Episode 9 — Echoes in the Void
Clover's hands trembled as he sank to a crouch, gripping Aetherfang like it was the last anchor in a storm. The shard's pulse had quieted, but the whisper lingered, curling around his thoughts like smoke.
"…we are the same
Nyx padded closer, ears flicking, tail swishing with a sharp rhythm. She glanced at him once, almost impatiently, then returned her gaze to the shard, which now pulsed faintly—still alive, still watching.
"Easy there, tiger," Clover muttered. "I get it. I'm apparently haunted by talking swords, glowing ghosts, and my own shadow now."
Before he could take another breath, a soft voice called from the corner of the room.
"You're letting it get under your skin."
Ryker stepped forward, his imposing silhouette framed by the shard's dim light. "Focus. Fear feeds shadows."
Clover shook his head, trying to shake off the lingering chill. "I wasn't afraid. I was… annoyed. Yeah, annoyed."
Aurora's voice chimed inside his mind, playful as ever. Annoyed? That's your new 'brave' Adorable.
Clover groaned, rolling his eyes. "Great. Even my sword is judging me now.
Ryker's expression hardened. "This isn't a game, Clover. That shadow… it isn't some trick of the shard. It's a fragment of what you could become if you let the darkness in.Clover clenched Aetherfang. "A fragment? You mean—like, literally me?"Ryker nodded. "And it won't just test your strength. It will try to tempt your instincts, your desires, even your doubts. That whispering voice… it's not random. It knows you. It is you, in a way. Only the part you refuse to acknowledge.
Nyx let out a low growl, ears flattened. The lynx's gaze swept over Clover like a warning. Clover exhaled slowly, trying to steady his racing heart. "So… I'm supposed to fight myself? Fantastic. Really, really fantastic."
A faint glow caught his eye. Aetherfang shimmered, and Aurora flickered, leaning casually against the blade. "Not exactly,"she said, her voice teasing but serious. "You're not alone in this one. But Her light flickered in rhythm with the shard. you'll have to choose whether to hold the blade—or let it hold you."l
Clover frowned, gripping the hilt tighter. "Choose? Wait—what are you talking about?"
Aurora's grin widened. "You'll see soon enough. The shard is… impatient."
The crystal pulsed again, violently this time, and the air around Clover shivered. Shadows twisted and writhed inside the light, like ink dropped into water.
"Ryker," Clover said, voice tense, "how long do we have before it fully wakes?"
Ryker's eyes narrowed, unblinking. "Not long. Prepare yourself. The next test will not be subtle."
The shard's pulse quickened, sending ripples of energy across the floor. Nyx crouched low, ready to pounce. Clover raised Aetherfang instinctively, feeling Aurora's presence hum like a heartbeat inside the blade.
Then—without warning—the shard shattered.
Fragments of silver-blue light exploded outward, twisting the shadows into spirals that leapt toward Clover like living spears. The room warped. Gravity faltered. Clover barely kept his footing as the shards of light formed a swirling vortex around him.
Aurora's voice rang sharp and clear in his mind. Remember, Clover: don't fight alone.
Clover's gaze hardened. "Then we fight… together.
The shards of the void whirled faster, and from the center emerged a shape—tall, faceless, and dark as midnight, its obsidian blade glinting with a malevolent edge. Its presence pressed down on Clover, a silent accusation, a reflection of the shadow he could become.
"…we are the same," it whispered, and the words wrapped around him again, heavier, insistent almost seductive.
Clover's grip on Aetherfang tightened. His own voice, unsteady but defiant, cut through the void: "I'm not you! I'm Clover Yeager! And I decide what I become!"The shadow froze, and for a heartbeat, the void was still. Aurora's light flared brightly, merging with the blade's pulse, and Nyx hissed sharply, feathers of electricity sparking along her fur.Then, with a surge of power that rattled the room to its very foundations, the shadow lunged.Clover leapt forward, Aetherfang blazing, Aurora's light wrapping around him like a shield. The first strike of the battle had begun. And in that instant, Clover knew: nothing in this city —or in his own soul—would ever be the same again.Clover's heart pounded like a war drum as the shadow's obsidian blade sliced through the void, sending ripples that made the shards of light quiver. Every instinct screamed for him to run, to hide, but Aetherfang hummed in his grip, pulsing in rhythm with his own heartbeat, as if sensing his determination.
Aurora flickered beside him, her radiant form dancing like liquid light. "Focus, Clover! Don't let it mirror your fear!" she called, her voice slicing through the chaos. "It wants you to hesitate!
Clover gritted his teeth. "I .. I won't!" He swung Aetherfang in a wide arc, its silver-blue edge clashing against the shadow's obsidian blade. The impact sent sparks of energy flying, and the sound of a thousand cracking glass shards echoed through the void.
The shadow recoiled just enough to whisper again: "…we are the same…" Its voice was seductive, dangerous, like it was probing the corners of his mind. Clover felt a pull, a temptation to yield, but he shook it off, focusing on the warmth emanating from Aetherfang—and the faint but unmistakable presence of Aurora.
