Defying Oblivion

The weight of the masked figure's words pressed against Aaron's chest like an iron brand.

"The world has begun to forget them."

Orien, the Forgotten One both slipping away, unraveling like whispers on the wind. Not because of any external force, but because the very fabric of reality no longer recognized them.

Aaron gritted his teeth. He refused to let it happen.

Selene was already moving, her silver aura weaving between the cracks of the crumbling chamber. Her gaze was sharp, assessing. "If they are fading because of the throne's destruction, then we must find something to anchor them."

Aaron shot a glance at Orien. The once-mighty figure struggled to remain upright, his form flickering, his presence weakening with every passing moment. Beside him, the Forgotten One had no voice just a fractured existence, barely holding on.

"What does that mean?" Aaron demanded. "How do we anchor them?"

The masked figure tilted their head, watching with what almost seemed like amusement.

"Memory is a fragile thing, Aaron." Their voice was smooth, measured. "You cannot fight against what has already begun. If the world forgets them, then they cease to be."

Aaron's frustration flared. "Then I'll make the world remember."

The masked figure let out a quiet chuckle. "And how do you plan to fight against the will of reality itself?"

Silence.

For the first time in a long time, Aaron didn't have an immediate answer. His fists clenched. He had shattered the Sovereign's rule, broken fate's chains but now, he was faced with something far more intangible.

Selene's voice cut through the tension. "There is a way."

Aaron turned to her, searching her expression. "What do you mean?"

Her violet eyes gleamed, calculating. "Memories fade, but they are never truly lost." She glanced toward Orien and the Forgotten One, then back at Aaron. "We need to force their existence back into the world's consciousness."

Aaron frowned. "How?"

Selene hesitated. "…Through a tether. A link strong enough to defy oblivion itself."

Orien coughed, his voice weak but steady. "Tethers… require sacrifice."

Aaron's jaw clenched. "What kind of sacrifice?"

Selene met his gaze. "A part of yourself."

The room fell silent.

Aaron's pulse pounded in his ears.

Selene continued, her voice unwavering. "If the world is trying to erase them, then the only way to anchor them is to bind them to something it cannot ignore. A soul a force strong enough to carve their existence back into reality."

Aaron exhaled sharply. He understood what she meant. To save Orien and the Forgotten One, he would have to give up a piece of himself his power, his memories, something that was inherently his.

A piece of his own existence.

He looked at Orien. The warrior stared back at him, silent, but his expression was clear. Don't do this.

Aaron ignored it. He turned to Selene. "How do we do it?"

She nodded, stepping closer. "I can guide the process. But once we begin, there is no turning back. If you falter, if your resolve wavers, the bond will fail."

Aaron's grip on his sword tightened. His golden-black aura flickered. "I won't falter."

Selene studied him for a long moment. Then, slowly, she reached out a hand.

"The world is trying to forget them," she whispered. "So let's make sure it never does."

Aaron grasped her hand.

The ritual began.