The memory quakes again, harder this time, and I feel its presence closing in. Dark tendrils of shadow snake through the air, twisting and writhing, as the familiar coldness seeps into my mind. My breath catches, and I feel the hairs on the back of my neck rise. Nikko stiffens beside me, and I know she feels it too.


    A voice echoes through the darkness—low, deep, and dripping with malice.


    "You thought you could save him, didn''t you?" the Shadowfell whispers, its words coiling around my mind like a cold, poisonous fog. "You thought, if you were fast enough, if you tried hard enough, you could catch up to me. But you were always too late."


    The darkness presses in, suffocating. I struggle to breathe, my chest tight as the Shadowfell''s voice slithers through my thoughts. Nikko clings to me, her small body trembling. Even Llamiryl, normally so composed, seems shaken, her eyes darting around the encroaching shadows.


    "Ryu was never yours to save," the voice continues, its tone dripping with scorn. "You chased me through his mind, hoping to find the source of his pain, hoping to free him from the darkness. But it was all in vain. You failed."


    The words feel like daggers, each one sinking deep. I thought we could help him—I thought we could catch up, stop the Shadowfell before it took over. But the crushing weight of the Shadowfell''s power presses down on me, and I can''t help but feel the cold sting of truth in its words. Nikko whimpers beside me, her fear palpable.


    "You were always too slow, too weak," the Shadowfell hisses, its voice growing darker, more menacing. "And now look at you, clinging to your last scraps of hope. You''ve lost. Ryu is mine."


    My breath catches. The darkness is too thick, too overwhelming. I want to scream, to fight back, but it feels like the air has been stolen from my lungs. Nikko tightens her grip on my arm, her small fingers trembling. Llamiryl''s jaw is clenched, but even she looks cornered, the weight of the words bearing down on us.


    "In this mind, in this place, you will die," the Shadowfell whispers, the finality of its words chilling. "Just like Ryu will die. Alone. Trapped in his grief, abandoned by those who thought they could save him."


    The darkness presses closer, wrapping tighter around us. The Shadowfell''s words ring in my ears, heavy with bitter truth. I tried to save him. I tried. But it wasn''t enough. We were too late.


    And then—silence.


    The Shadowfell''s presence disappears, leaving us in a void of shadows, alone, its taunts echoing in the empty darkness. Nikko''s quiet sobs are the only sound, her small body trembling against me. Llamiryl''s fists are clenched, her gaze scanning the blackness around us.


    But there''s nothing. Just shadows. Just emptiness.


    I feel utterly defeated. The weight of everything presses down on me, crushing the last bit of hope I had. Around us, there''s nothing but this dark, oppressive void. Nikko clings to me, sobbing into my side, her small body trembling with every breath. The ground shakes violently beneath us, as if the entire world is falling apart. We were too late. We couldn''t save him.


    Anger rises inside me like a fire—anger at the Shadowfell, but more than that, anger at myself. How could I let this happen? How could I be so helpless?


    Nikko''s cries tear at me, but I can''t comfort her. I feel just as lost as she does.


    "It''s not too late," Llamiryl says, her voice cutting through the chaos.


    I turn to her, my heart pounding. "What do you mean?" My voice is sharper than I intend, frustration bubbling over. "There''s nothing around us! We lost! We need to escape before we die here!" The words spill out in a rush, laced with desperation.


    But Llamiryl doesn''t flinch. Instead, she steps forward, her eyes narrowing as she speaks in a firm, sharper tone. "It is not over."


    Her words stop me cold, my anger faltering.


    "Ryu is trapped in his subconscious, with the Shadowfell," she says, her voice steady. "There, we can go to save him."


    For a moment, I stare at her, my thoughts racing. Could it be possible? Can we still reach him? I grit my teeth, impatience taking hold. "Then let''s go," I say, urgency creeping into my voice.


    Llamiryl closes her eyes, concentrating hard. The void shakes around us again, violently. She''s struggling, and I can see the strain on her face. My heart races, and I grip my bow tightly, ready for anything. Then, after what feels like an eternity, a door begins to form in front of us—but it looks damaged, worn.


    The door is made of metal, but it''s covered in deep dents and scratches. Rust is starting to spread across its surface, consuming it slowly like a disease. It looks like it''s barely holding together. Llamiryl waves her hand, and the door groans as it opens with a cry of metal scraping on metal.


    For the first time in what feels like ages, a small flicker of hope ignites in my chest. I glance down at Nikko, who looks up at the door with wide, tear-filled eyes. She seems a little hopeful too, even through the tears. We rush toward the door, my heart pounding, and step through.


