The air inside the shop grew heavy—thick enough to choke on.The doll was still in my hands, its violet glass eyes glowing with impossible life.With every passing second, the whisper in my head grew louder, sharper, more desperate.
"Help me… help me… help me…"
The shadows at my feet writhed violently, as if answering the call.It felt like the little trapped soul was seeking refuge inside me—within the darkness that lived beneath my skin.
"Nyx, drop it!" Selene's voice cracked with panic.
Eris, however, looked anything but alarmed. Her black eyes gleamed with fascination."Interesting… the child recognizes her. She isn't trying to scare you, Nyx Veyra. She's trying to merge with you."
The doll convulsed suddenly, and a fresh crack split across its porcelain face.A burst of dark energy erupted from its tiny body, shaking the display cases.A row of necklaces snapped in two, and the gems scattered across the floor as if fleeing for their lives.
Selene grabbed my arm, trying to pull me away."This isn't a game! Eris, stop this!"
The Umbriphage smiled calmly."There is nothing to stop. She merely responds to Nyx's bond."
The doll tugged on my cloak again—harder this time.A sharp pain seared through my chest, as though something was trying to pierce the barrier of my soul.
"Let me in…"The voice inside my head was clearer now, almost human. A child's voice, trembling with fear.
The ground trembled beneath us. Rings shattered within their cases, releasing streams of black smoke that slithered into the air like serpents.The crystal lamps flickered wildly, casting twisted shadows along the walls.
"Nyx!" Selene screamed my name, pulling at me with all her strength.
The doll shrieked—a metallic, distorted cry, like a child weeping through shattered glass.Its tiny arms moved on their own, reaching for my neck.
My shadows reacted in defense.They burst from the floor like living tendrils, wrenching the doll away from me.The clash between the two forces—the darkness inside me and the spirit trapped within the porcelain—rattled the entire shop.
Eris stood motionless, a wicked smile curving her lips."Magnificent… two rivers of darkness fighting for the same vessel."
"Shut up!" I shouted, struggling to regain control.
The doll hit the floor with a hollow crack.Its violet eyes flickered—went dark for a second—then reignited with furious light.
A final fracture split across its forehead, and a surge of black energy shot straight toward me.
Instinctively, I raised my hand.My shadows devoured the blast whole. The impact nearly knocked me off my feet, but when the trembling stopped, the doll lay still on the floor.
Silence.
Selene rushed to me, trembling, her arms wrapping around my shoulders."Never… never touch that thing again."
Eris, in contrast, clapped softly, her expression a mix of delight and danger."Now I understand. It wasn't the doll that chose Nyx… it was the soul within it that recognized a mirror."
A cold shiver crawled through me.The trapped child hadn't begged for help out of despair.
She had chosen me.