The silence reigned. Once teeming with vibrant hues and boundless vitality, the Nexus now seems muted, almost melancholy. Zara's hands were shaking as she knelt on the chilly floor, pressing them against the empty pedestal that had once held the crystalline sphere. It was gone, and Kael was gone too.
It was as if something essential had been torn from her chest. Despite the deafening quiet around her, Kael's last words, "You're going to save the world, Zara," continued to reverberate in her mind. I have faith in you.
It didn't feel like Zara was saving the day. She felt inadequate.
"No," she muttered, violently shaking her head. "No, this isn't how it should finish." Her voice broke, and unrestrained tears fell down her cheeks. "This is what we were meant to do together."
A rumbling rumble echoed through the room as the ground underneath her trembled. Zara looked up, tears clouding her vision. The Nexus was changing once more, its hues deepening into red and indigo. She found herself
