Location: Arcadia Nexus – Rift Summit
Lightning rent the skies apart. The Nexus shuddered, ripped asunder by the Rift open at Zara's feet. The ancient seal once thought unbreakable shattered in splinters of raw Shard energy churning up.
War erupted on the ground like a storm of light and shadow.
Helena's fists met the High Herald's void magic, each blow duplicating strength within the draining tower. They'd fought beyond words. Their fight had long transcended language. This was will against fanaticism. Hope against oblivion.
"You will lose," Helena growled, deflecting a blast of void and punching the Herald in her ribs with gauntleted fists. The Herald reeled but spat, her mind frothing with madness.
"The Vessel is ours," the Herald hissed. "You think you're saving her? No. You're only delaying the inevitable."
Behind her, Zara hovered motionless, her body suspended above the churning Rift. Her arms were outstretched, her fingers twitching involuntarily. White-hot cracks laced her skin—veins of pure Shardlight threatening to burst from within.
Inside her mind, everything fractured.
Visions burst in her head—memories torn and broken by the Shards. Silver City aflame. Nightbound crashing. Helena's hand releasing hers into nothingness.
And underlying it all—the Voice.
You were always going to ascend. This is the rebirth. You are no longer Zara Kane. You are the Shardstorm. The cycle ends with you.
Her breath stalled.
And then another voice—a gentler one, but no less firm.
"Believe in us, Zara."
Helena's voice, distant but unbroken, sliced through the chaos.
Zara's eyes flew open.
---
Here, below, Myles's voice, distorted on comms.
"I'm not going to be able to keep the Rift readings contained anymore—it's going critical! If Zara can find a way to merge, we're all dust! "
Eira swatted a glob of plasma aside and gritted her teeth. "Then Helena has to get to her. We hold the line."
Nova nodded curtly. "To the last breath."
The Nightbound rushed as a unit, driving back the Eclipsed Order reinforcements and buying precious seconds as the energy of the Rift increased.
---
Helena dodged a swing of shadowflame and landed a burning jaw punch on the Herald's forehead. The older woman crashed to the ground, striking the shattered obsidian floor with a thud.
Helena did not pause. She spun and sprinted up the remaining shattered stairs to Zara.
"Zara! I'm here!" she shrieked, raw, rasping voice shredding through the gusts.
Zara's flesh shuddered. Her mouth tore wide in a scream-sob.
"You're not alone," Helena pleaded, trembly voice struggling against the hurricane forces that flung her around like a piece of paper. "You're Zara Kane. Nightbound. You're my sister."
Zara's sob convulsions broke as flesh tore open yet again. Storm raged out of control, but fists closed—twitching.
"I don't. I don't want to. I don't want to lose myself." she attempted to gasp, broken voice.
The Voice shouted at her in.
You ARE the storm! Let them out!
Helena leaned to the edge, wretched meters from Zara as the Rift erupted around her.
"Then fight it!" Helena bellowed, grimy face streaming with tears. "Come back to us! Come back to me!"
Zara emitted a shrieking croak, her body spasming. Shardlight seethed around her in anger. The Rift surged, waves of power struggled for her core.
It's done.
And in that moment—
Zara's memories clicked into place.
Racing Helena over Silver City rooftops as children. Laughing on Nightbound rooftops. The very first time she'd ever held the Shard and vowed to protect all, not just herself.
Her jaw hardened.
"I… choose."
Her fingers tore apart, raw power coursing through them.
"I choose me!"
In a snarling cry, Zara threw her arms down—and the entire outflow of Shard power whirled the opposite direction. The storm slammed in on itself savagely, collapsing into a sphere of blinding light around her.
The Rift shrieked as its power was wrenched back into the seal.
Helena shielded her face but did not retreat.
Zara's silhouette emerged, wavering. Her hair floated wildly, her eyes pure white—but the expression on her face was unmistakably hers.
"Helena. I'm here."
And then she collapsed into Helena's arms, the storm dissipating.
---
Below, across the battlefield, the Eclipsed Order's forces faltered. Their Shards dimmed. The High Herald, lying broken on the Nexus floor, let out a strangled gasp of disbelief.
"No. No. The cycle. was meant to end."
Helena, holding Zara's trembling body, glared down at her.
"The only thing ending here is you."
Behind her, the Rift closed with a final flash of gold light, safe for the first time in centuries.
Zara had won.
She'd ended the cycle—and taken herself back.
---