    What waits for us on the other side is nothing like I imagined.


    We''re standing in the temple of Ryu''s old master on Korriban, but it''s... different. The once-proud banners that hang on either side of the hall are tattered and worn, their vibrant colors faded to dull grays. The walls of the temple are cracked and broken, pieces of stone crumbling as if the weight of time has eroded them. The air is thick, heavy with the smell of decay. It''s like the entire place is falling apart, a ruin of what it once was.


    At the far end of the room, where the throne should stand tall and commanding, it''s now barely recognizable. The once-grand throne is heavily damaged, cracked and chipped, barely holding together.


    And there, bound to the throne, is Ryu.


    My breath catches in my throat. He''s slumped against the seat, his head hanging low, his arms and legs pinned by shadowy tendrils that pulse with dark energy. The Shadowfell itself looms over him, a shapeless mass of shadow, its presence overwhelming. Tendrils of darkness wrap around Ryu, digging into his skin, draining him of his life force.


    I can hear him muttering under his breath. "I''m sorry, Lyra... I''m so sorry..." His voice is weak, broken. Each word is filled with pain and regret, and with every apology, it feels like the Shadowfell tightens its grip on him, pulling him deeper into the darkness.


    My heart shatters at the sight.


    We need to save him.


    The Shadowfell turns toward us, its two eyes narrowing into slits. "Thought you might come," it says, its voice low and dripping with malice. "But you are far too late. Soon, he will die, and there''s nothing you can do to stop that!"


    Its voice rises into a sharp shout, and the entire temple shakes violently, the crumbling walls groaning under the weight of its power. Dust and debris fall from the ceiling as the air around us seems to tremble with dark energy.


    I grit my teeth, my hands tightening around the grip of my energy bow its power coursing through me. I pull the bowstring, the pink energy forming an arrow, glowing brightly against the darkness around us.


    With a deep breath, I release.


    The pink bolt flies straight for the Shadowfell, the air around it crackling with energy, but the Shadowfell raises a shadowy limb, and a dark barrier forms in front of it, absorbing the impact. The bolt smacks into the barrier with a bright flash of light, but it doesn''t even flinch.


    Nikko is hiding behind me, her small hands clutching at my leg. Her wide eyes are glued to Ryu, who remains bound to the throne, his body limp, his life force slowly draining away.


    "Papa..." she whispers, her voice so small, so scared.


    I lower my bow, my heart racing. "Nikko, stay close," I say, my voice as steady as I can manage, though I feel the same fear.


    Llamiryl steps forward, her face set with determination, her hands glowing with golden energy. She extends her arms, and bolts of golden mana shoot from her hands, lighting up the dark room. Each bolt is a brilliant streak of light, but the Shadowfell raises its limbs again, and like before, a barrier of darkness absorbs each attack.


    "Your attacks are useless!" it laughs, its voice filled with venom. The air grows colder, darker, the very essence of the place growing more hostile by the second.


    The temple shakes again, more violently this time, the ground beneath us trembling as cracks splinter across the floor. I can feel the oppressive weight of the Shadowfell bearing down on us, the very air thick with its dark power.


    "We''re running out of time," Llamiryl says, her voice strained. Her eyes flick toward Ryu, still bound, his face pale and covered in sweat. "Only Ryu can break free and stop the Shadowfell. We can''t do it for him."


    Before I can respond, the Shadowfell lashes out, launching spheres of dark mana in our direction, each one pulsing with malevolent energy. Llamiryl reacts instantly, raising her hands and summoning a barrier of golden light. The dark mana crashes into the barrier with an explosive force, sending ripples through the air. Llamiryl winces as the energy reverberates against her magic.


    "Quick, Talia!" Llamiryl shouts. "Call out to Ryu!"


    I nod, stepping closer to the barrier as more dark mana slams against it, the impact shaking the ground beneath us. "Ryu!" I shout, my voice strained as I try to reach him. "You have to break free! You need to fight it!"


    But he doesn''t move. He doesn''t hear me. He''s still muttering to himself, broken and defeated, the words "I''m sorry, Lyra... I''m so sorry..." barely audible over the chaos around us.


    The Shadowfell''s attacks grow fiercer, the dark mana turning into tendrils of shadow that lash out against Llamiryl''s barrier, battering it from every direction.


    "Talia!" Llamiryl''s voice is tense, her brow furrowed as she struggles to hold the barrier. "Ryu blames himself for Lyra''s death! You need to break him free from his guilt!"This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    I feel a pang of frustration and desperation well up inside me. "How do I do that?" I shout back, panic creeping into my voice as the barrier shakes under the barrage of tendrils and dark mana.


