Collide: The Memory of Stars

Third Person's POV

The wind howled through the ruins as they emerged from the tunnels, shaken but resolute. The illusion had nearly cost them their lives, and the unsettling laughter of the shadow still echoed in Selene's mind. But there was no time to dwell on it. They had to move.

Axel tightened his grip on his sword. "We need to find higher ground," he said.

"If there are any true survivors, we have to be able to spot them."

Khael, still catching his breath, nodded. "And if more of those... things show up?"

"Then we face them head-on," Tyra said, her voice steadier than she felt. She retrieved her daggers from her belt, eyes scanning the darkened ruins.

"But this time, we don't fall for their tricks."

Selene looked toward the remnants of what was once Eldoria's tallest tower, now a shattered relic of its past grandeur.

"That watchtower might still be standing enough for a vantage point. If we get up there, we might see signs of life."

They moved quickly, every step cautious. The air was thick, heavy with the remnants of old magic and lingering darkness.

The ruins whispered with unseen presences, the weight of the past pressing against them with every broken stone they stepped over.

The climb to the watchtower was arduous. The staircase had long since crumbled, forcing them to scale the jagged remains of the structure.

Tyra led the way, her agility making the ascent easier. Axel followed, lending a hand to Selene and Khael where the stone was too unstable.

At the top, they were greeted by a harrowing sight.

The land stretched out before them, vast and broken. Fires still smoldered in the distance, remnants of destruction that had not yet faded. The city was in ruin, entire districts swallowed by the void's corruption. And yet—

"There," Selene whispered, pointing toward the farthest edges of the ruins.

A flicker of movement.

It was faint, but unmistakable—a light, shifting between the debris, too controlled to be a mere accident. Someone was out there.

Axel exhaled sharply. "Survivors."

Khael clenched his fists. "Then we go. Now."

Tyra hesitated. "It could be another trick."

"Or it could be the last hope of Eldoria," Selene countered.

"We don't leave anyone behind."

Axel nodded. "Then let's move. But we do it carefully. No more falling into traps."

With renewed urgency, they began their descent, each step bringing them closer to the unknown.

The shadows still lurked, the echoes of deception lingering in the air. But this time, they would not be caught unprepared.

The search for survivors was far from over.

They followed a path deeper into the ruins, moving cautiously between crumbling pillars and broken archways.

The remnants of battle were still evident—scorched stones, shattered weapons, and tattered banners fluttering in the cold breeze. The further they walked, the heavier the air became, as if something unseen was watching.

Then, a sound—soft, distant, but unmistakably human.

Selene halted. "Did you hear that?"

Axel nodded, motioning for silence. The sound was faint, but it was there—a whisper, a sob, echoing from a collapsed building ahead.

Tyra narrowed her eyes. "Could be another trick."

"Only one way to find out," Axel said, stepping forward.

They approached cautiously, weapons ready. The building had partially caved in, but within the shadows of the ruins, a figure sat huddled against the cold stone.

A woman, frail and trembling, her clothes tattered, her skin pale as death.

Selene's breath hitched. "A survivor."

The woman flinched at the sound of their voices, her sunken eyes darting to them in fear.

"Stay… stay away…" she whispered hoarsely.

Axel knelt beside her.

"We're not here to hurt you. We're here to help."

The woman's eyes filled with tears, but something in them flickered—hesitation? Fear?

Khael stepped forward. "Are there others? Did anyone else survive?"

The woman shuddered. "Yes… others… but they…" Her voice wavered, and she clutched at her chest as if in pain.

"They're trapped… taken… by the darkness."

Selene felt a chill crawl up her spine.

"Where?"

The woman's frail hand lifted, pointing toward the ruins ahead, where the shadows seemed thicker, darker.

"Beyond the broken gate… where the voices call…"

Axel exchanged a wary glance with Selene and Tyra. It was clear they were walking into a trap, but if there were truly survivors, they had no choice but to take the risk.

Selene turned to the woman.

"You're coming with us. We won't leave you here alone."

The woman hesitated, then gave a small nod.

"Be careful. The darkness lies."

They moved as a group, keeping the woman close. The path led them through a narrow passage where vines and debris blocked most of the light.

The deeper they went, the more unnatural the silence became. Even the wind had ceased to whisper.

Then came the voices.

Soft at first, like echoes from a forgotten dream. Then clearer.

"… Help us… please… save us…"

Khael shuddered. "I don't like this."

Axel raised his sword.

"Stay close. Don't trust anything you hear."

They stepped past the broken gate, and the world around them shifted.

The air grew thick, pressing down on their lungs. The ruins ahead no longer looked like ruins but a distorted version of the past—a city still standing, yet wrong.

