He's right. The corruption spreads faster now, black veins creeping up her neck despite my attempts to slow them. Her wings shudder with each labored breath, and the shadows surrounding her ripple with shared distress.
"Almost there," I promise, though I'm not sure if I'm reassuring her or myself. I remember the old phrase, the one Solveig used to whisper when the world still made sense: when shadow and light become one, the gates shall remember their purpose.
Malrik's expression darkens as we climb the castle steps. "I grew up here," he says softly. "Before the corruption—before everything twisted—it was the most beautiful place I'd ever known."
"It will be again." The words carry more weight than I intend. Another shadow forms, this one bearing the essence of a guardian I lost in the first wave of corruption. "If we succeed."
Finn looks between us. "Anyone want to share with the rest of the class what exactly is going on here?"
But before I can answer, Kaia's wings flare with sudden light. The corruption recoils as more shadows surge into being around her—dozens now, each one carrying a piece of what was lost. The crowd below gasps in wonder, and I feel the ancient magic stirring beneath our feet.
For the first time in centuries, I dare to hope.
"Get her inside," Revna orders, her phoenix fire already blazing. "I'll hold the barriers."
As we carry her through the castle doors, I try not to think about how many times I've seen hope crumble in the face of corruption. But watching these shadows… her shadows move in perfect unity, seeing the way even the strange drifting wisp seems drawn to her light...
Maybe this time will be different.
It has to be.
The fate of all realms depends on it.
Chapter 12
Malrik
The castle's halls echo with whispered prayers, but all I can hear is Kaia's labored breathing. Black veins spread across her skin like spiderwebs, and my chest tightens at their familiar pattern. I've seen this before, not just when it started creeping across her skin at the academy, but years ago, watching it consume my father. The memory hits harder now that I understand what it was, what it meant.
I won't let her be taken. Not like the corruption took them from me.
My fingers tighten around Kaia's hand as we follow Kieran deeper into the sanctuary. Each step stirs memories I've spent years burying, running these halls as a child, hiding in alcoves I once thought were secret, trailing my fingers along walls that seemed to pulse with life. Before the corruption drove us out. Before everything changed.
"The healing chambers are ahead," Kieran says, his ancient power rolling off him in waves.
"Through the crystal archway," I finish quietly. His sharp look makes me add: "I remember."
"When you said you were from another realm," Finn says beside me, his usual playful tone tight with worry, "I pictured something less dramatic." His shoulder brushes mine as we walk, a casual touch that sends warmth through my chest despite everything—and I hate how much I need it.
"Everything about him is dramatic," Torric mutters behind us. "You've seen his wardrobe."
I ignore them both, too focused on the way Kaia's wings shudder with each breath. Her shadows ripple with shared distress, both the ones I've grown familiar with and new ones still gathering around her. Bob maintains a careful perimeter while Patricia's frantic documentation feels more desperate than usual.
We pass the great hall where I once sat at my father's feet during council meetings, pretending to understand politics while secretly counting the crystals embedded in the ceiling. The room where my mother taught me to dance, her laughter echoing off walls that no longer gleam. The corridor where I first learned to manipulate shadows, my father's patient guidance making the darkness feel like an extension of myself.
The healing chamber glows with soft golden light when we enter, crystals humming with ancient magic. More shadows appear as we cross the threshold, drawn to Kaia's presence from all corners of the sanctuary.
"Put her here," Kieran instructs, laying Kaia on a crystal bed that pulses with healing energy. Her wings settle naturally against the smooth surface, and I have to force myself to let go of her hand.
"The corruption's spreading faster," Aspen observes, frost forming in his hair as he studies the black veins. "Like it's trying to reach something."
"The Heart," Kieran confirms grimly. "It wants the Heart of Eternity. And it knows she's the tether."
My throat tightens as another memory hits—my mother's voice, urgent and breaking, as she pushed me through a portal. "The Heart must be protected," she'd said. "No matter the cost." Then the portal closed, and she was gone.
A warm hand settles on my shoulder, surprising me. Finn stands closer than I expected, his usual mischief replaced by quiet understanding. "Hey," he says softly. "We're not losing her."
The certainty in his voice makes something in my chest ache. Before I can respond, Kaia's wings flare with sudden light. The corruption recoils as more shadows gather around her, dozens now, drawn from every corner of the sanctuary. Their movements are purposeful, coordinated, like an army remembering its strength.
