The air in the city grew colder, heavier, as though the very weight of the god's awakening pressed down on them. Kael's breath caught in his throat as he pulled his hand back from the broken chain, his mind struggling to process what had just happened. The world around them seemed to pulse in rhythm with the beating of some unseen heart, and Kael's pulse quickened in response, his entire being on edge.
"Aurenya, we need to move," Kael muttered, his voice strained. He took a step back, but the ground beneath his feet seemed to shift, the glass beneath them creaking and groaning like a living thing.
Aurenya stood motionless, her eyes locked on the glowing chain, her face pale. She was trembling, her hands still tightly clutching the girl. "It's too late," she whispered. "The god is awake. It's in the air—it's everywhere."
Kael turned to her, his expression hardening. "We can't stay here. The Hollow King's forces will be closing in. We need to leave."
But Aurenya didn't seem to hear him. Her gaze remained fixed on the girl in her arms, her brow furrowed in concentration. The girl's body had grown even colder, her small frame now shaking violently. She let out a muffled sob, her wide eyes filled with terror.
Aurenya took a deep breath, her hands gently smoothing the girl's hair. "She's... she's destabilizing, Kael. The magic within her is unraveling."
"Then we need to get her to safety," Kael snapped, frustration rising in his chest. "Now!"
Aurenya looked up, her expression haunted. "She's not just holding the god anymore, Kael. She is the god. She's been carrying its power all along."
The realization hit Kael like a physical blow, and he staggered back, his eyes wide. "She—she is the god?"
Aurenya nodded, her face pale and haunted. "But something's wrong. It's as if she's losing control. The god within her—it's breaking free."
Kael could feel the weight of her words settling over him. The girl—this fragile, trembling child—was the vessel for a god. And now, that god was fighting to escape. He couldn't begin to comprehend what that meant, but the terror on Aurenya's face told him it was worse than any of them had imagined.
"We need to get her to the City of Mirrors," Aurenya said, her voice tinged with urgency. "It's the only place where the power binding her can be undone."
Kael glanced around, the vast, ruined city stretching out before them, its shattered glass towers gleaming like jagged teeth in the fading light. "And what happens when the god inside her breaks free?"
Aurenya's eyes flickered with fear. "The Hollow King will come for her. He'll take her power, and with it, he'll bring destruction to everything in his path. If he succeeds…"
She didn't need to finish the sentence. Kael already knew the answer.
"We won't let that happen," he growled, a fire lighting in his chest. His hands clenched into fists, the edges of his fingers tingling with the heat of his frustration. He wouldn't let this god—this monster—tear apart the world. He couldn't.
Aurenya's voice was soft but firm. "Kael, I'm not sure we can stop this. We're already too late. The god is awakening, and with it comes something older than anything we've ever faced."
Kael shook his head, the weight of her words sinking in. "I don't care. I'm not losing her."
The girl let out another whimper, a sharp cry escaping her lips as her body began to glow even brighter, the power inside her flaring out of control. Kael's heart pounded in his chest as he took a step toward her, reaching out, but Aurenya held up her hand.
"No," she said, her voice breaking. "Don't. She's dangerous now."
Kael's gaze flickered to the girl. There was no mistaking the raw, unbridled power emanating from her. It was as if she were both a beacon and a storm, a force that could tear them all apart if left unchecked. The city around them seemed to quiver in response, its mirrored surfaces flickering as though caught in a fever dream.
Kael's eyes hardened with determination. "Then we do what we have to do to keep her safe. If she's the key to stopping the Hollow King, then we'll make sure he never gets his hands on her."
Aurenya's eyes softened, a small, sad smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "You're still so certain, Kael. Even when everything around us is falling apart."
Kael met her gaze, his voice low but resolute. "I've seen what the Hollow King is capable of. I've fought too many battles to lose this one."
Aurenya didn't reply. Instead, she turned her attention to the girl, her fingers brushing against her temple. The girl's breathing was shallow, ragged, and her body trembled in Aurenya's arms.
"We need to leave," Kael insisted again, his tone sharper this time. "Before the Hollow King arrives. Before she—"
Before she destroys us all.
The words hung in the air, unspoken, but their meaning was clear.
Aurenya nodded, her eyes briefly closing as she took a deep breath. She adjusted the girl in her arms, her body still shivering with the strain of holding on to the unstable magic within her. The girl's light flickered again, almost as if it were a signal, a warning.
"Let's go," Aurenya murmured. "We can't afford to wait any longer."
They moved quickly, pushing their way through the labyrinth of broken glass and shattered stone. The city seemed to close in around them, the darkness of the ruins pressing in like a tightening fist. The reflections in the mirrored surfaces grew more distorted, more chaotic as they neared the center of the city, and the air crackled with the weight of ancient power.
Kael's thoughts raced as they pressed forward. They had to make it out of the City of Mirrors. They had to get the girl to safety, and to do that, they had to unlock whatever secret the city was hiding. But with every step, the weight of what they were carrying seemed to grow heavier.
And with every passing moment, Kael felt the Hollow King's presence grow closer.