Chapter 16 - Echo XIV — Awakening & Apprehension

Taking a slow breath, I tried to follow her instructions.At first, my eye refused to open fully.My eyelids trembled with the effort.Then, little by little, the resistance faded.A thin slit opened, letting through a faint glow.Immediately, my vision was engulfed by a crimson red hue.Dense.Almost suffocating.As if a bloody filter stood between me and the world.I blinked.The color shifted.The red vanished.Replaced by a deep blue.Then a brilliant green.A blinding yellow...The hues flashed by wildly, overlapping in a frantic dance.My heart raced under the avalanche of colors.— What is…?I didn't get to finish my sentence.A white light.Pure.Blinding.Suddenly engulfed me.The brightness was so intense I stepped back.My hand instinctively rose to shield my eye.My breath caught in my throat.My body, frozen, endured the sensory assault without reacting.Then, as suddenly as it had appeared…The light faded.I blinked several times, still shaken by what I had just seen.The impression of light lingered.Etched deep in my retina.I hesitated for a moment.Then raised my head, searching for a change.A sign that something had truly shifted.But no.Everything seemed… normal.My gaze settled on her.A mix of confusion and expectation in my eyes.She, however, merely offered a faint, enigmatic smile.— So? How do you feel?— As if an invisible weight had just evaporated...I took a deep breath.A strange feeling still lingered inside me.Hard to describe.A blend of relief and the unknown.Thana nodded lightly at my answer.— That's normal… And it's only the beginning.Her voice was soft, almost soothing.Contrasting with the usual power she radiated.She paused.Then continued:— Now that the essential is settled, we can go.Don't forget… I'll always be with you.If you want to speak to me, just think it. Okay?I nodded silently.— And even if it seems obvious… I prefer to say it clearly.Don't tell anyone what just happened.For your own safety…And your sister's.My heart froze for a moment.It wasn't the warning that made me react…But the mention of my sister.I suddenly lifted my head.Eyes wide open.Thanatos caught my gaze.And gave a nearly imperceptible smile.— Don't be so surprised.I've been with you almost always.Do you find it strange that I know she exists?A shiver ran down my spine.Her voice had grown deeper.More solemn.— But let's be clear, Kael.I consider you a precious part of my existence.Like someone from my family.But that's not the case for her.If one day I have to intervene for you, I won't hesitate.Because losing your sister would cause you pain.But…She paused.Then locked her burning gaze with mine.— If a choice ever comes…I will always choose to protect you first.Kael was torn.He couldn't really blame Thanatos.After all, she had been absolutely honest with him.Without hiding her intentions behind false pretenses.She never concealed her attachment.Nor her unwavering commitment by his side.And besides…She hadn't ignored the existence of his sister.She had even said clearly: if she was in danger, she would intervene.That was no small thing.But the problem remained…She was still my sister…A weight pressed in his chest.As logical as Thanatos' reasoning was,hearing her state so plainly that she would choose him without hesitation if forced…left a bitter taste.He was lost.But this was neither the time nor place to dwell on it.He pushed his thoughts aside and exhaled slowly.For now, other things mattered more.Thanatos sensed the slight turmoil in Kael's heart,but she knew he had to overcome it on his own.It was a necessary trial,an important step for him to move forwardand grow.With a gentle gesture,she brushed his face one last timebefore dissolving into a fine ebony mist.Her voice, soft but resonant,rose in the air:— Don't forget, I'm still here, by your side.No sooner had she finished speaking than the space around me began to ripple.The contours of the world wavered,distorting as if the universe itself were molded like a clay ball.A wave of vertigo gripped me,turning my stomach.And then,in the blink of an eye,everything returned to normal.I suddenly found myself where I was before…stepping over the black stone door carved into the Tower,exactly where I had been with Adam.Yet, for me,hours had passed in that strange space…But Adam,continued talking as if nothing had changed,as if, for him, not a single second had elapsed.I swayed slightly,blinking to clear my head.Thanatos' words still echoed inside me,while the environment around me seemed both familiarand strangely distant.Adam spoke,his voice ringing,but the words blended together,meaningless to me.I breathed deeply,trying to calm the nausea that clung to me like a stubborn fog.My gaze swept the surroundings:the black door,the carvings in the stone,the strange atmosphere of the place.Everything was exactly as I had seen before leaving.— Are you even listening when I talk?Adam's voice snapped me back to reality.I turned to him,realizing I had no idea what my friend had just said.— Hm? Ah… sorry.I ran a hand over my face, forcing a smile.— I don't really know, I'm not feeling great. Maybe the blood loss from earlier is still messing with me.Adam stared at me for a moment,an eyebrow raised.— Yeah, possible. You look off, man. Want to take a break before moving on?I shook my head.I preferred not to dwell on my state,especially since I had no logical explanation to give.— No, I'll be fine. I just need to stay focused.Adam shrugged.— Suit yourself. But seriously, let me know if you feel worse. I don't want you collapsing in the middle of a trap.I gave a slight smile.— Promise.Without further delay,we resumed walking,cautiously moving through the vast sculpted corridor.The atmosphere was heavy,almost oppressive,and each step echoed softly against the walls engraved with patternswe hadn't yet taken the time to analyze.— Did you notice?Adam whispered, brushing a fresco with his fingertips.I looked up at the carvings.Some depicted praying figures,others showed unknown creatures,and the further we went,the darker the scenes became,revealing tormented figures,shadows stretching over human forms.— I don't really know what it all means, but I don't like where it's heading,I murmured.Adam nodded.— Looks like the deeper we go, the gloomier it gets.A silence fell between usas we continued on,both more attentive to the details around us.We did our best to avoid any traps,I still feeling a certain shakiness,but focusing hard to show nothing.Finally,around a massive sculpted pillar,our gaze landed on what looked like the entrance to a gigantic chamber.I stopped dead.Adam too.— Is it just me, or is that huge?Adam whispered, looking up at the monumental arch towering over the entrance.I didn't answer right away,just stared into the dark interior stretched before us.A presence weighed in that place,invisiblebut palpable.I breathed slowly,shaking off the last of the unease gnawing at me.— Looks like we found our next problem.