"You feel it too, don't you? Aurora teased lightly, though her eyes were sharp as blades. "The pull. That's the shard's game. It wants you to doubt. To fall apart. But here's a hint: it doesn't know everything. Only what you let it see."
Clover's stomach twisted, sweat stinging his eyes. "Great. So I just… lie to it? Pretend I'm stronger than I feel?"
"Exactly!" Aurora said, flickering forward, her light wrapping around his arm. "Except don't just pretend. Be yourself. And then…" She smirked mischievously. "…show it who Clover really is."
The shadow attacked again, faster this time, a flurry of dark slashes that forced Clover to leap backward, sparks and smoke trailing from every contact. Nyx hissed, her silver eyes glinting, and launched herself at one of the smaller shadow shards, raking them apart with swift, precise strikes.
"Good girl," Clover muttered, even as he struggled to keep his footing. "Don't think I don't appreciate you, but—" He barely had time to finish before the shadow lunged again, this time striking with a force that sent him sprawling across the warped floor.
Aetherfang tumbled from his hands—but Aurora's light shot through, catching the blade midair and suspending it with a shimmer of golden-blue energy. Clover lunged forward, gripping it once more, feeling the familiar warmth course through him.
The shadow froze for a heartbeat, seemingly amused. "…you rely on them," it hissed, claws raking the air inches from Clover's face. "Even now… still weak."Clover's jaw clenched. "I don't rely on anyone!" he shouted. "I choose to fight with them!" The words echoed into the void, carried by the shard's residual energy.
Aurora's light flared, and suddenly, a golden wave pulsed outward, slamming into the shadow. It staggered back, shrieking—a distorted, echoing sound that rattled Clover's teeth.
"See?" Aurora said, hovering over the blade. "You've got more control than you think. Now… let's push back."
Clover nodded, feeling a spark of courage ignite within him. He stepped forward, the silver-blue light of Aetherfang coiling around his arms like living fire. With a roar, he swung the blade in a precise arc, cleaving through the shadow's nearest tendrils. Sparks of black and silver collided in midair, raining down like shattered stars.
The shadow's voice hissed again, softer this time—but colder, insidious. "…you can't escape me… your heart, your blade… mine."
Clover gritted his teeth, focusing on his own heartbeat. Mine, my blade, my soul… not yours. He lunged again, striking the shadow directly, the blade sinking into its form. But instead of dissipating, the shadow split, fracturing into multiple smaller copies, each swarming toward him.
Nyx leapt between him and the nearest shard, claws raking through the darkness with sparks of silver fire. Clover twisted midair, using the momentum to slash through another, feeling the pull of the shadow's whispers in his mind.
"Clover!" Aurora's voice pierced the noise. "Don't just fight them! Force the void to obey you!"
"Force it?!" Clover gasped, twisting his body to avoid a swipe. "How the—"
"Concentrate!" Aurora snapped. "Your blade, your aura, your intent—they listen! You just have to tell them what to do!"
Clover clenched Aetherfang with all his might. He took a deep breath, centering himself. "I… I am me! I am Clover Yeager! And I decide what I become!"
A shockwave of silver-blue energy burst from Aetherfang, blasting through the shadows. The void wavered, and the fractured shadow shrieked, splintering into fine wisps of darkness that dissolved in the glowing light.
Aurora's form glimmered beside him, smiling faintly. "That's it. There. Feel the difference?"
Clover staggered, chest heaving. "Yeah… I feel… stronger. But… it's not over, is it?"
"No," Ryker's voice rumbled from somewhere behind the shard's lingering glow. "This was only the first wave. The shard tests more than strength. It tests resolve, trust… and restraint."
Clover's stomach sank. "Restraint?"
Aurora laughed lightly, though a sharp edge lingered in her tone. "Oh, you'll love restraint. But don't worry… I'll be here. Sort of. Mostly."
The void pulsed again, quieter this time, the shard's heartbeat echoing faintly. A single shadow rose from the remnants, faceless and still. Its obsidian blade glimmered faintly, but the malicious energy seemed… uncertain.Clover raised Aetherfang, feeling Aurora's warmth steadying his grip. "I'm ready. Come on, then."
The shadow tilted its head, a mimic of Clover's own stance, and whispered: "…we are the same…"
Clover's eyes burned with determination. "No. We are not the same! I choose my own path!"
The void quaked, the shard pulsed, and Aurora's light flared brightly, casting golden and blue reflections across the dark floor. Nyx crouched beside him, ready for anything.
And then, for the first time, Clover felt the thrill of the fight—not fear, not panic, not dread. Just raw, focused intent.
The shadow advanced, and Clover met it head-on.This was no longer just a test. This was a declaration: he would not be consumed. He would not falter. He would define himself.
And in that moment, the shard pulsed once more, almost in approval, as if the void itself had recognized the courage within him.
Aurora's playful voice echoed one last time in his mind: Good. Very good. But don't get comfortable… the real fun is just beginning.