Eternal Vigal: A thousand years of waiting.

Chapter 3: Shadows of Sacrifice

The weight of the decision pressed down on him like a storm cloud, looming heavy and dark over every thought. He walked through the city's crowded streets, the people around him moving like shadows—figures passing by without notice or care. His heart pounded with a familiar ache, each beat a reminder of the years that had stretched on without her.

He couldn't escape the choice that was coming. He knew what had to be done to bring Elyse back, but the price hung over him like an executioner's blade. His memories of her were all he had left, and without them, what would be left of him? What would be left of them?

The nights became restless. He dreamt of her less now, her image slipping further into the fog of his mind. Every time he closed his eyes, he feared it would be the last time he would see her face clearly. The thought terrified him, and yet he couldn't bring himself to turn away from the path he had found. There was no turning back.

One evening, just before dusk, he returned to the library. The ancient texts had given him the key to finding Elyse, but they hadn't told him where the rift between worlds could be found. He scoured the shelves for hours, pouring over maps, ancient writings, and cryptic symbols. His frustration grew, the ticking of time feeling louder than ever before.

Finally, buried beneath a stack of brittle scrolls, he found what he was looking for: a map. It was old, almost impossible to decipher, but the markings were clear enough. There, etched into the corner of the page, was the location of the rift. It wasn't far.

The place was a ruin, forgotten by the world. The remnants of an ancient temple stood before him, crumbling stone pillars and walls overtaken by the creeping roots of nature. The wind howled through the broken arches, and the sky above was dark, a heavy blanket of clouds threatening rain.

This was it. The doorway between worlds, the place where the two realms met for brief moments, if only for those brave—or desperate—enough to seek them. His hands shook as he approached the center of the ruin. The air felt charged, thick with a kind of energy he hadn't felt before. It hummed against his skin, sending chills down his spine.

The portal was invisible, but he knew it was there. He could feel it—a tension in the air, like standing on the edge of something immense. And then, in a sudden flash, it appeared. A shimmering, swirling tear in reality, almost too bright to look at directly. It pulsed with an otherworldly glow, and through it, he could almost see her.

Elyse.

She stood just beyond the rift, her hand outstretched, her eyes filled with longing. She was real—so real it hurt. He could feel the pull, the overwhelming desire to reach out, to grab her hand and never let go. She was calling to him, silently, her gaze pleading. This was the moment he had waited a thousand years for.

But the sacrifice still lingered in his mind. If he crossed over, if he took her hand and brought her back, the cost would be everything he had held onto for so long. His memories of her, the essence of their love, would be taken from him. He would remember her face, but not the love. He would know her name, but not the warmth they once shared.

His hands trembled as he stepped closer to the rift, every fiber of his being screaming for him to take her hand. The years of waiting had led him here. To this moment. And yet...could he really give up everything they had once been? Could he let go of the one thing that had kept him alive for so long?

Elyse's hand was still outstretched, her eyes filled with sorrow. She knew. Somehow, she understood the choice he faced. Tears welled in her eyes, and in that moment, he realized that she didn't want him to make this choice. She didn't want to come back if it meant he had to lose everything.

He took a step back.

The portal flickered, and Elyse's form began to fade, her hand slowly lowering. She mouthed something to him, words he couldn't hear, but the meaning was clear.

Wait.

It wasn't time. Not yet. The rift between them began to close, the shimmering light dimming, and as her image disappeared, he felt an overwhelming sense of loss. But also...a glimmer of hope.

The wind died down, and the ruin fell silent once more. The portal was gone, but the weight in his heart was lighter. Elyse was still out there, waiting for him just as he had waited for her. The years between them didn't matter. Not anymore.

He wasn't ready to let go of the memories just yet, but he now understood that his time would come. The choice would still have to be made, but not today. Today, he would continue to wait.

But now, for the first time in centuries, the waiting didn't feel so hopeless.