The Shadow's Claim

**Chapter Six: The Shadow's Claim**

Isolde drifted in the void, weightless, suspended between life and something far beyond it. In this place, there was no time, no sense of direction—only the whisper of the Endless Night, constant and unyielding. She could feel the void gnawing at her soul, desperate to consume what remained of her light. But she resisted, holding onto the last vestiges of herself, knowing that once she let go, there would be nothing left.

Somewhere, faint and far away, Kane was calling her name, his voice a distant echo in the darkness. She tried to reach for him, but her body no longer responded. The bond between her and the Eclipse Engines was still there, keeping the void at bay, but it was fragile, fraying with every second.

"You've done well," a voice whispered in the darkness, soft and chilling. It wasn't Kane's voice. It was something older, deeper—a voice that seemed to come from the void itself.

Isolde tensed, searching for the source of the voice, but she saw nothing. Only the endless black.

"Who are you?" she demanded, her voice trembling. "What do you want?"

A figure materialized before her, stepping out of the shadows like a phantom. It was a woman, tall and regal, with skin as pale as the moon and eyes as dark as the void itself. Her long black hair flowed around her like a living thing, and her lips curled into a faint smile.

"I am the Emissary of the Night," the woman said, her voice soft but commanding. "I have watched you for a long time, Isolde Veris. You are stronger than I expected."

Isolde's heart pounded in her chest as she faced the Emissary. This was the entity that had whispered to her in the Engine chamber, the presence that had been lurking in the shadows ever since. The one that had been watching her, waiting for the right moment.

"You were behind it all," Isolde said, her voice low and accusing. "The Engines, the stars dying… it was you."

The Emissary's smile widened, but there was no warmth in it. "The Eclipse Engines were merely tools. Instruments of balance. But balance is not eternal. The Endless Night was always destined to return, and now it has. You have only delayed the inevitable."

Isolde clenched her fists, her pulse racing. "I won't let you destroy everything."

The Emissary's dark eyes gleamed, and she took a step closer, her presence overwhelming. "You cannot stop what is already in motion. The stars will fade, the void will consume all light, and the universe will return to its original state—one of perfect darkness."

Isolde backed away, but the void seemed to press in on her from all sides. "There has to be another way," she said, desperation creeping into her voice. "I stopped the Night once. I can do it again."

The Emissary tilted her head, as if considering Isolde's words. "Perhaps you can," she said, her tone almost mocking. "But the price would be far greater than you realize. You cannot hold back the Endless Night forever, Isolde. Even now, it claws at the edges of your soul, waiting for you to falter."

Isolde's resolve wavered. She could feel it too—the constant pull of the void, the relentless hunger of the Night. How long could she keep it at bay? How long before she was consumed by it?

"What do you want from me?" Isolde asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

The Emissary's smile faded, and her eyes gleamed with something dark and dangerous. "Join me," she said, her voice low and seductive. "Become one with the void, and you will no longer need to fear the darkness. You will become eternal, a force beyond life and death. Together, we can reshape the universe as it was meant to be—an endless expanse of shadow, free from the tyranny of light."

Isolde's heart raced, her mind spinning. The offer was intoxicating, but it came at a price. If she accepted, she would become part of the very thing she had fought to stop. She would lose herself, lose everything that made her who she was.

"No," she said, her voice stronger than before. "I won't be your pawn."

The Emissary's smile vanished, replaced by cold fury. "You cannot resist forever, Isolde. The Night will have you, one way or another."

Before Isolde could respond, the void around her began to shift and churn, the shadows growing thicker, more oppressive. The Emissary's figure dissolved into the darkness, her voice fading into the void.

"We will meet again, Isolde Veris," the Emissary whispered. "When the stars have all gone out, you will see the truth."

Isolde felt herself being pulled back, away from the void, away from the shadows. The pull of the bond—the connection to the Eclipse Engines—was dragging her back toward the light.

And then, with a gasp, she woke.

She was back in the Oracle's temple, lying on the cold stone floor. Her body ached, and her mind felt like it had been torn apart and stitched back together. For a moment, she couldn't remember where she was, or what had happened.

Then she saw Kane kneeling beside her, his face pale with worry.

"Isolde," he breathed, relief flooding his voice. "You're back."

She sat up slowly, wincing as pain shot through her limbs. "How long…?"

"Only a few minutes," Kane said, helping her to her feet. "But you were out cold. I thought… I thought you were gone."

Isolde shook her head, trying to clear the fog from her mind. "I was… somewhere else. The Emissary. She's part of the void. She tried to convince me to join her."

Kane's face darkened. "The void's playing tricks. It's trying to get inside your head."

Isolde nodded, her hand resting on Kane's arm for support. "I can still feel it. The void. It's not gone, Kane. It's still there, waiting."

The Oracles stepped forward, their glowing eyes fixed on Isolde. "The Endless Night has been bound, but the void will always hunger for light. The Emissary speaks truth—you cannot hold it back forever."

Kane shook his head, frustration and anger simmering just beneath the surface. "Then what was the point of all this? If the void is still out there, if it's still coming for her—what do we do now?"

The central Oracle's voice was calm, almost serene. "The Night is patient, but so too must you be. There is still time. You have delayed its return, but the ultimate decision lies with Isolde. When the time comes, she must choose whether to sacrifice herself… or embrace the void."

Isolde's chest tightened at the words, the enormity of the choice pressing down on her once more. The Oracles had given her time, but not a solution. The void was waiting, and one day, she would have to face it again.

But for now, she was alive. And so were the stars.

"We'll figure it out," Kane said quietly, his voice steady despite the fear in his eyes. "We always do."

Isolde nodded, though the weight of her future still hung heavy in her heart. The darkness was out there, waiting for her. And the next time they met, it would demand her final answer.

**To be continued…**