The chamber shook as the creatures emerged—each one an abomination of memory. One bore Kaelen's face twisted into a cruel smile, another had Lyra's eyes but bled black fire, and behind them loomed a colossal figure wearing Ceyra's visage, chained and screaming.
Kaelen stepped forward, weapon humming with unstable energy. "I'll hold them. Get Ceyra out."
Lyra's eyes snapped to him. "Alone? You'll die."
"Better me than all of us."
Before she could argue, the monsters charged.
The Last Stand Begins
Kaelen met the first wave head-on, his blade cutting through shadow and bone, each strike shaking the ground. He fought like a man possessed, every regret fueling his fury.
Lyra sprinted toward the sphere. As she touched it, a shockwave of cold fire surged through her, nearly tearing her apart. Inside, she saw Ceyra—eyes closed, lips moving soundlessly.
"Ceyra," Lyra whispered, pressing her palm to the surface. "It's me. Come back."
The false Ceyra's voice roared through the chamber:
"They chose this prison. They deserve it!"
A Fractured Mind
Inside the sphere, Lyra was suddenly pulled inward, falling into a sea of memories—Ceyra's life flashing around her: the moment they joined the rebellion, the choice to unleash the plague, the betrayal that led to their capture.
And at the center, Ceyra knelt, bound by chains of light.
"Lyra?" Ceyra's voice was weak, but real.
Lyra rushed forward. "I'm here. I'm getting you out."
Ceyra shook their head. "You can't. The Architect has me. If you break these chains, it'll consume you too."
The Turning Point
Back in the real chamber, Kaelen was bleeding, barely standing, when a sudden crack split the air.
A new figure appeared—tall, draped in crimson armor, face hidden behind a mirrored mask. With a single sweep of their weapon, they cleaved three monsters apart.
Kaelen froze. "Who—"
"Later," the stranger said, voice metallic but calm. "Save your friend. I'll keep you alive long enough to do it."
Kaelen grinned despite the blood on his lips. "I like you already."
Inside the sphere, Lyra gripped Ceyra's hands. "Then we burn together if we have to." She drew on something deep within herself—something the Architect hadn't touched yet—and light flared so bright it cracked the chains.
Outside, every monster screamed as the chamber began to collapse.