Echoes of the Past

Dawn brought with it a different kind of air. It was neither peace nor relief, but the treacherous calm that precedes a new storm. The castle still smoldered, its walls wounded, and its people exhausted. Yet there was a constant murmur in the hallways, as if everyone knew something was coming.
I walked through the corridors with the Veil Spear on my back, each step echoing against the cold stones. The brief respite Aria had given me the night before had been real, but fragile. Her embrace still held me, even as the shadow within me lingered, impatient.
In the war room, Cicilia had gathered the captains. Maps covered the central table, and lit candles cast shadows that seemed to move on their own.
—Our scouts confirm that Kiseki’s army has retreated to the northern hills —she said gravely. —They haven’t disappeared, they’re just waiting.
Rei crossed her arms. —She’s playing with us. She wants us to exhaust our forces reinforcing defenses, until we’re too weak to withstand a second siege.
—Or worse —added Lysbeth—, she wants us to trust that she’ll give us time. And when we attack, we’ll fall into her trap.
Nara scoffed, sitting on the table without asking. —What she wants is to see us burn slowly. It’s never enough for her to win; she wants to break us first.
The discussion went on, but I remained silent. Something kept spinning in my mind: the Oracle’s words. The union of Aria and Kiseki, the bond of souls. Nothing we did would make sense if we didn’t find a way to break that tie without destroying them both.
Cicilia noticed. —Kaoru. You’ve been silent too long. What do you think?
I looked at everyone. —No matter how many walls we reinforce or how many soldiers we prepare, if we don’t understand Kiseki’s origin, if we don’t comprehend what it means that she shares a soul with Aria, we’ll always be blind.
A dense silence filled the room. It was Aria who spoke, her voice firm though her hands trembled. —He’s right. We can’t defeat her without understanding what she and I truly are.
Cicilia sighed. —Then we must turn to the ancient archives. There are texts forbidden, sealed for generations, that speak of the Veil Bearer and the fallen gods. Perhaps there we’ll find answers.

The archive lay deep within the castle, a labyrinth of dusty corridors and forgotten shelves. Only a handful of priests had access, and even then, many feared to descend.
The first time I entered, I felt a shiver. It was as if hundreds of invisible eyes watched us from the shadows. Aria walked beside me, clutching the medallion around her neck. Rei and Lysbeth went ahead, torches in hand, while Nara complained about the dust and the musty smell.
After hours of searching, we found a codex covered in dust and cracked leather. Its title was written in a forgotten language, but the illustrations spoke for themselves: chained figures, dark gods, a man holding a spear engulfed in fire and shadows.
—The Veil Bearer… —Rei murmured, turning the pages carefully.
The text spoke of an ancient god who had tried to devour the world. The heroes of that time could not kill it, so they chained it, dividing its essence into fragments. Part of that essence became the spear. Another part, however, remained sealed in the soul of a chosen human.
—And that chosen one was you —Lysbeth said, looking at me.
I felt the echo laugh inside me, as if confirming the revelation. “Yes. I exist because they allowed it. I am the inheritance left in your blood.”
But the text didn’t end there. An illustration showed two identical female figures, connected by a thread of light running through their chests.
Aria leaned over the book, lips trembling. —This… this is what the Oracle said. Kiseki and I…
—Two souls born from the same fragment —Cicilia read softly. —If one dies, the other dies too.
Silence fell over us. It was the confirmation of what we all feared.
Nara broke the tension with a bitter laugh. —Great. So we have to save the villain to save our friend. Nothing could be more complicated.
—She’s not a villain —Aria replied, more forcefully than I expected. —Kiseki didn’t ask for this. Darkness consumed her because she was abandoned. I… I can bring her back.
Rei looked at her sharply. —And if she doesn’t want to come back?
—Then we’ll force her —I said, my voice echoing stronger than expected.
Everyone stared at me.
—If there is a way to break this chain, we will find it. And if Kiseki refuses, then we’ll drag her back even if it costs me my life.
The echo inside me laughed triumphantly. “Yes… drag her, break her, destroy whoever you must. That’s what you were always destined to do.”
I clenched my fists, ignoring the voice.

That night, while the others slept, I returned to the burned garden. The sky was clouded, and the air smelled of ash. Aria found me there, as always.
—I couldn’t sleep —she said, sitting beside me.
—Neither could I.
She looked at me seriously. —Do you really think we can save her?
I took a deep breath, gazing at the dark sky. —I want to believe it. For you. Because if we don’t, I would lose you too.
She rested her head on my shoulder, whispering: —Then we’ll do it together.
Her words gave me a moment of peace. But inside, the shadow kept laughing.

At dawn, a horn sounded from the battlements. The guards shouted, and the whole castle awoke startled.
We ran to the tallest tower. On the horizon, we saw columns of smoke and fire. Kiseki’s army had moved again, and this time it wasn’t just devotees and beasts.
Giants clad in black armor marched at the front, dragging chains that seemed to pull darkness itself along. And atop the hill, Kiseki watched us, wrapped in a cloak of shadows that flickered like living flames.
Her voice carried through the air, clear, as if speaking directly into my ear.
—Kaoru… the next time we meet, you will have no choice.
The echo within me responded in unison, as if it were part of her. “Finally… the moment approaches.”
A shiver ran down my spine. The war offered no respite. And this time, there might not be any at all.