Fires burned in the distance, but there was no heat. Shadows flickered in the streets, moving like lost souls.

The woman clutched Selene's arm. "They are here…"

Selene's heart pounded. "Where?"

A voice, deeper than the others, answered.

"Everywhere."

The ground beneath them cracked, and from the shadows, figures emerged—humanoid, yet faceless.

Their bodies flickered like illusions, shifting and twisting with the darkness.

Axel raised his sword. "Get ready!"

The creatures lunged, their movements unnatural, their limbs elongating and retracting as they swarmed toward them.

Selene struck first, her blade slicing through one of the figures, but it merely reformed, its laughter echoing in her mind.

Tyra threw her daggers, but they passed through the creatures as if striking mist.

"These things aren't normal!" Tyra yelled.

Axel cursed under his breath.

"They're illusions, but they can still kill us."

Khael stepped forward, his golden flames roaring to life.

"Then let's burn the illusions away."

He unleashed a wave of fire, and for a moment, the creatures recoiled, their forms distorting. But as the flames flickered, they surged forward again.

Selene gritted her teeth. "It's not enough! We need to find what's controlling them!"

The woman behind them suddenly gasped, her body convulsing.

Selene turned in horror. "What's wrong?"

The woman's form flickered. Her pale skin darkened, her eyes hollowed, her voice twisting into a familiar, mocking laughter.

"Foolish travelers," she hissed. "Did you truly think you could save what is already lost?"

Selene's blood ran cold. They had been tricked again.

The air around them grew dense, thick with the weight of deception. Selene's fingers clenched around the hilt of her blade, her mind racing. They had been led into another trap.

The woman before them no longer trembled. Her frail frame twisted and lengthened, her skin darkening into an abyssal hue. Her hollow eyes gleamed with malice, her lips stretching into an unnatural smile.

Khael stumbled back, fire flickering in his palms.

"She was never real…"

"Oh, but I was," the entity cooed, its voice a sickening melody.

"A fragment of what was lost. A memory. A lie given form. Just like them."

The shadows around them deepened, shifting, swirling. The ruins of Eldoria flickered between past and present, like a mirage being torn apart by the wind.

The once-faceless figures that surrounded them now bore twisted, familiar visages—people they had known, people who had perished.

Tyra's breath hitched as she took a step back.

"No… this isn't real."

Axel narrowed his eyes, raising his sword.

"Then we cut through the lie."

The shadow woman's laughter rang out like the toll of a distant bell. "You can try."

She lifted a hand, and darkness surged forward, tendrils slithering like serpents. The figures lunged, their distorted forms shifting between past and present—warriors they had fought alongside, loved ones they had lost. Each face a weapon, each voice a dagger aimed at their resolve.

Selene's heart pounded. Aldric's face flickered before her, mouth open in silent agony. Axel's grip tightened as he saw comrades long buried. Tyra's hands trembled as a shadowed figure that looked like her brother reached for her. Khael clenched his fists, his flames warring against the suffocating dark.

"They're not real! They're not real!"

"Then why do they hurt so much?" the entity whispered, stepping closer. Selene shut her eyes. Focus. Think. This was not just an illusion—it was something feeding off them, something that needed their pain to exist.

She opened her eyes and whispered, "It wants us to believe."

Axel caught her meaning, nodding. "Then we don't."

The group closed ranks, their backs to each other. Tyra exhaled sharply, pushing aside her fear. Khael took a steadying breath, his flames burning brighter. Selene focused, drawing her power inward. The entity's smirk faltered.

"No," it hissed. "You belong to the past. You belong to the pain!"

Selene stepped forward, sword gleaming.

"No. We belong to the future."

She struck. A brilliant light erupted from her blade, slicing through the illusions. The false faces twisted and screamed as they were unmade. Khael's fire roared, consuming the lies in golden flames. Axel's sword swung in arcs of pure determination, severing the past from the present.

The entity shrieked as its form wavered. "No! This is not how it ends!"

Selene met its hollow gaze. "It already has."

With one final slash, the entity shattered, its scream echoing into nothingness.

The ruins fell silent.

The air was lighter now, the weight of deception lifted. Selene exhaled, lowering her blade. Tyra placed a hand on her chest, steadying her breath.

Axel scanned the surroundings, ensuring no more tricks remained. Khael wiped sweat from his brow, his flames dimming.

Axel spoke first.

"That wasn't just an illusion."

Selene nodded.

"It was something more… something old."

Tyra swallowed hard.

"Then whatever is ahead is worse."

Khael's gaze hardened.

"We keep searching. There might still be real survivors."

They shared a determined look, then turned toward the deeper ruins. The battle had been won, but the war against the darkness was far from over.

To be continued.