The merge was a violent invasion of Nala’s psyche. It felt like her mind was a hard drive being forcibly overwritten by a corrupted, alien OS. The Shadow Nala was no longer a separate entity; she was a cold, black presence inside Nala’s thoughts, tasting like copper and old static.
"Stop resisting," the Shadow’s voice echoed from the back of Nala’s throat. "We are simply consolidating assets. Maricha Sonoko built us to be the final firewall."
Nala’s vision fractured. One eye saw the crimson Red Void; the other saw a world of scrolling violet code. Her hands began to change into a translucent obsidian material, humming with the power of the black malachite stones.
"I... am... Nala," she gasped, her voice sounding like a distorted, out of sync recording.
"You are a fragment," the Shadow
