The storm had passed, but the tension remained. Arin and Lira crouched behind the remains of a broken sky bridge, the echoes of Selene's ship fading into the clouds above. The silver-eyed girl — his sister, whether he wanted it or not — had vanished as quickly as she had appeared, leaving a lingering pulse of shadow energy that clung to him like a second skin.
Arin's hand throbbed faintly, the golden Aether mark flashing with streaks of black. He clenched his fists, trying to make sense of what he had seen. "She… she knew me," he muttered. "She called me brother."
Lira's eyes were sharp. "And that's dangerous. Blood ties don't matter in this game, Arin. Her allegiance is unknown. One wrong move, and she could destroy everything you're trying to protect."
"I need to know," he said, voice trembling. "Why we're connected. Why the cores exist."
Lira sighed, gripping her blade. "Then we learn fast. But first… survive."
They moved silently across the shattered platform, each step a careful negotiation with gravity and the shifting metal beneath them. As the wind tore past, Arin felt the energy inside him hum louder, as if responding to something far beyond his vision.
"You feel that?" he asked.
Lira nodded. "The Aether. The Shadow Core left a fragment in you. It's waking something else — a memory. A truth you weren't meant to remember yet."
Arin frowned. "Memory? I don't understand."
Lira paused at the edge of the platform and gestured to the clouds below. "It's not just your blood that binds you to her. It's the lineage. You and Selene come from the original Infinity Bearers — the ones who first split light from shadow to stabilize the universe. You are… opposites born of the same soul."
Arin's stomach twisted. "Opposites? That explains the visions, I guess… the one where she stood in the dark city."
Lira nodded gravely. "Everything you've felt since touching the relic — the light surging inside, the shadow that calls you — it's inherited. The cores were never just tools. They were… anchors. Anchors to your bloodline."
Arin clenched his fists. "So what? Does that mean she's my enemy?"
"Not necessarily," Lira said. "But it means everything you do will affect her. Every time you awaken a fragment of Infinity, you also awaken its counterpart in her."
He looked up at the sky, where the sunlight pierced the clouds in jagged beams. "So if I keep growing stronger… she grows stronger too?"
"Yes," Lira said softly. "And if she embraces it fully before you do… the balance tips. That's why Kael is hunting you both. He wants the cores united under his control, and if he succeeds, there's nothing left to stop him."
A sudden vibration ran through the metal beneath their feet. Both of them froze. From the far side of the platform, faint blue streaks of light shimmered in the mist — a signal from someone watching.
"Who is that?" Arin whispered.
"Someone who knows about the bloodline," Lira said. "We're not alone out here."
A figure emerged, cloaked in flowing silver light. The hum of energy around them was familiar — ancient. Arin's heart skipped.
"Arin Vale," the figure said, voice calm but commanding. "You are awakening what was once dormant."
Arin stepped forward cautiously. "Who… who are you?"
"I am Elyan," the figure said, lowering their hood. "A guardian of the Infinity Line. I've watched your family for centuries. I was there the day the cores were split."
"Centuries?" Arin said, bewildered. "You're… not human?"
Elyan smiled faintly. "I was once, but time has… extended me. My duty is to ensure the bloodline survives — both light and shadow. And now, Arin, your sister awakens faster than expected. If you wish to stop Kael, you must understand your heritage."
Arin swallowed. "What heritage?"
"Your ancestors were the first to wield Infinity. They learned that light and shadow must coexist — that one cannot survive without the other. You and Selene are the living embodiment of that balance. But the choice to embrace or reject it… is yours."
Lira stepped closer. "So the cores aren't just power. They're tied to who you are, Arin. Your very essence."
Elyan nodded. "Exactly. And Kael knows this. That is why he hunts you relentlessly. If he controls both cores — your blood and your sister's — he can reshape reality. Bend life itself. The world will bow, or it will burn."
Arin's chest tightened. The enormity of it weighed down on him, heavier than any Warden's attack. "Then I have to get stronger. Faster."
Elyan extended a hand. "I can teach you to control the light within. To awaken the fragments safely. But the shadow… that is hers to claim. You cannot force it, nor should you."
Arin hesitated. "And if she chooses the dark path?"
"Then you must confront her," Elyan said. "And you will not be alone. The Aether flows through you both. It binds you, yes, but it also gives you the power to protect each other… or destroy one another."
The words settled like a stone in Arin's chest. He looked down at his glowing hands, feeling the surge of infinite energy. Somewhere deep within, the memory of Selene's voice echoed: Brother…
Lira watched him silently. "We have little time. Kael's forces are moving closer. You need to awaken the next fragment before they find us."
Arin nodded, determination hardening in his eyes. "Then we do it. Whatever it takes."
Elyan's figure shimmered faintly, fading into the mist. "Remember, Arin Vale. The bloodline of light and shadow is a legacy, not a weapon. Choose wisely, or the universe itself will choose for you."
As the wind tore across the bridge, Arin raised his hand, feeling the combined pull of light and shadow. Somewhere above, the clouds shifted, and for the first time, he understood the weight of his name — the boy called Zero was no longer nothing. He was the beginning of infinity.
And the journey had truly begun.