The world hits May all at once.
Cold air.
Rough stone.
Her own heartbeat—too fast, too loud.
She gasps and collapses forward, catching herself on trembling hands as Nathel falls to his knees beside her.
"May—May, look at me."
His voice is hoarse, raw, terrified.
She tries to lift her head.
But her body isn't obeying her.
Her skin glows faintly—gold flickering beneath the surface like molten veins.
The same light that tore through the Veil.
The light that wasn't Nathel's.
But hers.
She squeezes her eyes shut as a wave of heat rolls through her chest.
"N-Nathel…"
She can barely breathe.
"It's—too much—"
"I know," he murmurs, cupping her face gently.
"I know. Just hold onto me."
She tries.
But when his hands touch her, the glow surges—violently.
Nathel flinches, sucking in a sharp breath.
"May—your energy— it's… changing."
She knows.
She can feel it.
It's not the bond pulsing this time.
It's something deeper.
Older.
Something that had been sleeping inside her for years…
and the Veil just ripped it open.
May collapses forward into Nathel's chest.
He catches her, steady but trembling.
"You brought me back," she whispers, voice shaking.
"Through the Veil. You shouldn't have been able to—"
"I wasn't."
He pulls her closer, holding her like she's slipping through his fingers.
"You did it. You tore a hole through the Veil from the inside."
Her breath stills.
"No… I didn't."
"Yes."
His voice softens with awe and fear.
"You saved yourself."
A cold wind sweeps through the ruined shrine.
And with it—
a faint whisper.
The creature's voice,
still lingering in the cracks of reality.
"Half-Heart."
May stiffens.
Nathel reacts instantly, pulling her behind him.
"Stay back," he snarls into the empty air.
He's glowing too—his bond-mark flaring bright white-gold.
But the whisper doesn't sound like a threat.
It sounds like a promise.
"Awakening."
May clutches Nathel's sleeve.
"Nathel… something is wrong. The Veil didn't close completely."
He turns toward her, eyes widening.
"What do you mean?"
She touches her chest.
The glow pulses again—hot, fierce, wild.
"When the creature reached for me… something else pushed back."
Nathel's throat tightens.
"You mean another entity?"
"No."
Her voice trembles.
"Something inside me."
Silence drops between them like a stone.
Nathel's jaw clenches.
"Then we need Zara. Now."
He helps her stand—her legs unsteady.
But before they take two steps—
a golden crack flashes across the air beside them.
Not purple.
Not shadow.
Gold.
Nathel pulls her into his arms.
"May—"
She swallows hard, staring at the crack as it widens like a glowing wound in the world.
"I think…"
Her voice is barely a whisper.
"…whatever is inside me is waking up."
The crack pulses.
The air bends.
And a voice—not shadowy, not cold—
but ancient and bright—
echoes from within the golden rift:
"Child of the Veil.
Return."
May's knees buckle.
Nathel catches her again, holding her tight.
"No," he growls into the light.
"She belongs here."
A gust of golden wind slams into them.
May screams—
as the world fractures once more.
And the thing inside her
finally opens its eyes.