I step through the door, my body still trembling from seeing Ryu being taken by the Shadowfell. Nikko''s small hand grips mine tightly, offering a slight comfort, though it''s hard to focus on anything except the haunting image of Ryu being dragged away. The air here is thick with moisture, and as I take a breath, the scent of damp wood fills my lungs.


    I blink, trying to orient myself, and my heart nearly skips a beat as I realize we''re standing on a massive tree branch. Not just any tree—this one is beyond anything I could have imagined. The branch stretches out like a wide pathway, high above the ground, so high that my legs begin to wobble. Heights have never been a fear of mine, but I''ve never been this high before. Nikko clings to me, trembling, and I squeeze her hand in reassurance, though I''m not sure who needs the comfort more.


    The view is... breathtaking. Towering trees as large as mountains stretch up into the sky, their tops disappearing into the misty canopy far above. Branches the size of entire roads twist and coil around one another, forming a natural maze. The scale of it all is overwhelming—like we''ve entered a world entirely made of these massive trees.


    Llamiryl stands a few steps ahead, calm as ever. Her eyes are closed, likely focusing on tracking down the Shadowfell. How she remains so composed, I don''t know. My heart is still racing from the height, the vastness of this place.


    I take a shaky breath and force myself to look around. We stand in what seems to be a village built around the trunk of this enormous tree. Wooden huts are nestled into the branches, connected by woven bridges and platforms. The craftsmanship is beautiful, with intricately carved wood and hanging lanterns swaying in the gentle breeze. It''s peaceful—or at least, it should be.


    But something is wrong. Very wrong.


    I freeze when I notice the bodies.


    They''re everywhere—huge, fur-covered creatures lying lifeless across the platforms and between the huts. Some of them are small, no bigger than Nikko. Children. Others are massive, towering figures, their thick fur matted with blood. I feel my stomach twist in horror. Their faces are contorted in fear, their wide, dark eyes staring blankly ahead.


    Nikko gasps softly, pressing herself closer to me. My throat tightens, and I try to shield her from the sight, but I can''t look away. These beings, they... they were alive not long ago. What happened here?


    "What... what are these creatures?" I whisper, my voice barely audible as I stare at the fallen giants. They''re unlike anything I''ve seen before—powerful, almost regal in their appearance, despite the horror surrounding them.


    Llamiryl furrows her brow, concentrating. Her eyes close for a moment, as if searching through some hidden knowledge. When she opens them, she speaks quietly, "They''re called Wookiees. They''re the natives of this world, Kashyyyk."


    "Kashyyyk?" I repeat, the name foreign and strange on my tongue. I glance around, taking in the breathtaking landscape—the towering trees, the woven village—and then back to the lifeless Wookiees scattered around us. The contrast between the beauty of this place and the tragedy we''ve stumbled upon is... heartbreaking.


    Before I can process any more, a movement catches my eye. One of the creatures—a massive, fur-covered Wookiee—stumbles out of a nearby hut, clutching its arm. Blood pours from a deep wound, staining its dark fur. Its face, a mix of terror and pain, is framed by shaggy fur, and its body trembles as it tries to run.


    The Wookiee is enormous, easily twice my height, with long arms and thick fur covering its entire body. It wears a simple bandolier across its chest, but it''s otherwise unclothed. Blood drips from its arm, leaving a trail behind it as it limps forward.


    I take a step back, instinctively pulling Nikko behind me. The creature looks terrified, desperate to escape, but before it can get far, a spear flies through the air. It phases right through us, as if we aren''t even there, and strikes the Wookiee in the back.


    The Wookiee lets out a guttural cry, a sound so deep and pained that it echoes in my chest. It stumbles, collapsing to the ground, its massive body twitching as blood pools beneath it. It''s still alive, but barely.


    And then, from the hut the Wookiee fled, Ryu steps out.


    I freeze, my heart pounding as I see him. He''s older—maybe a year or two—but the change is startling. His face is harder, colder. His skin is marked with cuts and bruises, and his left shoulder is wrapped in makeshift bandages. He moves with a grim determination, his eyes distant, empty.


