The sensation of falling was not physical. It felt like being unmade. Lyra gasped as her consciousness was stretched across infinite points of space. She felt the chill of the void peeling away her memories and replacing them with the cold, sterile logic of the Ascendants. Beside her, Malphas was a flickering flame in a hurricane. His grip on her hand grew weak. She could feel his essence waning as the golden light tore through their shared reality.
Let go of me, Malphas yelled. His voice was no longer a mix of spirits but a raw, human plea. If you hold on, the anchor will drag you down into the collapse. Save yourself.
I am not letting go, Lyra shouted back. She tightened her fingers around his palm, pouring every ounce of her will into the connection. If we fall, we fall together. We a
