The days after the collapse of the rift felt like a blur to Maya and Dante. The haunting silence left in the wake of Aiden's sacrifice hung heavily over them. Maya could barely step out of her apartment without feeling the weight of his absence. Dante stayed close, offering quiet support, his own grief buried beneath a protective facade.
The book now sat sealed in a wooden box in Maya's room, its glow extinguished but its presence still imposing.
---
Maya found herself drawn to the rooftop where it all began. She sat on the edge, staring at the horizon, the memories of her time with Aiden flashing through her mind. The way he would tease her about her favorite coffee order, the way his laughter echoed in the halls of their design school.
Dante appeared behind her, holding two steaming cups of tea.
“I figured you could use this,” he said softly, sitting beside her.
“Thanks,” Maya murmured, taking the cup. “Do you think he knew? That he wasn’t coming back?”
Dante hesitated, then nodded. “He knew. But he wouldn’t have had it any other way. He loved you, Maya. Enough to give everything for you.”
Tears welled up in her eyes, but she quickly wiped them away. “I should’ve been able to save him. I should’ve done more.”
“You did everything you could,” Dante said firmly. “If it wasn’t for you, none of us would’ve made it out alive. Aiden knew that.”
---
Over the next few weeks, Maya and Dante spent more time together, both healing in their own ways. Dante, once shy and reserved, began to open up more, sharing stories about his childhood and his secret passion for painting.
One evening, as they sat in her apartment working on their design projects, Dante set down his pencil and looked at her.
“You know,” he began, his voice hesitant, “I’ve always admired you. Even before all of this.”
Maya glanced up, surprised. “What do you mean?”
“I mean…” He trailed off, his cheeks reddening. “I’ve liked you for a long time, Maya. But you were with Aiden, and I didn’t want to get in the way.”
Maya’s heart skipped a beat. She didn’t know what to say. She had always seen Dante as a close friend, a quiet presence who supported her without question. But now, she was beginning to see him in a new light.
“Dante, I…”
“It’s okay,” he said quickly, holding up a hand. “I’m not saying this to make things complicated. I just thought you should know.”
---
As the days turned into weeks, Maya found herself thinking more about Dante. His kindness, his quiet strength, and the way he always seemed to know exactly what she needed.
One night, they found themselves on the rooftop again, staring up at the stars.
“Do you ever think about what’s next?” Maya asked, breaking the silence.
“Every day,” Dante admitted. “But I think… as long as we’re together, we can handle anything.”
Maya smiled, a small but genuine smile. For the first time since Aiden’s death, she felt a flicker of hope.
But their moment of peace was short-lived.
---
The next morning, Maya woke to find the box containing the book open, its pages glowing faintly.
“No,” she whispered, her heart racing. “I sealed it. This isn’t possible.”
She called Dante, who rushed over within minutes.
“Do you think it’s the entity again?” he asked, examining the book.
“I don’t know,” Maya admitted. “But we can’t take any chances.”
As they stared at the book, its pages began to flip on their own, landing on a single, ominous phrase:
*"The cycle is not yet complete."*
Dante frowned. “What does that mean?”
“I don’t know,” Maya said, her voice trembling. “But I think we’re about to find out.”
---
The shadows that had vanished with the rift’s collapse began to return, this time more elusive and sinister. They whispered in the night, their voices distorted but familiar.
Maya started seeing flashes of Aiden in her dreams—his face pale, his eyes filled with sorrow.
“Help me,” he would say, his voice echoing.
One night, she woke with a start, her heart pounding. She knew she couldn’t ignore the signs any longer.
“We have to go back,” she told Dante the next morning.
“Back to the chamber?” he asked, his face pale.
She nodded. “There’s something we missed. Something the entity left behind.”
---
The journey back to the underground chamber was fraught with tension. The shadows seemed to grow stronger with every step they took.
When they reached the chamber, they found the mirrors restored, their surfaces reflecting not their own faces but images of Aiden.
“What is this?” Dante whispered.
Maya approached one of the mirrors, her hand trembling. The reflection of Aiden stared back at her, his eyes filled with pain.
“Maya,” he said, his voice faint but unmistakable. “You have to finish it.”
“Finish what?” she asked, her voice breaking.
“The rift,” Aiden replied. “It’s still open. The entity is still here.”
---
The realization hit them like a thunderclap. The rift hadn’t been fully sealed. The entity had left a part of itself behind, hiding in the shadows, waiting to strike again.
Maya turned to Dante, her determination unwavering. “We have to end this. For good.”
Dante nodded, his hand slipping into hers. “Together.”
As the chamber began to quake, the book’s pages glowed brighter than ever, its power surging through them. The battle wasn’t over yet—and this time, they would make sure there were no loose ends.
YOU ARE READING
Beneath the Shattered Sky
RomanceIn 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...
