Page 130 of Dark Bonds

Leo steps forward, and I can practically feel Matteo’s exasperation, but Leo’s going to Leo, even in the face of a goddess.

“So, uh, your royal shadowness,” he says, flashing that lopsided grin that makes my heart flip even now. “I don’t suppose you have a cosmic cheat sheet for us mere mortals? Because the whole fate of the realms thing is way above my pay grade.”

Matteo groans. “Leo, please don’t antagonize the all-powerful deity.”

Nyx’s gaze shifts to Leo, and for a moment, I fear for him.

Her lips quirk into something almost resembling a smile. “Brave little shadow,” she murmurs. “You remind me of someone I once knew long ago.”

She turns, surveying the chamber with its freed captives and the destruction caused by our battle. “What it means,” she says, her voice carrying to every corner of the room, “is that the time has come for a reckoning. The balance between realms has been disrupted, and it falls to you—all of you—to restore it.”

“But how?” Matteo asks, his analytical mind clearly working overtime to process everything. “We barely understand our own powers, let alone how to balance entire realms.”

Nyx’s smile grows, and this time there’s definitely a predatory edge to it. “That, young shadow shifter, is whereyour real education begins. Your trials up to this point were preparation for what’s to come.”

She raises her hands, and the fabric of reality seems to ripple around us. The chamber dissolves, replaced by a vast, starry expanse that stretches in all directions. We’re floating in a sea of shadows and light, cosmic energies swirling around us.

“Behold,” Nyx intones, her voice resonating through our very beings, “the true nature of the shadow realm.”

The chamber around us fades, replaced by a swirling cosmic tapestry. I gasp, overwhelmed by the sheer vastness of it all.

“Holy shit,” Leo murmurs beside me. “Is this... Are we seeing the whole universe?”

Nyx’s lips quirk in amusement. “This is but a fraction, young shadow. Watch closely.”

As my eyes adjust, I start to make out patterns in the chaos. Strands of darkness and light intertwine, pulsing with life and power. It’s beautiful and terrifying all at once.

“The balance,” Matteo murmurs. “It’s all connected, isn’t it?”

Nyx nods. “Indeed. Every action, every shift in power, ripples across the realms, and now, that balance teeters on the edge of destruction. Your task is to learn to navigate these currents, to understand the ebb and flow of shadow and light. Only then can you hope to restore the balance that has been disrupted.”

She turns to face us fully, her eyes blazing with an intensity that makes my soul quake. “But be warned. The forces you will face are beyond your comprehension. There are those who would see the realms torn asunder for their own gain, and they will stop at nothing to achieve their goals.”

As if to emphasize her point, a discordant note rings through the cosmic tableau. The harmonious patterns before us shudder, dark tendrils of malevolent energy seeping in at the edges.

“The corruption spreads,” Nyx says, her voice tight with what almost sounds like concern. “You must be prepared toface challenges beyond anything you’ve encountered. The fate of both realms hangs in the balance.”

With a wave of her hand, the starry expanse fades, and we find ourselves back in the ruined chamber, but something has changed. The air feels charged with possibility, and I can sense new depths to my powers, waiting to be explored.

Nyx fixes us with one last, penetrating stare. “Remember,” she says, her form already beginning to fade, “the choices you make from this moment on will shape the destiny of worlds. Choose wisely, my children.”

With that, she’s gone, leaving us standing amidst the aftermath of battle, our minds reeling from the revelations and the weight of the task before us.

I look at my brother, then at Leo, Bishop, Dorian, and Matteo, seeing my own mix of fear and determination reflected in their eyes.

As the implications of Nyx’s words sink in, a chill runs down my spine. We’ve won this battle, but the war for the fabric of reality is just beginning, and something tells me that our greatest challenges—and darkest trials—lie ahead.

The shadows around us pulse with renewed energy, as if sensing the monumental task we’ve been given. As we gather ourselves to leave this place of nightmares, I can’t shake the feeling that we’re standing on the precipice of something far greater and more terrifying than we could have ever imagined.

Our journey into the heart of shadow has only just begun.

Chapter 43

Frankie

The place is a mess.People stumble around, looking shell-shocked. I can practically smell the fear and exhaustion in the air. The air reeks of magic and blood, making my stomach turn.

Finn is heavy in my arms, but holding him keeps me focused while everything around us goes to hell. Freed captives stagger about in confusion, their eyes wild and unseeing, while the eredar beast stands guard over Blackwood’s prone form, its massive body rippling with barely contained power.

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