Echoes of heart

Chapter 7: A Crack in the Armor

The dimming lights of the Dominion's city cast long shadows across the stone streets as Zorak walked alone.

His encounter with Kaia replayed in his mind, her words haunting him: "I wish I could remember." It was a glimmer of hope, but also a reminder of how far she had been taken from him.

Every day, he saw her—her body, her face, her voice—but the person she used to be was hidden behind walls of control that even she couldn't see.

Zorak's steps slowed as he approached the edge of the city, where the grand structures began to fade into ruins.

Beyond, the outer world loomed in the dark —a world forgotten by most, except for the few who remembered life before the Dominion. This was where he came to think, to plan. It was the only place where he could feel free from the watchful eyes of the Dominion.

But tonight, he wasn't alone.

A figure stood waiting for him in the shadows. At first, Zorak tensed, ready for confrontation. But as the figure stepped forward, the familiar outline of an old ally came into view.

"Zorak," whispered the figure. It was Selene, one of the few who had managed to evade the Dominion's grasp, hiding in the cracks of their perfect world.

Her face was drawn with concern, her voice low. "You shouldn't be out here. It's dangerous."

Zorak glanced back toward the city, then back to Selene. "I needed to think. What's going on?"

She hesitated before speaking. "Something is happening inside the Dominion. They're becoming more aggressive. I think they suspect something—maybe about you."

Zorak frowned. He had always been careful, playing his role within the city, blending in. But with Kaia back in his life, emotions were clouding his judgment. Maybe he had been too obvious, too close to her. "How do you know this?"

"I've heard whispers. The Dominion is tightening its grip. They're watching you more closely than ever. Zorak, if they realize what you're doing, if they find out about your past..."

Zorak's mind raced. He had always known the risks, but hearing Selene's words made the danger feel more real.

The Dominion's control was suffocating, but it wasn't flawless. People like Selene, people who remembered the world as it once was, still fought in the shadows. They were few, but they were determined.

"What do you suggest?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Selene's eyes flickered with something unreadable. "You need to stay away from her. From Kaia."

Zorak's jaw tightened. "No. She's the key."

"You don't know that. She's too far gone, Zorak. The Dominion has her mind, her memories—everything. Trying to reach her now could destroy everything we've been working for."

Zorak shook his head. "I don't believe that. I've seen glimpses of the old Kaia. She's still in there. She remembers more than she realizes. And if I can just..."

"If you can just what?" Selene interrupted, her voice sharp. "Wake her up with a few words? You're risking your life for someone who may never come back. You can't let your emotions get in the way."

Zorak's fists clenched at his sides.

He knew Selene was right, at least in part. His feelings for Kaia were dangerous. But there was something more to it, something deeper. He could feel it. If anyone could break free from the Dominion's control, it was her. He just had to find a way.

"I won't abandon her," he said, his voice firm.

Selene sighed, looking away. "I thought you'd say that."

They stood in silence for a moment, the tension thick between them. Zorak knew that Selene cared for him, that she only wanted to protect him.

But she didn't understand what it was like to see the person you loved stripped of their soul, to see them every day and be unable to reach them.

She didn't know the pain of loving someone who didn't even know you existed anymore.

"I'll be careful," Zorak said after a long pause. "But I can't give up on her. Not yet."

Selene's shoulders slumped in defeat. "Fine. But just... be smart about it. If they start to suspect you, there will be no turning back."

Zorak nodded, though he knew the risks were already growing by the day. The Dominion had eyes everywhere, and if they even caught a hint of his intentions, they wouldn't hesitate to erase him the way they had erased Kaia's past.

As Selene disappeared back into the shadows, Zorak stood alone once more, the weight of his choices pressing heavily on his chest.

He had no idea how he would free Kaia, no clear plan of attack. But he knew one thing: he couldn't keep living like this, pretending everything was fine when the world he knew was crumbling around him.

And Kaia, whether she knew it or not, was at the center of it all.