The wind did not stop.
It grew stronger.
Colder.
Sharper.
As if the world itself was warning them.
Aria stood still, her glowing sword slowly dimming. Her eyes were fixed on Rowan.
He had not moved.
Not even a little.
"Rowan…" she called softly.
No answer.
Only silence.
A silence that felt… wrong.
Rowan was staring at the sky. At the crack spreading across it. The darkness inside it was not like normal darkness.
It was deeper.
Alive.
Watching.
"Rowan!" Aria stepped closer and grabbed his arm.
This time, he reacted.
He flinched.
Like he had just returned from somewhere far away.
"…Aria?"
His voice sounded distant.
Not weak.
Not tired.
Just… unfamiliar.
Aria's grip tightened.
"Stay with me."
Rowan looked at her.
For a moment, his eyes were normal again. The same warm flame she knew.
But only for a moment.
Then—
A flicker.
Darkness moved inside his eyes again.
Like something was trying to come out.
"I… I can hear it," Rowan said slowly.
"Hear what?"
"The Void."
The word felt heavy.
Dangerous.
Aria didn't like it.
"You're not listening to it," she said firmly.
Rowan shook his head.
"I'm not trying to… it's just there."
He placed his hand on his chest.
"It feels like… it's calling me."
The mark on his shoulder glowed again.
Not bright like before.
But steady.
Like a heartbeat.
Aria noticed it immediately.
Her expression hardened.
"That thing is not you."
Rowan looked down.
"…What if it is?"
"No."
Her answer came instantly.
Strong.
Sharp.
"No."
She stepped closer, standing right in front of him.
"I don't care what that thing said."
"I don't care about 'Void' or 'fragment' or anything."
Her voice softened slightly.
"I know you."
Rowan looked at her.
"You are Rowan."
"Flame Guardian."
"The one who fought beside me."
"The one who saved people."
"The one who chose to protect this world."
She placed her hand on his chest, right above his heart.
"And this… this is real."
For a moment—
Everything became quiet.
Even the wind slowed.
Rowan's breathing steadied.
His eyes softened.
"…You always say things like that," he said with a small, tired smile.
Aria didn't smile back.
"Because it's true."
But before Rowan could reply—
The ground shook again.
Stronger than before.
The crack in the sky expanded.
Dark energy poured out like smoke.
No—
Not smoke.
Something thicker.
Heavier.
It started to fall.
Like rain.
Black particles drifted down from the sky.
And wherever they touched—
The ground changed.
Grass turned gray.
Rocks cracked.
Life faded.
Aria's eyes widened.
"This is bad…"
Rowan stepped forward slowly.
His gaze locked onto the falling darkness.
"…It's spreading."
"Yes," Aria said.
"And we need to stop it."
But Rowan didn't move.
Instead—
He raised his hand.
Toward the falling black particles.
"Rowan, don't—"
Too late.
One of the dark particles touched his hand.
Aria's heart skipped.
"ROWAN!"
But nothing happened.
No pain.
No reaction.
Instead—
The darkness… disappeared.
Absorbed.
Into him.
Both of them froze.
Rowan looked at his hand.
"…It didn't hurt."
Aria stepped back slightly.
Confusion filled her eyes.
"That's not possible…"
Rowan slowly clenched his fist.
"It feels… familiar."
Aria didn't like that word.
Not at all.
"Stop," she said.
"Don't touch it again."
But Rowan looked at the sky again.
At the crack.
At the Void.
"…If I can control it…"
"No."
Aria cut him off immediately.
"You don't even know what it is."
Rowan turned to her.
"And if I do nothing?"
He pointed at the land around them.
"Look."
The darkness was spreading faster now.
The mountain was changing.
Breaking.
Dying.
"If this keeps going… everything will disappear."
Aria clenched her jaw.
"I know."
"Then what do we do?" Rowan asked.
Silence.
Heavy.
Painful.
Aria didn't answer immediately.
Because she didn't have one.
Rowan exhaled slowly.
"…Maybe that thing was right."
Aria's eyes sharpened.
"Don't say that."
"I'm serious," Rowan continued.
"If I'm connected to this… then maybe I can stop it."
"Or maybe it will control you," Aria replied coldly.
Rowan didn't deny it.
"…Yeah."
That was the problem.
Neither of them knew the truth.
Another tremor shook the ground.
This time—
A piece of the mountain broke off completely.
Falling into the abyss below.
Still no sound.
Just silence.
Aria made a decision.
"We're leaving."
Rowan looked at her.
"What?"
"We go back," she said.
"To the kingdom."
"To the Dragon King."
"To the others."
"We figure this out together."
Rowan hesitated.
"…And if we don't have time?"
Aria grabbed his arm again.
"Then we make time."
Her eyes were fierce.
Determined.
"I am not losing you to something we don't understand."
For a moment—
Rowan said nothing.
Then—
He smiled slightly.
"…You really don't give up, do you?"
"Never."
A pause.
Then Rowan nodded.
"…Alright."
"Let's go."
Aria didn't relax.
Not completely.
But it was enough.
They turned—
Ready to leave.
But—
They stopped.
Because something stood in their path.
Not far away.
A figure.
Tall.
Still.
Made of darkness.
But not like before.
This one had a shape.
A body.
And glowing eyes.
Deep purple.
Aria raised her sword instantly.
Light flared again.
"Another one…"
Rowan's expression darkened.
"…No."
"This one is different."
The creature stepped forward.
Slow.
Calm.
Not aggressive.
Not rushing.
Just… approaching.
"I have been watching," it said.
Its voice was strange.
Echoing.
Like many voices speaking at once.
Aria tightened her grip.
"Stay back."
The creature ignored her.
Its gaze was fixed on Rowan.
"Fragment…"
Rowan's jaw clenched.
"Don't call me that."
The creature tilted its head.
"You deny your nature."
"I choose who I am," Rowan replied.
For a moment—
Silence.
Then—
The creature smiled.
A slow, unnatural smile.
"Good."
That surprised both of them.
"Because that choice…"
The creature raised its hand.
The sky above them darkened further.
"…is what will decide everything."
Aria stepped forward.
"We're not playing your games."
The creature looked at her.
"Light bearer…"
Its gaze felt heavy.
"You cannot stop what is coming."
Aria didn't step back.
"Watch me."
For a moment—
The two forces faced each other.
Light.
And Void.
Then—
The creature stepped back.
"…Grow stronger."
It looked at Rowan one last time.
"Because when the time comes…"
Its body began to dissolve.
"…you will face yourself."
Gone.
Just like that.
Silence returned again.
But now—
It felt even worse.
Rowan exhaled slowly.
"…This is getting complicated."
Aria didn't respond immediately.
She was thinking.
Fast.
Deep.
Then she said—
"No."
Rowan looked at her.
"It's getting clear."
He frowned.
"How?"
Aria looked at the sky.
At the growing crack.
At the spreading darkness.
Then back at him.
"You are the key."
Rowan didn't like how that sounded.
"…Yeah. I figured."
Aria shook her head.
"No."
"Not a weapon."
"Not a vessel."
Her voice became firm again.
"A choice."
Rowan went silent.
And for the first time—
He understood.
This wasn't just a battle.
Not just against enemies.
Not even against the Void.
It was—
Against himself.
Far above them—
The crack in the sky spread wider.
And deep inside it—
Something moved.
Something ancient.
Something waiting.
The Void was not just returning.
It was preparing.
And Rowan…
Was at the center of it.
💬 Comment Line for your readers:
"If Rowan is the key to saving the world… what happens if he loses control? Will Aria be able to stop him?"