    He walks past us, like we''re ghosts, and kneels beside the dying Wookiee. His expression doesn''t change as he pulls out a knife, his hand steady as he brings the blade closer to the creature''s throat.


    "No," I whisper, my voice trembling. "No, Ryu..."


    I reach out, wanting to stop him, but my hand passes through him like mist. He''s not really here. This is just a memory.


    But it doesn''t make it any easier.


    I turn away, quickly covering Nikko''s eyes, trying to shield her from the sight. The sound of the creature''s dying breaths fills my ears, and I hear the soft, wet slice of the knife. The cries stop, leaving an unbearable silence behind.


    Tears sting my eyes, and I bite my lip, trying to hold back the sob that threatens to escape. How could he? How could someone so kind, so selfless be so... terrible?


    I look to Llamiryl, my vision blurred with tears. "I can''t... I can''t watch this anymore," I choke out, my voice breaking. "Please... can we leave?"


    Llamiryl''s eyes, usually calm and composed, are troubled, her lips pressed into a thin line. There''s a slight crack in her voice as she speaks. "The Shadowfell... it''s moved on."


    Talia catches the slight tremor in Llamiryl''s voice, the hint of unease she rarely shows. Even she is shaken by what they''ve just seen. Without another word, Llamiryl waves her hand, and a door appears at the edge of the massive branch. The bright light spills out from it, a welcome escape from the nightmare we''ve just witnessed.


    With Nikko still clinging to me, I step through, hoping that the next memory won''t be as horrifying as the one we''re leaving behind.


    ?????


    We are back in the endless hallway. The air feels thick with tension, the silence stretching on, broken only by the soft, echoing footsteps. Nikko walks beside me, her face pale, her eyes wide, clearly still shaken from what we just witnessed. But it''s not Nikko''s reaction that twists my stomach—it''s mine.


    I can''t stop hearing the sound of the knife slicing through that Wookiee''s throat. The wet, sickening sound rings in my ears, over and over. I close my eyes, but the image of Ryu''s cold, emotionless face is burned into my mind. That look... how could he have done something so terrible, so easily? That was him, wasn''t it? The same boy I''ve traveled with? The one who''s shown kindness, warmth?


    But now... I don''t know what to believe anymore.


    The Ryu I know—the Ryu who took care of Nikko, who fought to protect us, who smiled despite the weight on his shoulders—he''s nothing like the one I just saw. The one who slit a dying creature''s throat without hesitation. Two Ryu''s. One I thought I knew... and one who terrifies me.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    A sickening thought forms in my mind, slowly at first, then growing like a storm. What else has he done? What other atrocities has he committed? How many innocent lives has he taken?


    The Ryu I know... is it all an act?


    My legs buckle beneath me, and a wave of nausea rises in my throat. My chest tightens, my heart pounding erratically as my breaths come in shallow, desperate gasps. I lean against the wall, feeling the cold stone against my back, but it doesn''t ground me. It doesn''t stop the whirlwind of thoughts spinning out of control.


    "I... I can''t go on anymore," I stammer, barely able to get the words out between my ragged breaths. My voice cracks, and I press my hand to my chest, as if trying to steady the erratic thrum of my heart.


    Nikko turns to me, her wide eyes filled with concern. "Talia... don''t..." she says softly, her small hand reaching out toward me.


    But I can''t. I brush her off, not with anger, but with trembling hands that don''t know what to do. I can''t bear to look at her—not with these thoughts crawling through my mind. What if Ryu''s been lying to us this whole time? What if... what if I''m next?


    The sound of my own heartbeat fills my ears, loud and relentless, and my chest feels like it''s caving in. I can''t breathe. I can''t think. All I see is that cold, empty look on Ryu''s face.


    "Talia... please..." Nikko''s voice is barely a whisper now, pleading, but I don''t respond. I don''t know how to. I don''t want to move forward. I don''t want to see any more of the horrible things Ryu did. I don''t want to witness what else he''s capable of.


