Hine stepped cautiously forward, the air around her still tingling from the encounter with Asmoday. Every fiber of her being was alert, her senses sharpened by the recent trial. The shimmer of the portal ahead beckoned with an almost tangible pull. Beyond it lay the next stage of her journey, a step closer to the Writiverse and to the sister she had vowed to find.
The Silent Soul's presence, usually a constant reassurance, now felt strangely muted. They lingered behind her, their form half-obscured in the folds of space. Hine sensed hesitation, a ripple of unease that she could not immediately explain.
"You will continue from here," Asmoday's voice echoed once more, low and firm. "But your companion cannot proceed further. The corridors of space and the threshold you are about to cross require solitude. No soul, no guide, no ally may accompany you. Only your will and resolve may traverse this path."
Hine froze. The shard pulsed faintly in her hand, as though acknowledging the weight of this revelation. She turned to look at the Silent Soul, whose form remained still, yet a subtle tension radiated outward, a quiet struggle beneath the calm exterior.
"No," Hine whispered. "I cannot do this alone. You have guided me through every trial, through death, through shadows, through impossible paths. I cannot—"
The Silent Soul raised a hand, motioning for her to stop. "You can," they said gently, yet with firmness that left no room for argument. "I have guided you to this point. Everything that comes next must be faced by your own strength. My presence will disrupt the balance of the threshold. The corridors beyond will not bend for me, only for you."
Hine's chest tightened. The idea of continuing alone was almost unbearable. The Silent Soul had been more than a guide. They had been her anchor, a steady presence through trials that had tested her courage, her skill, and her resolve. To imagine facing the unknown without them was terrifying.
"But why?" she asked, her voice trembling. "Why now, when the journey is hardest?"
The Silent Soul stepped closer, their form flickering slightly as if caught between worlds. "Because your path is yours alone. Everything I have taught you, every skill, every lesson, every endurance of spirit has prepared you for this. It is not the trials of space, or time, or death that define you. It is the choice to stand alone when all else is uncertain. This is your moment. Do not fear it. Embrace it."
Hine looked down at the shard in her hand. Its warmth seemed to pulse with a steady heartbeat, a rhythm that reminded her of all the trials she had survived. Avalanches, cliffs, beasts, portals, and the very essence of space itself had tested her. She had endured, and she had grown. And now, perhaps, this was the final test of everything she had learned.
The Silent Soul extended their hand, fingers brushing lightly against hers. "Trust yourself," they whispered. "You are more capable than you know. When you step through that portal, remember that the essence of all you have faced is within you. Your courage, your skill, your determination, your heart. They will guide you where no one else can."
Hine took a deep breath, closing her eyes for a brief moment. Memories of every challenge she had faced flitted through her mind. The avalanche that could have ended her life, the cliffs that demanded every ounce of strength, the Night Beasts that clawed at her body and spirit, the shard that glowed to heal her wounds, the encounters with Naberius, Istaroth, and Asmoday. Each moment had been a lesson, each trial a preparation.
When she opened her eyes, she was no longer trembling. Her shoulders straightened, her grip on the shard tightened. "I will do this," she said, voice steady and firm. "I will not falter. I will continue, no matter what lies ahead."
The Silent Soul inclined their head, a faint smile brushing their features, a mixture of pride and solemnity. "Then go," they said. "Step forward. And remember, every step you take is yours alone, but you carry all that you have earned within you."
Hine turned toward the shimmering portal. It stretched before her like a wound in reality, a gateway to the unknown, to the next stage of her journey. She could feel the pull of it in her bones, the subtle tug of something vast and incomprehensible waiting beyond. The landscape shifted slightly around the edges, a reminder that the laws of space would not be fixed here. She would have to move carefully, deliberately, and with full awareness.
The Silent Soul remained behind, fading into the folds of shadows. Hine's chest ached at the separation, a sharp pang that spoke of the bond they had formed. She wanted to call out, to ask them to stay, but the words died in her throat. She knew that to proceed alone was not only necessary but inevitable.
Stepping forward, she felt the portal respond to her presence. It rippled outward, a living force that adjusted and pulsed with every movement she made. The shard in her hand resonated with the energy, its warmth a tether that reminded her she was not entirely without guidance. Even in solitude, the experiences, lessons, and strength of her journey up to this point were a form of guidance, a silent mentor embedded within her very being.
The corridor beyond the portal was unlike anything she had encountered before. Space itself seemed fluid, folding in impossible angles, stretching and contracting like a living entity. Shadows and light intertwined, creating illusions of paths that were not there and paths that appeared only briefly before vanishing. Hine's heart raced, but her resolve did not waver. She focused on the shard, letting its glow anchor her senses, its warmth a steady rhythm that kept her grounded.
Each step forward demanded complete awareness. A false movement could twist the path into a loop, a corridor that led nowhere, or a fold that trapped her indefinitely. She moved slowly, deliberately, sensing the flow of space around her, letting instinct guide the next step. It was exhausting, yet invigorating. Every fiber of her being was engaged, every muscle, every thought, every heartbeat.
The portal corridor seemed endless, yet she continued. At times, she glimpsed fleeting images of the Silent Soul in the shadows behind her, not as a physical presence but as a memory, a whisper of guidance embedded in her mind. She drew strength from it, from every lesson, every warning, every encouragement they had given her.
After what felt like hours, though Hine knew that time itself was twisted here, she glimpsed a faint light ahead. The corridor widened slightly, and the pull of the portal became stronger, almost like a gentle tug urging her onward. She could feel the end of this stage approaching, the threshold beyond which the Writiverse awaited.
Her chest ached with fatigue, but her resolve burned brighter than ever. She would not falter. She had survived avalanches, cliffs, beasts, and the bending of space itself. She could survive this. She could continue. She would reach her sister.
At last, the corridor ended, opening into a calm expanse where the pull of the portal subsided. Hine took a deep breath, feeling the weight of solitude around her. The Silent Soul was gone, but their lessons, their presence, their guidance remained, embedded in her very being. She was alone, yet stronger, more capable, and more determined than ever.
She lifted the shard, feeling its warmth steady her. Ahead lay the Astral Express, the next step in her journey, a vessel that would carry her closer to the Writiverse, to Maeve, and ultimately to Mavuika. The journey was far from over, but Hine knew she could face whatever came next. She had endured too much, survived too many trials, and learned too many lessons to be stopped now.
With a final glance at the corridor she had traversed, she whispered a quiet promise. "I will continue. I will endure. I will find her, no matter what it takes."
Hine stepped forward, the shard glowing steadily in her hand, and entered the waiting space of the Astral Express. The pull of the vessel embraced her, carrying her forward, leaving behind the shadow of the Silent Soul but taking with her every lesson, every strength, and every heartbeat that had led her to this moment. Alone, yes, but unbroken, unwavering, and ready for the journey that lay ahead.
The threshold had been crossed. The solitude had been faced. And Hine was ready.