    Llamiryl''s gaze flicks to me, her eyes hard with resolve. "You have to reach him!" she shouts, her voice strained as another wave of dark energy slams against the barrier, sending cracks rippling through the golden light. "If you don''t reach him now, the Shadowfell will take him completely!"


    I glance at Ryu, still bound, his body slack, his face pale. He''s drowning in his guilt. The Shadowfell is feeding off it, draining him, and if I don''t break through to him, it''ll all be over. I feel the weight of it pressing down on me—the responsibility, the fear.


    Another barrage of shadowy tendrils crashes into Llamiryl''s barrier, and I can see it starting to crack, the light flickering as she struggles to maintain it.


    I take a deep breath and grip my energy bow tightly. I have to get to Ryu. I have to make him see that this isn''t his fault.


    I cry out to Ryu, desperation clawing at my throat. "Ryu, listen to me! It wasn''t your fault! Lyra''s death—it wasn''t your fault!" My voice shakes with emotion, my heart pounding in my chest. I can see the pain etched into every inch of his face, the guilt weighing him down like a crushing tide. But he doesn''t react. He just keeps muttering the same broken words over and over. "I''m sorry, Lyra... I''m so sorry..."


    Frustration surges through me. "Llamiryl, it''s not working!" I shout, glancing back at her, panic rising in my chest. "He''s not listening to me!"


    Llamiryl''s eyes flick toward me, her face tight with concentration. "You have to get close to him!" she says, her voice firm but strained. She raises one hand toward the Shadowfell, her other hand still holding the barrier in place, her lips moving in a whisper of an incantation.


    "Avert your eyes!" she calls out, loud enough for both Nikko and me to hear.


    I turn away, squeezing my eyes shut just as a powerful wave of energy bursts through the air. Even through my closed lids, I can feel the blinding brightness, a heat so intense it radiates across my skin. The release of power sends a shiver down my spine, and for a moment, everything around me stills.


    The Shadowfell lets out a terrible, ear-piercing cry, its voice filled with pain and fury. The sound reverberates through the temple, shaking the very ground beneath us.


    "Go now!" Llamiryl shouts, her voice filled with urgency as she starts firing spheres of golden mana at the Shadowfell. Each sphere lights up the room, glowing brightly against the surrounding darkness, but the Shadowfell raises a barrier of dark mana, blocking each attack with ease.


    I don''t hesitate. I bolt forward, my legs moving faster than I''ve ever run. My heart thunders in my chest, my eyes darting between Ryu, still bound to the throne, and the Shadowfell, which has resumed its barrage on Llamiryl.


    But then the ground shudders beneath my feet, harder than before. I stumble slightly but regain my footing just as I notice something—puddles of shadow appearing all over the temple floor. Dark, thick pools of inky blackness spread out in front of me, rippling as if alive.


    My breath catches in my throat as figures begin to rise from the shadows, their forms shifting and writhing as they pull themselves up from the pools of darkness. I take a step back, my pulse racing as I watch the shapes solidify, their blackness giving way to twisted, distorted versions of Lyra.


    My eyes widen in horror. "No..." I whisper under my breath.


    The Lyra figures—their faces twisted, their eyes empty, their bodies contorted—advance toward me, their movements slow but deliberate. I draw my energy bow, the pink light of the bolt glowing brightly as I pull back the string. I aim for the nearest Lyra, my heart pounding in my chest.


    With a deep breath, I release.


    The arrow flies forward, piercing the twisted Lyra through the chest. As soon as the arrow makes contact, the figure collapses into a puddle of black goo, splashing to the ground before disappearing entirely. The room trembles slightly with the impact, and then I hear it—"Lyra, no!!" Ryu''s voice, filled with anguish and despair, echoes through the temple.


    My chest tightens.


    The other Lyra figures move in, surrounding me from all sides. The Lyra''s are getting to close to use my bow so I press a button on the side, folding it in one swift motion, and sheath it behind me. My hands reach for the twin short swords at my back, drawing them in one fluid motion.


    I grip the hilts tightly, feeling the weight of them in my hands. The Lyra figures move closer, their hollow eyes locked on me, their faces twisted in silent accusation.


    I lunge forward, slashing at the first one. My blade cuts through her, the figure dissolving into another puddle of black goo as she collapses. The ground shakes again, harder this time, and Ryu cries out in agony. "No! Lyra... please!"


    Each Lyra I strike down, the temple shakes more violently, and Ryu''s cries grow louder, more broken. "I''m sorry! I''m so sorry, Lyra!"


