Silence.
Elara opened her eyes to nothingness. No sky, no ground — only endless black mist shimmering faintly with fragments of forgotten stars. The air was cold but alive, breathing softly like a living being.
She stood slowly, disoriented. Her mark had stopped glowing. The pulse that always connected her to Darius… was gone.
"Darius?" she whispered into the dark. No reply.
Her voice echoed endlessly, swallowed by the Void.
A faint flicker appeared ahead — a figure cloaked in light and shadow, familiar and terrifying at once.
Her father.
"You shouldn't be here," he said, his tone calm, almost gentle.
Elara's throat tightened. "Why am I here? What is this place?"
"The space between," he replied. "Where the Veil hides its truth."
She took a step forward, anger rising. "You lied to me my whole life. You started this war between worlds — and you left me to clean up your chaos!"
He smiled faintly. "You sound like your mother."
Her eyes burned. "Don't you dare talk about her."
He sighed, looking away. "You think I wanted this? The Veil chose me once — just like it chose you. I tried to save both realms. But when I failed… it punished me."
"Punished you how?"
"By binding my soul to the Void." His voice lowered. "I became its whisper, its guardian… and now, its prisoner."
Elara stared at him, realization dawning. "You've been haunting me. The Whispering Shadow — that's you."
He nodded once. "I tried to guide you away from my mistakes. But now, it's too late. The bond you share with him—"
"Darius."
"Yes. That bond is breaking because the Veil cannot hold two forces of opposite nature joined by love. Light and shadow… cannot coexist without consuming each other."
Her breath caught. "Then what happens if it breaks completely?"
His gaze turned sorrowful. "You die. Both of you."
The words shattered through her like ice. "There has to be a way—"
"There is one," he said softly. "But it will cost you everything."
Before she could ask, the Void trembled. A burst of light tore through the darkness — silver and black energy spiraling in wild motion.
From within the light — Darius emerged.
He stumbled, blood dripping from his hands, his wings torn. But when he saw her, he smiled — weak but real. "Found you."
Elara ran to him, tears streaming down her face. "You shouldn't have come!"
"I told you," he said, breathless, "I don't let go."
Her father watched silently. "So this is the shadow who stole my daughter's fate."
Darius straightened, though pain flickered in his eyes. "No. I didn't steal it. I shared mine with hers."
The Void crackled violently. The mark on Elara's wrist reignited, burning through her veins.
"Darius—" she gasped.
He grabbed her hands. "Listen to me. I can't stop it, but I can choose how it ends."
"No! There has to be another way—"
He smiled faintly, brushing a tear from her cheek. "There isn't. But if one of us must fade… it won't be you."
Elara's voice broke. "Don't you dare."
"Too late," he whispered.
He pressed his forehead to hers — the same warmth, the same heartbeat. The bond flared one last time, brighter than any star.
Light consumed them both.
Through the blinding radiance, Elara felt everything — his pain, his love, his choice.
And then, silence.
When the light faded, she was alone.
The Void had vanished. She was back in the Realm of Dawn — but the bond was gone.
No shadow, no heartbeat, no him.
Only the faint whisper of his voice lingering through the fading air:
"I'll find you again… even if I have to cross every world to do it."
✨ End of Chapter 12 ✨