The cavern shook.
Not violently — not like a collapse — but like a heartbeat. A slow, rhythmic pulse that travelled through the stone, through the air, through my bones.
My reflection stepped toward me, silver eyes glowing with cold certainty.
"You fear you're not enough."
I clenched my fists. "I'm not afraid of you."
She tilted her head.
"Then why is your voice shaking?"
I stepped back.
She stepped forward.
"You fear you'll fail him."
"No."
"You fear you'll lose him."
"Stop."
"You fear you'll be the reason he falls."
"STOP."
Silver light erupted from my hands, slamming into her chest. The blast lit up the chamber — bright, fierce, desperate.
When the light faded…
She was still standing.
Untouched.
Unmoved.
Unimpressed.
"You cannot destroy what you refuse to accept."
My breath shook. "I'm not weak."
"Weakness is not your fear."
She stepped closer, her voice softening.
"Your fear is that you care too much."
I froze.
"Your fear is that you love him."
The bond pulsed — faint, distant, aching.
My reflection whispered,
"And love makes you vulnerable."
I swallowed hard. "I'm not afraid of loving him."
"No."
She leaned in.
"You're afraid he won't survive it."
The chamber trembled.
The pool rippled.
My reflection raised her hand — silver light swirling around her fingers.
"Face me."
I exhaled.
And stepped forward.
Rylan's reflection circled him like a predator — silent, calculating, golden eyes burning with a cold fire.
Rylan growled, "I'm not doing this."
His reflection smirked.
"You don't have a choice."
Rylan lunged.
Golden claws slashed through the reflection's chest — or should have. Instead, the reflection dissolved into smoke, reforming behind him.
"You fear you're still cursed."
"I'm not."
"You fear you'll become him."
"Stop."
"You fear you'll hurt her."
Rylan's breath hitched. "Enough."
"You fear you're not worthy of her."
Rylan roared, golden light exploding from his skin.
The reflection didn't move.
Didn't flinch.
Didn't blink.
It simply smiled.
"Fight me."
Rylan lunged again — faster, harder, angrier.
The reflection dodged effortlessly.
"You fight like a child."
Rylan snarled. "I fight like a wolf."
"A wolf who hides behind rage."
Rylan froze.
The reflection stepped closer.
"You think anger makes you strong."
Rylan clenched his fists. "It does."
"No."
The reflection leaned in.
"It makes you afraid."
Rylan's jaw tightened. "I'm not afraid."
"You are terrified."
The reflection's voice softened.
"Because you know that if you lose control…"
Rylan's breath caught.
"…you could lose her."
The bond pulsed — faint, distant, strained.
Rylan whispered, "I would never hurt her."
"Not intentionally."
The reflection stepped back.
"But fear is a blade. And you hold it by the wrong end."
Rylan exhaled shakily. "What do you want from me?"
"Truth."
The reflection raised its hand — golden fire swirling around its fingers.
"Face me."
Rylan stepped forward.
My reflection moved like water — fluid, graceful, impossible to predict. Every strike I threw passed through her like mist. Every blast of silver light she absorbed like it was nothing.
She wasn't fighting me.
She was studying me.
Testing me.
"You rely on power."
I gritted my teeth. "I rely on myself."
"No."
She stepped closer.
"You rely on him."
My chest tightened. "That's not true."
"You rely on the bond."
"No."
"You rely on the moon."
"I don't—"
"You rely on anything that isn't you."
I froze.
She smiled — soft, sad, knowing.
"You are strong, Lyra."
The chamber dimmed.
"But you do not believe it."
My breath shook. "I do."
"Then prove it."
She raised her hand.
Silver light swirled around her fingers.
"Fight me without the bond."
My heart dropped. "What?"
"Fight me without him."
"I—"
"Fight me as yourself."
The bond pulsed — faint, distant, muted.
I swallowed hard.
And stepped forward.
Rylan's reflection moved with precision — every strike calculated, every dodge effortless. Rylan fought with raw power, golden fire blazing around him.
But power wasn't enough.
Not here.
Not against himself.
The reflection blocked his next strike with ease.
"You fight like someone who has something to prove."
Rylan snarled. "I don't."
"You do."
The reflection stepped closer.
"You want to prove you're not him."
Rylan froze.
"You want to prove you're not cursed."
"Stop."
"You want to prove you're worthy of her."
Rylan's voice cracked. "I am."
"Then why are you fighting me?"
Rylan blinked. "What?"
The reflection lowered its hands.
"I am not your enemy."
Rylan's breath shook. "Then who is?"
The reflection touched his chest — right over his heart.
"Your fear."
The cavern trembled.
The reflection whispered,
"Face it."
Rylan closed his eyes.
And stepped forward.
Two wolves.
Two reflections.
Two truths.
Two battles fought in silence.
The Ridge of Echoes hummed — louder now, deeper, vibrating through the stone. The silver and gold veins along the walls brightened, pulsing like a heartbeat.
The Echoes watched from the shadows — silent, ancient, waiting.
And far above the mountain…
The wind shifted.
The forest stilled.
The moon dimmed.
Lucien opened his eyes.
His voice drifted through the night — soft, cold, hungry.
"I feel you."
The shadows around him stirred.
"Both of you."
He smiled — slow, sharp, wrong.
"I'm coming."
The Ridge trembled.
The bond pulsed — faint, distant, desperate.
And the night held its breath.