Chapter 94: The Echo of Shadows

The world around Evryn seemed to shimmer, the edges of reality blurring as if it were trying to reclaim its shape after the battle with the rift. Her breath came in shallow gasps, and her head spun. The power that had once surged through her now felt like a distant memory—faded, almost ghostly. Yet, as the words echoed in her mind, she felt a cold chill crawl up her spine.

"This isn’t the end, Evryn. You’ve only just begun."

The voice was faint, almost like a whisper in a dream, but it felt as real as the ground beneath her hands. She looked around, trying to see who—or what—was speaking, but there was nothing. The landscape around her was eerily still, the chaos of the rift closing now nothing more than a fading echo.

"Who’s there?" Evryn’s voice trembled as she spoke, unsure if she was even addressing a person or some manifestation of the lingering power she had just sealed away.

Nothing answered, but the air seemed to thicken, as if something were lurking in the shadows. The darkness that had flooded her veins was gone, but in its place was a sense of foreboding—a lingering presence that she could not shake.

Suddenly, the figure who had been by her side, the one who had urged her to close the rift, stepped forward. His face was pale, his expression unreadable as he gazed down at her.

“Evryn…” His voice was softer now, almost cautious. “Are you alright?”

She blinked, still disoriented. “I… I think so. But…”

Her words trailed off as she looked up at him, seeing the concern etched in his features. For a moment, she forgot everything else—the rift, the creature, the sacrifice. It was as if she were seeing him for the first time.

But then, the whisper came again, sharp this time, and Evryn’s heart skipped a beat.

"You think you’ve won, but you’ve only sealed a door, not destroyed it. The shadows linger, Evryn. And they know your name."

Her breath caught in her throat, and she instinctively took a step back, her eyes darting around. The world felt… different now. Her connection to the rift was severed, but the consequences were more profound than she could have imagined.

The figure noticed her sudden unease. "What’s wrong?"

Before she could respond, the ground beneath them trembled. The air crackled again, but this time it wasn’t from the rift. The energy felt different—darker, older. A strange ripple spread outward, distorting everything it touched.

"Evryn!" The figure called out, but his voice was drowned out by the sound of a distant roar. It was low, guttural, like the growl of something far more ancient and terrifying than anything she had faced before.

A chill ran through her as her heart pounded faster. The voice in her mind came again, but this time, it wasn’t just a whisper. It was a warning, clear and unmistakable:

"You can’t run from the shadows. They’re coming for you."

Evryn shook her head, trying to shake off the feeling of impending doom. She turned to the figure, her voice frantic. “We need to leave, now. Something’s coming.”

But before he could respond, the earth cracked open, a jagged tear splitting the ground between them. From it emerged a shadow, a figure darker than any darkness she had ever known, with eyes that burned like twin embers. Its body was a mass of shifting shadows, constantly changing, never fully solid, as though it were a nightmare made flesh.

The figure beside her stumbled back, his eyes wide with horror. "No… not now. It’s too soon. It can’t be here."

Evryn’s breath hitched as she stepped back, her body frozen in place. The creature before them was not the one she had fought before—not the guardian, nor the creature from the rift. This one was far worse. It was ancient, a being older than time itself.

It took a step forward, its form bending and twisting as it moved, like smoke in the wind. Its eyes locked onto Evryn, and she could feel it—its gaze pierced through her very soul, as though it were reading every secret she had ever hidden.

“You…” The voice that came from its mouth was not a sound but a presence, a deep, resonating force that vibrated through her bones. “You are the one who opened the door. You are the one who allowed it to return.”

Evryn’s legs wavered beneath her, but she couldn’t look away from the creature. Its words wrapped around her like chains.

“No…” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “I—I didn’t mean to…”

The creature took another step, its form expanding, pressing in on her. “Your mistake will cost you, Evryn.”

The figure beside her grabbed her arm, pulling her away, but she barely registered his actions. All her focus was on the creature. She had felt its presence before—when the rift had opened, and when she had tried to seal it. But this—this was different. It wasn’t a mere manifestation of the rift’s energy; it was something far older, far darker.

“You shouldn’t have closed it,” the creature continued, its voice dripping with malice. “You cannot run from the shadows. They always find their way back.”

Evryn shook her head, her mind racing. “What do you want from me?” she demanded, her voice gaining strength. “What are you?”

The creature’s smile was a twisted mockery of human expression. “I am the shadow that walks between worlds, the keeper of forgotten things. And now, I am free.”

The figure beside her pulled her farther back, his face tight with fear. “Evryn, we have to go—now!”

But the creature was already moving, its shadowy tendrils extending toward them, closing the distance between them with terrifying speed. Evryn’s heart pounded in her chest, and she could feel the rift’s energy thrumming inside her once more, urging her to act, but she was paralyzed. The power was there—but it was different now. It wasn’t the same wild force she had used before. This was colder, darker—and she feared it would consume her.

The figure beside her drew a weapon—a gleaming blade that shimmered with energy—and stepped forward to face the creature.

“No,” Evryn cried, grabbing his arm. “You can’t fight it.”

But he was already charging, his blade crackling with energy as he swung it toward the creature. The creature twisted, its shadowy form shifting to avoid the strike, and with a single swipe of its hand, it sent the figure crashing to the ground, his weapon clattering from his grasp.

“No!” Evryn shouted, her heart racing as she watched the figure struggle to stand, blood staining his clothes.

But the creature wasn’t finished. It turned its glowing eyes toward Evryn, its gaze burning with a fury that seemed to reach into the very core of her being. “You opened the door, Evryn. And now you will pay the price.”

A pulse of energy shot out from the creature, a wave of darkness that pushed Evryn to her knees. She felt her body tremble, her energy draining as if it were being siphoned away.

And then, in the midst of the darkness, the voice came again.

"You’ve only just begun, Evryn. The shadows never let go. They claim what they are owed."

Evryn’s eyes widened as she realized the truth. This wasn’t over. It was only just beginning.

As the creature’s shadow enveloped her, the last thing she heard was the distant, unmistakable sound of a door creaking open. A doorway to a place even darker than the shadows themselves.