Seren's voice echoed through the chamber, smooth and mocking. His armor was cracked from the last battle, but his eyes burned with cold determination. Behind him, the shadows of the forest twisted, forming a veil around the temple entrance.
"You led me straight to what I was searching for," he said softly. "How considerate."
Aster stepped in front of Erian, sword drawn, his aura flaring like fire. "You should have stayed buried."
Seren tilted his head. "And let you two rewrite the world? I don't think so. The Heart of Lumis belongs to the Empire."
"The Empire doesn't even know what it's dealing with," Aster growled.
Seren smirked. "That's where you're wrong. High Priest Orion knows exactly what this relic is. And he knows what it will do to the vessel."
Erian stood slowly, the shard's faint glow reflecting in his eyes. "You're not taking it."
Seren's smile widened. "I wasn't asking."
He moved like lightning. His blade cut through the air, trailing silver sparks. Aster met him head-on, their clash lighting up the dark chamber. Sparks flew as steel struck steel, each blow heavier than the last. The air rippled with the force of their strikes.
Erian raised his hand, trying to summon light, but the shard's energy pulsed violently. His mark flared, burning through his chest like fire. The walls trembled. Runic symbols on the floor began to glow, reacting to his power.
Seren noticed and laughed. "You can't control it. Lumis's power isn't meant for a mortal."
Erian gritted his teeth. "Then I'll make it mine."
The light burst outward. A wave of energy swept through the temple, throwing Seren and Aster apart. The shard floated higher, spinning slowly as beams of light arced across the ceiling. The carvings on the walls changed shape, forming constellations that moved like living things.
Erian's body glowed with starlight. His voice was distant when he spoke, layered with something ancient. "The heavens remember the name that broke them."
Seren shielded his face. "He's merging with the Heart. Stop him!"
Aster forced himself up, his body aching. "Touch him, and I'll end you."
Seren lunged again, but Aster intercepted the blow. Their swords locked, the air between them vibrating with raw force. The ground cracked beneath their feet.
Erian's power surged. Light spilled from his hands, wrapping around the shard. His mind filled with memories that weren't his cities built among stars, gods who spoke in silence, a war that consumed everything.
And then, he heard the voice again.
Erian. Do not let them bind you. You are not my echo. You are my continuation.
Pain ripped through him. His body trembled, unable to contain the force flowing through his veins. The mark on his chest shattered into fragments of light, spreading across his skin in intricate patterns.
Aster turned, eyes wide. "Erian, stop! You'll burn yourself!"
Erian opened his eyes. They glowed silver-white, endless and empty. "If I stop, everything ends."
The chamber shook violently. Pillars cracked, dust falling from the ceiling. The shard began to fracture, beams of light splitting through it like veins.
Seren shouted, "He's destabilizing the Heart! It will collapse!"
He tried to retreat, but the blast came too fast. The crystal shattered, releasing a shockwave that tore through the chamber. Light and darkness collided, swallowing everything.
When the silence returned, the temple was gone.
Only fragments of stone and shimmering dust floated where it had stood.
Aster lay among the ruins, his body aching, his vision blurred. "Erian," he called weakly. "Where are you?"
No answer.
Then, faintly, through the haze of light, he saw a figure standing at the center of the devastation. Erian, surrounded by floating runes, his hair drifting as if underwater. The glow around him was no longer human.
Aster's heart clenched. "Erian…"
Erian looked at him, his expression distant, his voice soft and unfamiliar. "Aster Caelum. The bond persists even across lifetimes."
Aster froze. "Who are you?"
Erian smiled faintly, the light in his eyes flickering. "Lumis. Or what's left of him."
The world went white.