57. The Final Game

The air remains thick, heavy, as if everything is suspended in the same breath of uncertainty. The man in front of us watches with an unsettling calm, as though nothing I say or do matters. He isn’t afraid of Shadow. Or of me. And that makes me even more nervous. He knows we’re desperate, that the situation couldn’t be worse. But he also knows that’s precisely what makes us vulnerable.

“What do you think you’ll achieve, Eve?”

His voice is soft—like a poisonous caress.

“Do you truly believe you can defy me? That you can defeat me with words alone?”

I stare at him, unblinking, trying not to let his presence sink into me. Fear—that bitter taste that has accompanied me all my life—seems to dissolve when I think of Shadow. He won’t let me fall. No matter what this man says.

“I *can* defeat you,” I say more firmly, though my throat is dry, as if each word costs more than it should. It doesn’t matter. I have to keep fighting.

“Because I... I’m not like you. I don’t need to play with people to get what I want.”

He laughs—a cold, almost mocking sound that sends a chill down my spine.

“How brave.”

He takes a step toward me, and in that instant, I feel the darkness of his aura surround me.

“But bravery isn’t always enough. Loyalty, love... they’re not enough to survive. There are rules in this world, Eve. And you don’t understand them.”The weight of his words settles on my chest.

Could it be true?

Is it really that easy for him to destroy everything we have?

Is that the truth that awaits us, no matter how hard we fight?

My gaze meets Shadow’s, and something in his expression gives me strength to go on. His eyes, normally so wild and untamable, reflect a sorrow I can’t quite comprehend—but also an unshakable resolve. I know he’s fighting his own demons. But I also know he won’t let me fall.

“You’re going to lose anyway,” I say, this time with a more defiant tone. I don’t care what he says, what he does. This won’t end here. Not while we still have the strength to resist.

The man raises an eyebrow, as if amused by my reaction. But in his eyes, I see something else—a cold, calculating look, like he’s dissecting us, hunting for weakness. My breath quickens, and though I try to stand tall, part of me feels we can’t hold on much longer. The pressure of this moment is crushing me. And I know Shadow feels it too.

But before I can speak again, the man steps back and smiles. This time, the smile is different. It’s not mocking. Not cruel. It’s... satisfied.

“I’ll see you soon, Eve. And when I return, everything will be easier. I promise.”

And with those words, he turns abruptly and vanishes, leaving us there, in the middle of a chaos that still echoes through every corner of the room.

The silence that follows his departure is deafening. I feel like I can’t breathe—that everything is slipping through my fingers. The fear I had managed to keep at bay comes rushing back, pulling me toward the darkness.

Can we really face all of this?

Can we really endure what’s coming?

Shadow remains standing, watching me in silence. I know he’s worried, just as shaken as I am by everything that just happened. But he doesn’t dare show weakness. He wouldn’t—not now.

“Did we... win?” I ask, though I’m not sure the question even makes sense. I ask it because I need to hear something—*anything*—to remind me we’re still standing. That we still have a chance.

Shadow doesn’t answer right away. He just stares at me, eyes locked on mine, as if trying to read my soul. Finally, he exhales deeply, like the tension he’s been holding back has finally caught up with him.

“I don’t know, Eve. But that doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters now is that we *don’t let him control us*. If I’ve learned anything, it’s this: you can’t let fear rule you.”

His words strike deep in my chest, like a reminder of what we’re capable of. Fear is a shadow that’s haunted our every step—but now, with each word Shadow speaks, I feel that shadow begin to fade.

I step closer to him slowly, my hands trembling from the accumulated tension, but my heart unwavering. I look at him, and for a moment, all the uncertainty melts away. What we feel for each other—what we’ve built—*cannot* be broken by anyone, no matter how powerful the threat.

“I won’t let them separate us. I won’t let you go, Shadow.”

My voice is a whisper, but the certainty behind it gives me strength.

He doesn’t reply right away—but the way he looks at me, the way his eyes soften, tells me everything I need to know. It doesn’t matter what comes. It doesn’t matter what we face. We’re going to fight for this. For *us*. For what we have.

A few seconds later, Shadow places his hand over mine—his touch gentle, but firm. As if, in that small gesture, we’re sealing a promise. A pact. The battle isn’t over—not even close. But as long as we stand together, as long as we hold on to what we feel, there is no force in this world that can tear us apart.

And that—in this moment—is all that matters.