Volume 2: Shards of Unity
Chapter 31: The Unveiling
The battlefield was deathly silent as the glowing figure emerged from the pillar of light. The shadows twisted uneasily, retreating slightly, as though even they feared what was coming.
Nyx's claws flexed instinctively, its golden eyes narrowing as it watched the figure take form. Beside it, Eryth's breath hitched, his heart pounding in his chest.
The light finally dimmed, and the figure stepped forward. It was humanoid, yes, but not entirely. Its skin shimmered like molten silver, and its eyes were featureless orbs of liquid gold. Massive, angular wings of glowing energy extended from its back, but their edges flickered, as if unstable.
But what struck them most was its face. It was an uncanny mirror of Eryth's.
"What… is this?" Eryth whispered, his voice trembling.
The figure turned its head to look at him, and for a moment, its expression was blank. Then it smiled—a cold, predatory smile that sent chills down everyone's spine.
"I am… you," it said, its voice layered with echoes. "Or rather, what you could have been."
Eryth stumbled back, his hand instinctively going to the relic hanging from his neck. "This can't be right. What are you?"
The creature tilted its head, amusement flickering in its golden eyes. "I am your ambition. Your potential. I am what the relic could make you… if you had the courage to embrace it."
Nyx growled low, stepping between Eryth and the creature. Its golden claws ignited, but the figure didn't seem intimidated. Instead, it chuckled softly.
"And you," it said, addressing Nyx. "A twisted fragment of divinity, clinging to a mortal's will. How quaint."
Eryth's mind raced. This thing—this copy of himself—wasn't just some manifestation. It was real, and it radiated power unlike anything he'd ever felt.
"You're lying," Eryth said, his voice growing steadier. "The relic isn't a curse. It's a tool, a weapon to fight back against the darkness."
The figure laughed, the sound sharp and grating. "A weapon, yes. But tools shape their users, don't they? You think you're the one in control? How naive."
The Shadows Stir
The shadowy figure that had led the horde snarled, its glowing red eyes narrowing as it stepped closer to the glowing copy of Eryth.
"What are you?" it demanded.
The copy turned to the shadow, its smile fading. "You would do well to kneel," it said, its voice dripping with disdain. "Your master serves a force far beneath me."
The shadow growled but didn't move. Its hesitation only seemed to amuse the copy.
"Very well," the copy said. "You'll all kneel soon enough."
It raised its hand, and the air around it shimmered. A pulse of energy radiated outward, sending cracks spidering through the ruins.
Eryth felt his legs weaken as the energy washed over him. It was overwhelming, suffocating, and yet… familiar.
"Stop!" he shouted, stepping forward despite the weight pressing down on him. "If you're me—if you're some part of me—then you'll listen. This isn't what we're fighting for!"
The copy turned back to him, its golden eyes narrowing. "Fighting? You still think this is a fight? This is survival, Eryth. There's no place for ideals in a world like this."
Nyx snarled, charging forward before Eryth could stop it. It moved like lightning, its claws slicing through the air toward the copy.
But the copy didn't flinch. It caught Nyx's attack with one hand, stopping it cold. For a moment, the two figures locked eyes.
"You've bonded with this thing," the copy said, almost pityingly. "How tragic. You could have been a god, and yet you've chained yourself to a creature of the dark."
Nyx growled louder, its claws pressing against the copy's grip, but it couldn't break free.
Eryth stepped forward, desperation rising in his chest. "Let it go!"
The copy glanced at him, its expression unreadable. Then, without warning, it released Nyx and stepped back.
"This is your last chance," it said, its voice cold. "Prove your worth to the relic, or I'll take it for myself."
With that, the copy dissolved into light, its form scattering into countless glowing shards that vanished into the air.
A Moment of Silence
Nyx stumbled back, its breathing ragged as it glared at the spot where the copy had stood. The others slowly emerged from their positions, their faces pale with fear and confusion.
Eryth clenched his fists, his mind reeling. That… thing had claimed to be him. To be his ambition. But was it a lie? Or had the relic truly awakened something inside him that he didn't understand?
"We need answers," he said finally, his voice firm despite the fear gnawing at him. "The relic—whatever it is—it's more dangerous than I realized. If we're going to survive this, we have to understand it."
Nyx growled softly, its golden eyes meeting Eryth's. The bond between them flared briefly, filling him with a sense of shared determination.
Whatever came next, they would face it together.
To Be Continued…