The void around Liora stretched endlessly, a suffocating blackness that seemed to press against her skin and seep into her thoughts. The only light came from the Sigil on her hand, its faint golden glow struggling to hold back the encroaching darkness. Before her stood the shadow, a mirror image of herself, its eyes glowing with a malevolent light.
"You think you're strong enough for this?" the shadow asked, its voice an unsettling echo of her own. "You think a scared little girl with a glowing hand can stand against the Emperor? Against the entire Empire?"
Liora's fingers curled into fists. She felt her pulse pounding in her ears, but she refused to look away. "I've made it this far," she said, her voice trembling but firm. "I've fought for every step. You're not going to stop me now."
The shadow tilted its head, smirking. "Fought, yes. But have you won?" It took a step closer, its movements smooth and predatory. "How many people have you failed along the way? How many lives have you sacrificed to keep going? Face it, Liora. You've already lost."
The void shifted, and suddenly, faces began to appear in the darkness. The miners on Darvos, their eyes filled with desperation as they begged for help she couldn't give. The rebel fighters who had fallen in battles against the Empire, their bodies strewn across burning landscapes. Her parents, their faces etched with worry and sorrow as they pleaded for her to come home.
"No," Liora whispered, shaking her head as the images swirled around her. "This isn't real. This isn't—"
"Oh, it's real," the shadow interrupted, its smile widening. "It's every failure you've tried to bury. Every person you couldn't save. And it's only the beginning."
The darkness morphed again, this time showing the future—a galaxy consumed by flames, the Emperor's fleet spreading destruction across the stars. Liora saw herself standing alone, her team gone, the Nexus in the Emperor's grasp.
"You can't stop this," the shadow hissed, circling her. "You're not strong enough. You're not worthy of the Nexus. You're just a scared girl pretending to be a hero."
Liora staggered back, her chest tightening as doubt clawed at her. The images, the voices—they felt so real. The shadow stepped closer, its voice softening but no less venomous.
"Do you think they'll stay by your side when the fight gets too hard? When the Emperor finds them?" It leaned in, its glowing eyes inches from hers. "They'll leave you. Just like everyone else has."
"No," Liora said, her voice cracking. "That's not true."
"Isn't it?" the shadow whispered, its tone dripping with malice. "You're not a hero, Liora. You're a burden. And when they see that, they'll abandon you. You'll be alone. Forever."
The Sigil on Liora's hand flickered, its light dimming under the weight of her fear. But as she looked at the shadow, as she listened to its taunts, something stirred deep within her—a spark of defiance, a truth she refused to deny.
"I'm not alone," she said, her voice quiet but steady.
The shadow frowned, its smirk faltering. "What did you say?"
"I'm not alone," Liora repeated, louder this time. She straightened, the Sigil's light growing brighter. "My team believes in me. And I believe in them. We've fought together. We've survived together. And we're going to win together."
The shadow recoiled slightly, the darkness around it flickering.
"You're just a reflection of my doubts," Liora said, stepping forward. The Sigil blazed brighter with each word. "You're not real. You're not me. And you're not going to stop me."
The shadow let out a scream, its form warping as the light from the Sigil engulfed it. The images of despair and destruction dissolved into golden light, the darkness retreating like a tide.
Liora stood tall, her breathing heavy but her resolve unshaken. The void around her began to shift, transforming into a new space—a radiant chamber filled with glowing star maps and ancient glyphs. At its center stood a pedestal, the Nexus Key floating above it.
"You have faced the shadow within yourself and emerged victorious," the elder's voice echoed, calm and resonant. "The Nexus sees your courage and your strength."
Liora stepped forward, her hand trembling slightly as she reached for the Nexus Key. Its warmth spread through her, filling her with a sense of clarity and purpose.
Back in the real world, Tharn and Kade were holding their ground outside the temple. The air vibrated with an unseen energy, and the spires above them pulsed with light.
"How much longer is this going to take?" Kade muttered, peering into the dense jungle surrounding them.
"However long it takes," Tharn replied, his grip on his rifle firm. "Our job is to keep her safe, no matter what."
The ground trembled beneath their feet, and the glow from the temple intensified.
"She's done it," Tharn said, a rare smile breaking across his face.
Kade let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. "Good. Because I think we're about to have company."
In the distance, the unmistakable hum of Imperial dropships filled the air.