Aloysius faced his shadow-self, eyes burning with silent accusation. The twisted reflection mirrored every fear he had buried deep: the loss of control, the creeping corruption of the Fragment's power, the loneliness that awaited him if he embraced it fully.
"You're afraid," the shadow whispered, voice like a serpent's hiss. "Afraid that your strength will shatter you, that you'll become what you've fought against."
Aloysius clenched his fists, the shard in his palm flaring fiercely. "Strength without purpose is destruction. I choose my path."
The shadow lunged, and the world around Aloysius shattered into shards of light and darkness.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the Weaver's domain, Kaelis and Elyon battled their own trials each confronting past regrets and the weight of sacrifice.