her. Her roots twisted and splintered, forming jagged patterns as dark energy fought against her.
"Sylva!" Aiden looked up shouting, his voice filled with alarm.
Sylva's voice cracked, trembling with both agony and resolve. "I… I can feel it," she whispered, her form shifting as root-like armor began to coil over her body, streaked with the Core's malice. Her luminous light dimmed, her glow interspersed with flickers of shadow.
Her voice broke again, a desperate cry echoing through the sanctum. "Help me… I can't do this alone."
Sylva knelt amidst the chaos, her body radiating both light and darkness as she fought to contain the Core's essence. Her roots coiled tighter, her luminous form flickering as she whispered, "Lil—" before her voice faltered.
The sanctum fell into silence, the weight of her struggle palpable as the scene faded to black.