"Ember, listen to me, you can do this. You're stronger than you think,"
Ash said firmly, his voice steady despite the tension tightening his chest. He locked eyes with her, willing his resolve into her trembling form.
"Don't let that thing control you. Fight it. Every memory, every breath you've taken has led you here. You are not its prey, you are its end. Stand your ground and show it the strength only you possess. Push back, Ember. Prove to yourself that nothing, nothing, can break you."
Suddenly, as Ash kept his unwavering gaze on Ember, a blinding surge of light erupted without warning. A low, vibrating hum split the air, growing into a deafening roar as the beam formed, first a thin, quivering thread of brilliance, then a swelling column that burst outward like a violent tide.
The ground beneath Ash trembled, dust lifting in a swirling dance as the radiant wave expanded.