    My vision blurs, tears pooling in my eyes as the weight of it all crashes down. My breath hitches in my throat, and the tightness in my chest only grows worse. I''m shaking, my entire body trembling uncontrollably as I sink to the floor.


    Llamiryl approaches me, her footsteps light and measured. I can barely lift my head to look at her—everything feels so far away, so distant. But suddenly, a sharp sound echoes through the empty hallway. The slap.


    My cheek stings, my head whipping to the side as I stare, stunned, clutching my face. My eyes widen as I look up at Llamiryl, the head priestess towering over me, her face set in a stern, motherly expression that leaves no room for argument. Nikko gasps beside me, just as shocked as I am.


    "This is exactly what the Shadowfell wants," Llamiryl says, her voice sharp, cutting through the fog of panic clouding my mind. "It wants you to doubt Ryu. To fear him. To question everything you know about him."


    I stare at her, my mind spinning. The slap—her words—they cut through the chaos, but I''m still shaking. My chest still hurts, my breaths are still uneven. "But... but I saw him—"


    Llamiryl kneels before me, her eyes locking onto mine with that same firm, almost motherly gaze. There''s no anger in her expression, no frustration—just... disappointment. The kind a mother shows a child who''s lost their way. She takes my trembling hands in hers.


    "We''ve been following the Shadowfell," she says quietly, but with a seriousness that shakes me to my core. "This whole time, it''s been leading us through Ryu''s past. Memories that even haunt him."


    Her words sink in, but the fear lingers. "But... how could he—how could he do that?"


    Llamiryl''s grip tightens, her eyes piercing into mine. "Has Ryu ever shown you that side before?" she asks, her voice gentle but firm, each word a deliberate challenge. "Has he ever given you a reason to be afraid of him?"


    I blink, my mind racing, trying to grasp onto the answer. I think back—through all the times I''ve been with him, all the battles, all the quiet moments. Ryu... he''s never hurt me. He''s never shown any malice.


    I shake my head, the answer clear, even though my heart still pounds with fear. "No... no, he hasn''t."


    "Has he ever given you a reason not to trust him?" Llamiryl presses, her voice softening slightly, but her gaze remains unyielding.


    Again, I think back, and again, I shake my head. "No."


    Llamiryl tilts her head slightly, her expression softening, but there''s still that stern edge. "Then tell me, Talia. What kind of person is Ryu to you? What do you believe in your heart about him?"


    I take a deep, shaky breath, my heart still racing in my chest, but Llamiryl''s words are sinking in now. Slowly, the fog of fear begins to lift, even though the confusion still swirls in my mind. She''s right—Ryu has never been like that. Not with me. Not with Nikko.


    I close my eyes for a moment, trying to focus, trying to push away the sickening images and think of the Ryu I know. The Ryu who saved us both, the Ryu who has always fought to protect us. Slowly, I open my eyes and meet Llamiryl''s steady gaze.


    "Ryu..." I start, my voice still trembling, but stronger now. "He''s... he''s not like that. He''s not cold. He''s not cruel."


    I swallow hard, trying to find the right words, though my heart feels like it''s trying to burst out of my chest. "Ryu has been through so much... things I can''t even imagine. He''s haunted by his past, I know that. But the Ryu I know—the Ryu I believe in—he''s kind."


    I take another deep breath, forcing myself to continue. "He''s saved me... more times than I can count. And Nikko... He treats her like she''s his own. I''ve seen him smile at her, comfort her when she''s scared. I''ve seen the way he looks at her—with such care and love. He''s never once hurt her. He''s never once shown her that kind of darkness."


    Llamiryl stays silent, letting me speak, her gaze still locked on mine, but I can see the softness creeping into her expression. It''s like she''s guiding me, pulling me back from the edge.


