The storm outside mirrored the storm in Maya’s chest. Thunder rumbled in the distance as she, Dante, and Aiden made their way toward the unfinished building for what they knew could be their final confrontation.
Maya clutched the glowing book to her chest, its warmth a stark contrast to the icy dread gripping her. Aiden carried a bag of supplies: salt, candles, and vials of saltwater they’d prepared to fend off the shadows. Dante walked ahead, his flashlight cutting through the gloom.
The unfinished building loomed ahead like a monolith, its skeletal frame silhouetted against the stormy sky.
“Are we sure about this?” Dante asked, his voice shaky but resolute.
“No,” Aiden replied grimly. “But we don’t have a choice.”
---
As they stepped inside, the air felt heavier, as if the building itself were alive and watching them. The hum that had haunted them for weeks now resonated louder, vibrating through their very bones.
Maya’s voice trembled. “It knows we’re here.”
Aiden nodded. “Good. Let it know. We’re ending this tonight.”
The trio descended the hidden staircase, the walls around them pulsing faintly with a sickly green light. Shadows flickered at the edges of their vision, retreating when the flashlight beams swept over them.
At the bottom, the underground chamber awaited, unchanged yet more foreboding than ever. The mirrors lined the walls, their surfaces rippling like disturbed water. The pedestal at the center glowed faintly, the rift hovering above it like a wound in reality.
“It’s stronger,” Dante muttered, gripping Maya’s arm protectively.
“Then we’ll have to be stronger,” she replied, stepping toward the pedestal.
---
The book began to vibrate in Maya’s hands, its glow intensifying. She placed it on the pedestal, and the mirrors erupted with light, reflecting scenes of their lives.
In one, Maya saw herself and Dante laughing on the rooftop, their playful banter echoing through the chamber. Another mirror showed Aiden as a child, sitting alone in a dark room, his face streaked with tears.
“What is this?” Dante whispered, his eyes darting between the mirrors.
“It’s us,” Aiden said, his voice tight. “It’s showing us who we are… and what we’ve been running from.”
Maya swallowed hard. “Then we need to face it.”
---
As she spoke, the shadows in the room coalesced into a figure—a tall, lean man with piercing blue eyes. His midnight-blue suit was immaculate, and his presence radiated an aura of menace.
The entity’s human form.
“You’ve come far,” it said, its voice smooth and chilling. “But this is where it ends.”
Aiden stepped forward, holding a vial of saltwater. “We’re not afraid of you.”
The entity chuckled, the sound echoing unnaturally. “You should be.”
With a wave of its hand, the mirrors shattered, shards flying toward them like knives. Dante pulled Maya behind him, shielding her with his body. Aiden threw the vial, and it exploded in a burst of light, forcing the entity to retreat.
---
Maya opened the book, its pages flipping wildly on their own. The symbols began to glow, forming a circle of light around the pedestal.
“Start the chant!” Aiden shouted, tossing another vial at the advancing shadows.
Maya’s voice shook as she read the incantation aloud, the ancient words resonating through the chamber. Dante stood beside her, his flashlight aimed at the shadows, while Aiden fought to keep the entity at bay.
The ground trembled, and the rift began to shrink, its edges crackling with energy.
“You think you can stop me?” the entity roared, its voice distorted. “I am eternal!”
Maya faltered, the weight of its words pressing down on her.
Dante grabbed her hand. “Don’t listen to it. You’re stronger than it is.”
Her resolve hardened. She continued the chant, her voice growing louder and more confident.
---
The entity lunged toward them, its form dissolving into a mass of writhing shadows. Aiden stepped in its path, holding a makeshift weapon—a dagger coated in salt.
“Go, Maya!” he shouted. “Finish it!”
“Aiden, no!” she screamed as the shadows engulfed him.
But Aiden’s sacrifice gave her the opening she needed. She finished the chant, the book’s glow reaching a blinding intensity.
The rift collapsed in on itself, pulling the entity and its shadows with it. The chamber was filled with a deafening roar as the darkness was consumed, leaving only silence in its wake.
---
When the light faded, Maya and Dante were alone.
Aiden’s body lay motionless on the ground, his face pale but peaceful.
“No,” Maya whispered, dropping to her knees beside him. “Aiden, wake up. Please.”
Dante knelt beside her, his own grief etched across his face. “He saved us,” he said softly.
Maya clutched Aiden’s hand, tears streaming down her face. “I couldn’t have done this without him.”
The book, now dull and lifeless, sat on the pedestal, its purpose fulfilled.
---
As they emerged from the building, the storm had passed, leaving the night sky clear and filled with stars.
Maya looked up, her heart heavy yet filled with a newfound determination. “He didn’t die for nothing,” she said, her voice steady. “We’ll make sure of that.”
Dante placed a hand on her shoulder, his touch grounding her. “We will. Together.”
The battle was over, but the scars it left behind would take time to heal. For now, they had each other—and the memory of Aiden’s sacrifice to guide them forward.
YOU ARE READING
Beneath the Shattered Sky
Roman d'amourIn the heart of a bustling city, Maya finds herself caught between two worlds-one filled with passion, secrets, and betrayal, and another yearning for freedom and clarity. When she meets Aiden, the charming but mysterious boy from her design school...
