Awakening Shadows

As the days passed, Val immersed himself in missions with the team and in training, searching for a way to reach his brothers within the recesses of his mind.

Each night, he lingered on the boundary between reality and his consciousness, hoping for even the slightest sign of Ember or Exeo's presence. But every attempt was met with silence—a quiet that deepened his resolve and sharpened his focus.

He trained with Fon and Riggs in the mornings, their routines growing increasingly intense. Fon's boundless energy filled the gaps with quiet strength, while Riggs's familiar banter kept the spirit of Team Unknown alive.

Yet, even in the lively atmosphere of training, Val's thoughts were never far from Ember and Exeo, whose absence felt like a shadow he couldn't escape.

Late one night, restless with no mission assigned, Val returned to the training room. He moved through each form, alternating between the defensive stances Ember had taught him and the brutal, efficient strikes Exeo had drilled into him. The sweat and motion brought him to a state of pure focus—until a familiar voice broke the silence.

"Training alone? Haven't you learned by now it's best to rely on your team?"

Val froze, his heart pounding as he turned to see Bo leaning casually against the door frame, a small smirk on his face. Behind him stood Riggs, with Fon lingering in the shadows of the hallway, his head peeking out behind Riggs.

"I could say the same about you three." Val let out a slight chuckle, but his smile didn't quite reach his eyes.

Bo stepped forward, crossing his arms. "You're taking on a lot, Val. Ember and Exeo would hate to see you shouldering all of this alone. They trusted you, sure, but they never meant for you to be consumed by it."

Val's smile faltered. "I know," he said quietly, "but I can't rest until I find a way to reach them. I feel like... they're so close, but out of reach. And every day, it's like they're slipping further away."

He brushed strands of his long red hair from his face. It had grown longer than he used to keep it—another reminder of all that had changed.

A silence settled over the room as Bo, Riggs, and Fon exchanged glances. Riggs spoke up, his usual lighthearted tone softened. "We're all here, you know. Even if we can't bring them back right away, we can help you find a way."

Fon's voice, quiet but determined, cut through. "We're not just your team, Val. We're your family now. If there's any way we can help, we will."

Val's gaze flickered between them, touched by their unwavering support. For a moment, he allowed himself to feel their warmth—a faint ember of hope in the darkness.

Just then, a pulse of energy surged within him—a tremor that seemed to resonate deep in his core.

Val staggered, clutching his chest as an overwhelming wave of emotion washed over him. He could feel warmth and dampness on his left cheek—the faint trickle of blood from his left eye that he hadn't felt escape.

"Val!" Fon reached out, worry etched across his face. "What's happening?"

But Val couldn't answer. The world spun, his body went weak, and he collapsed onto the cold, hard floor of the training room.

In a heartbeat, he was pulled into the depths of his own consciousness, where only shadows and flickers of Purple Fire awaited.

When he opened his eyes, he found himself standing in an ethereal realm, surrounded by wisps of smoke and dim, pulsing lights. The silence was deafening, but something within it felt…familiar.

A figure began to take shape in the mist, and Val's heart clenched as he recognized the form of Ember, his face pale and eyes closed, his entire being wrapped in gentle strands of Purple Fire.

"Ember…" Val's voice broke as he reached out, his hand trembling, fearing the figure might vanish like a mirage.

"Val?" a second voice called, distant and faint but unmistakably Exeo's.

Val spun around to see his elder brother standing a few paces away, also bound by the same Purple Fire, though his face seemed strained, as if he were in some kind of struggle.

As Val took in the sight, the reality of the situation struck him—they were here, bound in his consciousness, but somehow unable to awaken.

He moved closer, desperation and hope mingling as he reached out toward Ember, feeling the faint warmth of his brother's soul through the Purple Fire.

"I'm here," Val whispered, his voice trembling. "I'm here to bring you both back." The tears threatened to spill, but he held them back, taking in every detail of their forms. He had missed them too much.

For a moment, Ember's eyelids flickered, and a soft murmur escaped his lips. "Val…"

The sound was faint, but it ignited a fierce determination within him.

"I know you're fighting," he said, speaking to both his brothers, controlling the tremble in his voice. "I'll find a way to bring you back. I won't let this...whatever it is, keep you here."

But as he spoke, a dark tendril of energy slithered into view, twisting through the air toward Ember and Exeo.

Val's pulse quickened as he recognized the Void's presence, its essence merging with the Purple Fire, both a barrier and a prison around his brothers' forms.

From behind him, Deleo's voice echoed, smooth yet edged with a somber tone. "It's been a while, Val."

Val whirled around, emotions surging within him. "You… Where were you all this time?"

Deleo's spectral form materialized, his expression unreadable. He looked from Val to the ensnared forms of Ember and Exeo, his gaze heavy.

"I had to stabilize the Void for a little while after…" he trailed off, his eyes lingering on Exeo and Ember's forms, "…after they gave you their Purple Fire."

"What do you mean?" Val asked, a frown deepening on his face.

"Remember what I told you before?" Deleo's voice softened, shadowed by regret. "In order to control the Void—"

Val cut him off, the realization hitting him hard. "The Purple Fire is needed to control and prevent the…backlash."

Deleo nodded solemnly, his gaze pained. "Their sacrifice wasn't just to protect you, Val. It was to ensure you had the strength to hold back the Void's full fury."

His voice grew softer. "They trusted me to help you carry that weight. I couldn't reach you anymore at that time, Val." Deleo's voice was filled with pain after saying it.

He needed help from Val's brothers. He now realized what Ember had meant when he returned the question to him:

Why do you think you kept them alive?

Why did you keep him alive all this time? You treat them more than a vessel, so as them to you.

Val's gaze shifted from Deleo's shadowy form, then returned to Ember and Exeo, a hollow ache spreading in his chest as he felt the depths of their sacrifice.

"All this time…" he whispered, his voice barely audible.

The truth had always been right there, hidden beneath layers of fear and darkness.

He took a step closer to them, brushing his fingers over the Purple Fire surrounding his brothers, feeling the faint spark of their souls within.

"I'll find a way to bring you back," he vowed, louder this time, his voice filled with unwavering resolve. "Even if it means facing the Void itself."

But at that moment, Deleo's voice, low and mournful, echoed behind him. "The path you're choosing… it's dangerous, Val. To take on the Void alone is to risk everything."

The magic seals in your eyes… was left unsaid by Deleo. Though they had lifted two layers of the magic seals before. The more seals are removed, the more of the influence of the Void will surge within Val's body.

Val turned to him, his expression fierce. "I'm not alone, Deleo. I have my brothers, even if they're not by my side in body, my team, who've stood by me every step of the way..."

Val looked straight at Deleo, and said, "And you. I have you beside me. Hell, you've been with me longer than they have. So, I owe you this. Whatever I face, I know you'll always have my back."

Deleo's form wavered, his expression softened with a sadness that seemed timeless.

"Then perhaps there's hope for you yet," he murmured, as he began to fade, his voice echoing one final warning. "But beware, Val. The Void's darkness is relentless. If you falter… it won't just take you—it'll consume everything you love."

And with that, the darkness surged, and Val found himself pulled back, the shadows receding, as the vision faded, leaving him and gasped. 

He was now surrounded by his team, whose faces etched with worry. He slowly stood up, with Bo and Riggs helping him to get up.

He stood still, and simply closed his eyes. A faint smile crossed his face as Deleo's words echoed in his mind, his heart filled with a renewed determination, and the faint embers of hope flickered ever brighter within him.