    My heart pounds in my chest, panic rising inside me as I realize what''s happening. Each time I kill one of these twisted Lyras, it''s only pulling Ryu deeper into his despair. The more I fight, the worse it gets.


    Another Lyra lunges toward me, and I sidestep, slashing through her with my blade. She melts into a puddle of goo at my feet, and the ground shakes violently once more. "No! Lyra, no!" Ryu''s voice is raw with pain, his face twisted in grief.


    I can''t do this. I can''t keep fighting them—it''s only making things worse.


    I sheath my swords quickly, dodging as another twisted Lyra lunges at me. I duck under her arm, narrowly avoiding her grasp, and move through the crowd of Lyras, my eyes fixed on Ryu.


    I weave through the figures, dodging their attacks, my heart racing as I push forward. Every step brings me closer to Ryu, but the temple shakes more violently with each Lyra I leave behind. The ground beneath me is unstable, cracks splintering across the floor, but I keep moving, my mind focused on one thing—reaching Ryu.


    I reach Ryu, my heart pounding in my chest as I see him up close. His body is slumped against the throne, the dark tendrils of the Shadowfell still wrapped around him, draining his life force. His clothes, the cloak, the armor—it''s all the same as what he wore on Aranthia, but now it''s like all the color, all the light has been drained from him. His hood is down, his face exposed, and I freeze when I see his eyes.


    His pupils are pale, empty, as if the very light inside him has gone out. His gaze is distant, unfocused, staring off into nothingness. His lips are moving, but all that comes out is a broken mutter, "I''m sorry, Lyra... I''m so sorry..." Tears stream down his face, and the sight of it nearly shatters me.


    Before I can move, the Shadowfell shifts, and from the darkness, tendrils fly straight toward me, fast and deadly. My breath catches in my throat, and I brace for the impact, but just before they can hit, a golden barrier flares up around me, stopping the tendrils in their tracks. The dark energy crashes against the barrier, but it holds—for now.


    The twisted Lyras around me pound against the barrier as well, their faces distorted in silent screams, their hands clawing at the golden light. But the barrier holds them back, too. I can hear the strain in Llamiryl''s voice as she shouts from across the room, "Hurry! I can''t hold that barrier for long!"


    I nod, pushing the fear down and stepping closer to Ryu. His muttering is constant, his voice raw and broken. "I''m sorry, Lyra... I''m so sorry..." The words are like a knife in my chest. I reach out, my hand trembling, and gently take his.


    His hand is ice cold.


    The shock of it sends a shiver up my spine, but I don''t let go. I hold on tight. "Ryu," I whisper, my voice shaking, but he doesn''t respond. His gaze doesn''t shift, his eyes still staring blankly ahead.


    I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself. "Ryu, listen to me. This... this isn''t your fault. Lyra''s death... it wasn''t something you could stop. You did everything you could. It''s not your fault."


    But the words sound weak, hollow. Even as I say them, I can feel how thin they are, how little weight they carry. Ryu doesn''t react, his expression unchanged. His lips keep moving, his voice still a broken whisper. "I''m sorry, Lyra... I''m so sorry..."


    The area around us shakes violently, the temple groaning under the pressure. Cracks splinter across the ground, and the air is thick with dark energy. I glance over my shoulder, seeing the strain on Llamiryl''s face as she struggles to maintain the barrier.


    "Hurry!" she shouts again, her voice tight with effort. "I can''t hold it much longer!"


    Panic flares inside me. It''s not working. Ryu''s not hearing me. I have to get through to him.


    Tears well up in my eyes as I look at Ryu, seeing him so broken, so lost. "Ryu, please!" I beg, my voice trembling with desperation. "You have to let go! Lyra is dead, but it was not your fault!" My voice cracks as I cry out to him, but again, there''s no reaction.


    His gaze remains distant, his lips still murmuring the same painful words, over and over. "I''m sorry, Lyra... I''m so sorry..."


    My heart breaks as I watch him, knowing that every second we lose is dragging him deeper into this darkness. I step closer, reaching up with a trembling hand to touch his face. His skin is cold beneath my fingertips, but I gently turn his face toward mine, forcing him to look at me. "Ryu, please!" I cry, my voice thick with emotion. "It wasn''t your fault! Majel killed her! You did everything you could, but you can''t keep on living with this guilt!" Tears stream down my cheeks, my voice shaking as I lock eyes with him, pleading with everything I have.


