Their footsteps echoed within the Cracked Tower, silent and cold. The stone walls, almost breathing, were lined with fine fractures that pulsed faintly, as though they had been waiting for their arrival all along. Ereth led the way—not as he once was. His face was calm, his eyes dim, but not like someone on the brink of death. There was a strange glow within him, something Luma couldn't quite name. But for now, she chose to remain silent.
"We're getting close," Ereth said softly, his voice echoing like it came from two different dimensions. Kael glanced over, his face tense but unwavering.
They arrived at a vast, empty hall—on every side stood rows of mirrors. Not ordinary ones, but enchanted mirrors that radiated ancient illusion and wisdom. Each one reflected a different version of reality.
"The Mirror Corridor," Ereth whispered. "Where truth and shadow clash."
Luma stepped forward. In front of her, the mirror showed herself dressed in silver robes, her hair long, holding a staff radiating divine magic. She looked magnificent. Respected. Revered.
But as she touched the mirror, the image changed. She saw herself alone, the world around her in ruins. That greatness turned hollow.
"I'm not Selene," she whispered. "I'm Luma. I choose to be myself, not the shadow of a legacy."
The mirror cracked and disappeared. She passed the test.
Kael stood before his mirror. It showed him crowned as the ruler of a new world. All bowed before him. But his face was empty. His heart, silent.
He gripped his sword and said, "I'm not a great hero. I just want to protect those I love."
The mirror shattered.
Lastly, Ereth stepped to his mirror. It did not show his reflection, but Vaeloth's shadow. And in that shadow, Ereth bowed as a servant. But the image began to shift—into another Ereth, glowing, his eyes gleaming with golden light.
"I'm no one's pawn," Ereth said. "And I'm no longer fully human."
The mirror gently exploded, and a mist of light filled the chamber. Through the mist, they found a room of ancient archives. Tomes, old scrolls, and symbols from a time before their known world.
Luma found an ancient manuscript—a depiction of Vaeloth when he still had wings of light. A Guardian of Light. Not a creature of darkness. But he had changed—betrayed and consumed by a desire to "free" the world from choice.
"Vaeloth isn't the enemy… he's a victim," Luma murmured. "And we can't destroy him. We need to free him."
Ereth drew a deep breath. "That's why I'm still alive. The last light, stored within me… it's part of the key to releasing him."
Kael looked confused. "You mean—you're carrying another entity inside you?"
Ereth nodded. "The Former Guardian of Light. It chose me when I was nearly destroyed. And now… we're nearing the end."
They walked on, and finally reached the final door. A great stone gate etched with faintly glowing symbols. Silence fell upon them.
Suddenly, a soft voice whispered into Luma's ear.
"Lioren…"
Luma flinched. That name echoed in her memory. A name she had once forgotten. A name that held the truth of who she really was.
The door slowly opened, and gentle light flowed out.
They were ready to step in.
Shadow and light had finally met.