Part 2 – The Shadow in the Light
The silence of the wasteland was deep, broken only by the rustling wind between the rocks and the slow heartbeat of one who waited.
Kayla sat cross-legged atop a circle drawn in the dust with willow ash. Her cloak was neatly folded, and in the center of the circle, a silver bowl filled with dark water reflected a starless sky.
She inhaled slowly. Her eyelids lowered, and the magic began to flow.
An invisible whisper rose around her. The shadows grew denser, and the mist seemed to bend, holding its breath.
In the reflection of the water, something moved.
At first, it was just a vague figure, like a faceless shadow. But then the outline took shape: long dark hair, deep eyes…
A figure resembling Yuri, but taller, more confident. The face remained unclear, as though a veil separated it from reality.
Light and shadow chased each other across her skin, dancing without merging.
Around her: fragments of memory, sparks of power, flowers withering at her feet, and behind her, a glimpse of a broken throne.
Kayla held her breath. She couldn't tell whether she was seeing a future, a nightmare… or merely the reflection of her fears.
The figure in the vision slowly turned her head, as if aware of being watched.
Her eyes glowed. Not with hatred. Not with light. But with possibility.
Then everything vanished.
The circle went out, the bowl emptied in a flash, and the shadows withdrew like a weary tide.
Kayla opened her eyes.
"You… what did you really see, girl?" she whispered, to no one in particular.
She rose slowly. Her voice was barely a murmur lost to the wind.
"Light and shadow… have never been so close."