    For the first time, there''s a flicker in his pale pupils, a faint spark of something—something that isn''t the endless despair. His lips tremble as he tries to speak, his voice barely a whisper. "I-I..." He stutters, struggling to form the words. "I can''t... She''s gone..." Another tear slips down his cheek, and the weight of his grief is crushing, pulling him deeper into the darkness.


    The Shadowfell''s attacks grow fiercer, its dark tendrils slamming against the golden barrier that Llamiryl holds around us. Cracks form in the barrier, thin lines of weakness spidering across the glowing light. The entire area shakes violently, the ground beneath us trembling as the darkness presses in.


    I don''t have much time. "Ryu, listen to me," I whisper, my voice soft but urgent. "Lyra is gone, but that doesn''t mean she''s truly lost." I can feel the tears streaming down my face as I speak, the words coming from the deepest part of me. "She lives on in you, Ryu. Her love, her memory, everything she gave you—it''s all still here."


    I see the flicker in his eyes grow stronger, his gaze shifting ever so slightly. He''s listening. "You carry her with you, always," I continue, my voice steady despite the chaos around us. "You don''t have to live with this guilt, Ryu. Lyra wouldn''t want that for you. She would want you to live, to keep going."


    The cracks in the barrier grow wider, the shaking more violent as the Shadowfell hammers against it. "I don''t know if I have the strength to do that..." Ryu mutters, his voice breaking. His shoulders slump, and I can see how much he''s been carrying, the weight of it all suffocating him.


    But I won''t let him fall. I grab his hand with my other hand, holding on tight. "You do, Ryu," I say, my voice strong now. "Because you''re not alone. You have Nikko. And..." I hesitate for just a second, my heart pounding. "And you have me."


    His gaze meets mine, his eyes flickering with emotion, and for a moment, I see a spark of life there. The ground shakes harder beneath us, the barrier on the verge of shattering.


    Suddenly, with a deafening crack, the barrier shatters, the golden light exploding in a burst of energy. The dark tendrils of the Shadowfell lunge forward, coiling and twisting as they surge toward us, ready to engulf both Ryu and me.


    I raise my arms, bracing for the impact as the dark tendrils surge toward me. My heart pounds in my chest, the fear gripping me, but the blow never comes. Slowly, I lower my arms and open my eyes—and what I see fills me with a sudden rush of relief.


    Ryu is standing.


    His arm is raised, palm outstretched, and the dark tendrils are halted in mid-air, frozen in place. My breath catches in my throat as I stare at him. He''s no longer slumped in defeat—he''s standing tall, strong. The flicker in his eyes is no longer faint, no longer distant. It''s him. He''s back.


    A smile spreads across my face, a wave of pure relief washing over me.


    "Nooo!" The Shadowfell shrieks, its voice filled with fury and fear. It lashes out, unleashing spheres of dark mana, one after the other, the air crackling with malevolent energy. Tendrils fly toward Ryu in a desperate attempt to strike him down, but I watch as Ryu reaches for his lightsaber.


    With a snap-hiss, the yellow blade ignites, glowing brilliantly in the dark temple. My heart races as I watch him, the Ryu I know, the Ryu who fights for those he cares about, standing before me.


    He moves with precision and strength, his lightsaber cutting through the dark mana spheres one by one. Each tendril that flies toward him is met with the sharp hum of his blade, the ends of the tendrils burning away as his saber slices through them. The Shadowfell cries out in agony, its voice a piercing wail that echoes through the room, shaking the very walls of the temple.


    Ryu doesn''t hesitate. With a powerful leap, he lunges toward the Shadowfell, his lightsaber cutting through the dark mass in a single, clean stroke.


    The Shadowfell''s shriek rises to a deafening pitch as its form splits into two, the two halves writhing in pain as they burn away, the darkness dissolving into the air like smoke. The entire temple shakes as the Shadowfell''s final, tortured cry fills the space, echoing and fading into nothingness before it disappears completely.


    Ryu lands gracefully on the ground, his lightsaber still ignited, the yellow blade casting a warm glow in the aftermath of the battle. He turns to me, and for the first time in what feels like forever, I see him—Ryu, whole and present. His eyes, no longer pale and distant, are filled with emotion. His face, though weary, holds a look of deep gratitude, a thankfulness so profound that it takes my breath away.


    His lips part, and his voice, steady and soft, carries across the now-silent temple. "Thank you."


    The words are simple, but the weight behind them is immense. Relief, gratitude, and understanding flow between us, and in that moment, everything feels... right.


    Before I can respond, a brilliant white light begins to fill the room, illuminating everything around us. The light grows brighter, washing over the entire temple, until it''s all I can see.