The morning sun rose over the city, painting the skyline in shades of gold and amber. Elias stood on the roof of the penthouse, his hands resting on the railing, his eyes fixed on the horizon. The air was clean, fresh, filled with the scent of rain and earth. It was beautiful. Peaceful. Everything he had fought to protect.
The Forgotten Ones were gone. Destroyed. The ancient ones had merged their power with his, and together they had erased the darkness that had threatened to consume everything. The prison inside him was empty now, the weight that had pressed down on him for so long finally lifted.
He should have felt free. He should have felt relieved.
Instead, he felt empty.
The shadow stirred inside him, its presence warm and familiar. You feel it too. The void left behind.
Elias n
