Nysha's grip on her daggers tightened. "You're lying. Lindarion isn't even—"
"—from this era?" the being finished smoothly. "Correct."
Lindarion didn't move. But something darkened in his gaze.
The being continued, voice low, measured, and too familiar:
"I was the one originally tied to the Devourer's fate. The one meant to inherit the core. The one destined to fall into corruption and become its next vessel."
Lindarion's heartbeat slowed. "So what happened to you?"
"I was erased," it answered simply. "Removed from existence. My timeline severed. My path unwritten. You were created to replace me—an attempt to avoid catastrophe."
Nysha stared at Lindarion. "You… replaced him?"
Ashwing whispered, horrified: "A spare. You were a spare—"
The echo-being raised a hand, silencing them.
"I am not your enemy," it said. "But neither am I your ally. I am the consequence of your choice in that chamber. The moment you accepted the second inheritance, our paths touched."