    "He''s always been there for us," I continue, my voice growing stronger. "Even when he''s hurting. Even when he''s broken inside, he still protects us. He''s fought so hard to keep us safe. He''s fought... against the darkness in himself. He''s never let it control him. Not once."


    My chest tightens again, but this time it''s from emotion, not fear. The tears well up in my eyes, but they''re not the same as before. "He''s... he''s a good person. He''s so much more than what the Shadowfell wants me to believe. He''s more than the pain in his past."


    Llamiryl nods slowly, her grip on my hands steady. "And you know that, don''t you?" she asks quietly. "In your heart, you know who Ryu really is."


    I nod, the tears spilling over as I finally allow myself to feel the truth. "Yes... I do. He''s not a monster. He''s not what I saw in those memories."


    The memories of what we witnessed—those terrible things—still linger at the edges of my mind, but they''re no longer overwhelming me. They''re no longer defining what I believe about him. I know Ryu. I know the person he is.


    Llamiryl''s expression softens even more, her eyes filled with understanding. "Then hold onto that, Talia," she says gently. "Because that''s the truth. That''s the Ryu you know."


    I breathe in deeply, wiping the tears from my face as I look at her. "Thank you..."


    Llamiryl nods, and without a word, she extends her hand to help me up. My legs still feel shaky beneath me, but I grasp her hand, letting her pull me to my feet. The stinging in my cheek remains sharp, a reminder of what just happened. My hand instinctively rises to touch it, and I glance at her, managing to ask, "Are you going to apologize for that?"


    She looks at me with a soft smile, her calm, steady demeanor back in place. "No," she says, shaking her head. "You needed it."


    I can''t help it. A small chuckle escapes me, the sound unfamiliar in the midst of everything that''s been happening. The fear that had taken root in my heart feels like it''s slowly washing away, and I let out a long, shaky breath. She''s right. That Ryu we saw—the one who did such horrifying things—that''s his past. A past he''s tried to bury, a past that haunts him.


    As I stand there, I realize something important: no matter how terrifying those memories are, I have to keep going. I have to keep moving forward. Ryu needs me—needs us. He can''t face this alone, and I won''t abandon him, no matter what the Shadowfell tries to show me.


    I feel a gentle tug on my sleeve, and when I look down, there''s Nikko, her wide eyes filled with concern. Before I can say anything, she wraps her small arms around me, holding me in a tight embrace. "Papa is not like that," she whispers into my chest, her voice trembling a little. "He''s a good man."


    I blink, the lump in my throat growing as I look down at her. She looks up at me with those big, innocent eyes, filled with the kind of certainty only a child can have. "He would never hurt us. You know that, right?"


    For a moment, I can''t speak. I just stare at her, my heart twisting with guilt for ever having doubted Ryu. Nikko''s words echo in my mind, and I realize how foolish I''ve been to let the Shadowfell get to me like that. I feel the sting of shame as much as the sting in my cheek.


    "I''m so sorry, Nikko," I manage to say, my voice barely a whisper. "You''re right. He would never hurt us."


    Nikko squeezes me a little tighter, and I can''t help but feel a strange mix of emotions—relief, guilt, and even a little amusement at the fact that a seven-year-old had to be the one to remind me of what I should have known all along. Ryu is a good man. He''s always been a good man, and I can''t let the Shadowfell''s twisted memories make me forget that.


    Llamiryl, standing a few steps away, raises her hand once more, and with a soft wave, another door materializes before us. She gestures for me and Nikko to follow as she steps through, her expression calm but firm, a silent reminder that we have to keep moving forward.


    I stare at the doorway, feeling the weight of everything still pressing down on me, but it''s lighter now. The fear is still there, but it doesn''t suffocate me like it did before. I take a deep breath, and then I feel it—Nikko''s small hand slipping into mine, giving it a soft squeeze.


    I look down at her, and she gives me a hopeful smile. It''s that smile—so full of trust, so full of belief—that makes me feel like I can keep going. Like I can do this.


    I smile back at her, feeling the warmth of her little hand in mine, and with that, we step through the door together.