The plane hummed with life, a harmonious symphony of golden rivers and crystalline structures that Kael Thorn and Liana Sevier had brought into existence. Every stream of energy, every towering peak, and every glimmering thread of light was a reflection of their shared will. But this harmony, born out of unity and resilience, was deceptively fragile—a truth that Kael felt weighing heavily in the air.
He stood on the ridge of a glowing hill, the warm currents of energy flowing around his boots like mist. His gaze was fixed on the horizon, where the skies began to darken, shadows creeping in like an encroaching tide. It was subtle at first—merely a faint shift in light, a soft ripple in the otherwise perfect expanse—but for Kael, it was unmistakable.
"Do you see that?" he murmured, his voice steady but tense.
Liana stood a few paces behind him, her hand resting instinctively on the hilt of her blade. She frowned, her sharp green eyes scanning the horizon. The skies had always carried a golden hue in this plane, as if painted by the light itself. But now…
"Yes," she said, her voice low. "I see it."
The Unease Settles In
The subtle darkness spread slowly, as though testing its reach. The rivers of light nearby flickered, their once-perfect glow dimming just slightly, like a candle struggling against a strong breeze. The trees that dotted the hills swayed unnaturally, their golden leaves rustling even though there was no wind.
Liana tightened her grip on her blade. "This isn't normal."
Kael's jaw tightened. He could feel it now, deep within the shards that pulsed inside him—a faint but insistent vibration, as if the plane itself were warning him.
"It's not," he admitted. "The balance is shifting."
"Shifting?" Liana pressed, stepping closer. "We stabilized this place. We mended the fractures. How can it be shifting already?"
Kael didn't answer immediately. His eyes remained fixed on the horizon, where the shadows thickened and began to swirl, forming tendrils that reached upward toward the golden sky. It wasn't just the sky—it was the very essence of the plane, bending and distorting under the weight of something foreign.
"This isn't just the balance," Kael said finally. "It's something else. Something... new. "
The First Sign
The ground beneath them trembled—softly at first, then with a growing intensity that sent ripples across the rivers and fractured the crystalline formations nearby. A low, haunting sound echoed through the air, not quite a growl, not quite a roar, but a vibration that resonated through their very cores.
Liana drew her blade instinctively, her stance shifting to defense. "Kael, what is that?"
Kael's eyes narrowed. He could feel the shards responding, their energy surging within him, flaring in defiance. "It's not the Echo," he said slowly. "But it feels… familiar."
The sound grew louder, and from the edge of the darkened horizon, something emerged.
At first, it was little more than a shadow, an amorphous shape writhing and pulsing as it moved. But as it drew closer, its form became clearer: a towering mass of energy and darkness, its edges flickering like a dying flame. Its movements were deliberate, purposeful, as though it were drawn to them by some unseen force.
"What the hell is that?" Liana asked, her voice edged with both fear and fury.
Kael's hand twitched, the glow of the shards within him intensifying. "I don't know," he said, his voice low. "But it's here for us."
The Shadow's Advance
The shadow moved swiftly now, its tendrils lashing out at the golden rivers, disrupting their flow and leaving streaks of darkness in their wake. The once-vibrant plane seemed to recoil from its presence, the energy dimming wherever the shadow passed.
Kael stepped forward, his fists glowing with the energy of the shards. "Stay back," he told Liana, his voice firm.
Liana scoffed, stepping up beside him. "Not a chance. If this thing's coming for us, we fight it together."
The shadow roared, its voice a cacophony of fragmented whispers and guttural growls. It lashed out, a massive tendril of darkness hurtling toward them.
Kael raised his hand, releasing a burst of golden light that collided with the tendril, forcing it back. The impact sent a shockwave through the air, rippling across the ground and shaking the trees.
The shadow recoiled but didn't retreat. Instead, it shifted, its form growing larger, more defined. Eyes—dozens of them—opened along its surface, glowing with a pale, unnatural light.
"This isn't just a fragment," Kael said, his voice grim. "This is something…worse."
The Struggle for Balance
The battle began in earnest. The shadow struck relentlessly, its tendrils lashing out with chaotic force, each one aimed directly at Kael and Liana.
Kael countered with the energy of the shards, releasing bursts of light that clashed with the darkness. Each impact sent ripples of power through the plane, shaking the very foundations of their creation.
Liana moved with precision, her blade cutting through the tendrils with deadly efficiency. But for every tendril she destroyed, another appeared, stronger and more aggressive.
"This isn't working!" she shouted, dodging an attack. "It's not slowing down!"
Kael gritted his teeth, his mind racing. The shadow wasn't just attacking—it was feeding on the plane, drawing power from the very world they had created.
"We need to cut it off!" Kael called. "It's drawing energy from the plane. If we sever the connection—"
Before he could finish, the shadow struck again, a massive wave of darkness crashing down on them.
The Breaking Point
The impact sent both Kael and Liana sprawling, the force of the attack driving them back. Kael's vision blurred as he struggled to his feet, his body pulsing with the shards' energy.
Liana groaned, pushing herself up with her blade. "We're losing ground, Kael. What's the plan?"
Kael looked at the shadow, now towering above them, its form consuming the light of the plane. He could feel the balance slipping, the harmony they had fought so hard to create unraveling with every passing moment.
But then, deep within the shards, he felt something shift—a spark of clarity, a faint but undeniable realization.
"The Echo isn't testing us," he said, his voice steady.
Liana frowned. "What are you talking about?"
Kael's gaze hardened, his fists glowing brighter. "This isn't a test. This is a warning. "
The Storm Breaks
Before Liana could respond, the shadow roared again, its tendrils lashing out in all directions. But this time, Kael didn't retreat. He stepped forward, releasing a surge of light that collided with the shadow's core.
The impact was explosive, the force of it tearing through the plane and splitting the sky. For a moment, everything was still—silent.
But then the shadow recoiled, pulling back toward the horizon, its form flickering and unstable. As it retreated, the darkness in the sky began to fade, the light of the plane slowly returning.
Kael lowered his hand, his breath heavy. "It's gone… for now."
Liana stepped beside him, her blade still drawn. "But it'll come back."
Kael nodded. "And next time, it won't just be a warning."
He turned to her, his expression grim but determined. "We need to find out what this is—and how to stop it. Before it's too late."
What is the shadow, and why does it threaten the balance of eternity?
Can Kael and Liana uncover the truth before their world unravels?