Chapter 36: Shattered Truths
The group rested by the edge of the newly restored forest, their breaths steadying after the intensity of the battle. The ground beneath them, once twisted and desolate, now teemed with new life. Trees that had been withered were slowly regaining their lush green leaves, and the sky above was no longer dark with void energy. Birds, long absent from the area, began to chirp once more. But the weight of what had happened—what Yuuji had done—still hung in the air.
“Do you feel it?” the mage whispered, kneeling to touch the ground. “It’s like the land itself is breathing again.”
The archer leaned back against a tree, still catching her breath. “I’ll admit, I wasn’t sure it would work. But seeing this… it feels like we’ve actually accomplished something.”
Yuuji sat in silence, watching the Blade of Eterna resting on the grass beside him. The fragment of the Heart still pulsed faintly, a reminder of the power it contained, but now it felt different. Before, it had been like a weight pressing against his chest, as though the Heart was testing him. Now, it was lighter, more in harmony with him.
“Yuuji,” the knight’s voice broke through his thoughts. “You’re the only one who can wield this power. But you have to realize, if we’re going to stop the void, this is only the beginning. Whatever comes next… it’s going to be worse.”
Yuuji nodded, his mind already racing ahead. The void-born were relentless, and even with the power of the Heart, this victory felt like a small reprieve. They had healed a piece of the world, but how many more void-scarred places remained? And how long before the void struck back, harder than before?
“We’ll need to find more places like this,” Yuuji said, his voice low but resolute. “If we can restore more of the land, we’ll weaken the void’s hold on this world.”
The mage looked up from the ground, her brow furrowed in thought. “But it’s not just about restoring balance in the physical world. The Heart isn’t complete, Yuuji. The fragment you carry is powerful, but it’s only a piece of the whole. We need to find the other fragments if we’re going to stand a real chance.”
Yuuji’s heart sank. Of course. The Heart of Eterna was shattered, scattered across the world when the void first appeared. His fragment was enough to begin the healing process, but it was still just a fragment. If the full Heart was meant to bring balance, then they would need every piece.
“Do you have any idea where the other fragments might be?” the archer asked, her voice tinged with concern. “Because if the void knows about them, they’re probably guarded by things a lot worse than what we’ve faced so far.”
The mage stood, brushing dirt from her hands. “Legends say the fragments are tied to places of great power—ancient sites connected to the old world. They’re likely hidden in locations where the balance of creation and destruction was once at its strongest.”
Yuuji glanced at the Blade of Eterna again, its faint glow reflecting in his eyes. “Then we need to start searching. Every fragment we find will make us stronger.”
The knight nodded, but there was a shadow of doubt in his eyes. “We can’t ignore the fact that the void will be searching for the fragments too. If we don’t move quickly, we could be walking into a trap.”
Yuuji stood, determination etched into his features. “Then we’ll have to be faster. We can’t afford to wait.”
Before anyone could respond, a faint rumble shook the ground beneath them. The newly restored trees trembled, and the air seemed to shift, growing colder. Yuuji’s hand instinctively went to the hilt of the Blade, sensing the disturbance.
“Something’s coming,” the archer said, her voice tense. She nocked an arrow, her eyes scanning the treeline.
The rumble grew louder, and from the shadows of the trees emerged a figure cloaked in dark armor, its form tall and imposing. A sword, blackened by void energy, rested at its side, and where its eyes should have been, two glowing red orbs flickered ominously. It was no void-born like they had faced before. This was something far more dangerous.
“Who… or what… is that?” the knight whispered, taking a defensive stance.
Yuuji felt a chill run down his spine. The air around the figure seemed to distort, as though the void itself swirled around it. But there was something familiar about the presence, something that tugged at the edges of Yuuji’s memory.
The figure stopped a few paces away from them, its red eyes locking onto Yuuji. When it spoke, its voice was a low, echoing rasp, dripping with malice. “So… you are the one wielding the Heart.”
Yuuji tightened his grip on the Blade, feeling the fragment stir in response to the dark energy radiating from the figure. “Who are you?”
The figure tilted its head slightly. “I am a Herald of the Void, a servant to the darkness that consumes all. And you, boy, are standing in the way of its inevitable victory.”
“A Herald?” the mage gasped, her face pale. “I thought they were myths—beings born from the void itself, sent to prepare the world for total destruction.”
The Herald’s twisted mouth curled into a grin. “Myths? No, child. We are far more than that. We are the will of the void made manifest. And now that the void senses the Heart awakening, it has sent me to end your foolish resistance.”
Yuuji’s mind raced. A Herald of the Void—a creature born from the very darkness they were trying to fight. The void wasn’t just mindless destruction; it had a will, a purpose. And now, it had sent one of its strongest to stop them.
“We won’t let you destroy this world,” Yuuji said, his voice firm. “The Heart will stop you.”
The Herald chuckled darkly. “The Heart of Eterna? You are but a child playing with fragments of a broken toy. You do not understand its true nature. The void is not your enemy—it is your destiny.”
Yuuji’s chest tightened, but he stood his ground. “You’re wrong. The void and the Heart are in balance. That’s the truth.”
The Herald’s grin faded, replaced by a sneer. “Balance? There is no balance, only the void. The Heart may have once been a force of creation, but now it is nothing more than a relic of a forgotten age. And you, boy, will perish before you ever learn its true power.”
Without warning, the Herald lunged forward, its dark sword raised high. Yuuji barely had time to react, lifting the Blade of Eterna to block the strike. The impact sent a shockwave through the ground, and sparks flew as the two swords clashed. The sheer force of the Herald’s strike pushed Yuuji back, his feet digging into the earth.
The knight charged forward, his shield raised, ready to protect Yuuji. But before he could reach the Herald, a blast of dark energy shot out from the void-born’s hand, sending the knight sprawling to the ground.
The archer loosed arrow after arrow, but each one was deflected by the void energy swirling around the Herald.
Yuuji gritted his teeth, struggling to hold his ground as the Herald pressed the attack. The Blade of Eterna glowed brightly, but the fragment’s power was still limited, and the Herald’s strength seemed almost insurmountable.
“Your fight is futile, boy,” the Herald growled, slashing again with unnatural speed. “You cannot win.”
Yuuji staggered back, his arms shaking from the force of the blows. But even as the Herald’s dark energy surged around him, Yuuji felt the fragment within him pulse stronger, as if urging him to hold on, to trust in the Heart’s power.
“We’re not done yet,” Yuuji muttered through gritted teeth. “I will restore balance.”
The Herald’s red eyes flared with rage. “You will die in vain.”
With a final roar, the Herald unleashed a torrent of void energy, engulfing Yuuji in darkness.
But Yuuji, his heart beating in sync with the fragment, refused to fall.
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