The shard from the Forest of Lost Time hummed softly in Aloysius's grasp, yet its power stirred something deep inside him. Shadows flickered at the edges of his vision, memories shifting and twisting as if alive.
In the quiet moments of their journey, Aloysius grappled with haunting echoes fragments of his past battles, choices made and sacrifices left unspoken. The shard seemed to draw out not only strength but doubt and pain.
Kaelis noticed his turmoil. "You carry more than just power now. The veil binds your soul to the shards their burdens become yours."
Elyon added, "This is the true test. To master the shards, you must master yourself."
That night, Aloysius meditated alone, descending into his own mind a labyrinth of light and shadow. Faces appeared and vanished, voices whispered forgotten promises and bitter regrets.
He confronted the darkest parts of his soul the anger, the fear of corruption, the weight of command.
When he emerged, the shards within him pulsed in harmony, a fragile balance between light and shadow.
The path ahead was uncertain, but Aloysius understood: the battle for the Radiant Veil was as much internal as it was external.