The void didn't like being refused.
Edrin realized that immediately.
"…It's getting worse," he said through clenched teeth.
"That's because you're winning," Ronan replied.
"I don't feel like I'm winning!"
The ground cracked again—
Louder this time—
A section near the edge collapsed entirely, vanishing into the nothing below.
Lyra's magic flared brighter, straining.
"It's increasing pressure," she said. "It's trying to overwhelm the connection."
Edrin nodded shakily.
"…Yeah. I can feel that."
The pull wasn't just on the echoes anymore.
It was on him.
On his thoughts.
On his sense of self.
Trying to drag everything down.
Trying to erase the refusal.
"Return them."
The voice was louder now.
Less distant.
More present.
Edrin shook his head.
"…No."
The response came instantly—
"You are not permitted to refuse."
Edrin blinked.
"…That sounds like a problem."
Kael stepped closer to the edge.
"It is."
Ronan cracked his knuckles.
"Good. I was getting tired of easy fights."
"This is not an easy fight!" Edrin shouted.
The echoes flickered again—
Some stabilizing—
Others still fading—
Caught between two forces.
Edrin focused harder.
"…Stay," he whispered again.
One of them steadied.
Then another.
Small progress.
But real.
The void surged violently.
The shape rose higher—
Now clearly visible—
A massive, incomplete form made of absence itself—
Edges undefined—
Shifting constantly—
Impossible to fully see.
Edrin swallowed.
"…That's definitely coming up."
Lyra's voice tightened.
"If it fully manifests—"
"We lose," Kael finished.
Edrin nodded quickly.
"…Good to know!"
The ground beneath him cracked again—
Right under his feet.
He stumbled—
Nearly slipping—
Ronan grabbed his shoulder, pulling him back.
"Careful," Ronan said.
"I'm trying!"
The void pulsed again—
Stronger—
The pull intensified—
The echoes screamed silently—
Their forms stretching—
Being dragged toward the edge.
Edrin felt it tearing at him.
"…Okay," he gasped.
"…I can't hold them like this!"
Lyra looked at him sharply.
"Then don't hold them alone."
Edrin blinked.
"…What?"
Kael stepped forward.
"Share it."
Ronan grinned.
"Finally, something I can help with."
Edrin frowned.
"…You're going to connect to them?"
Ronan shrugged. "Why not?"
Lyra stepped beside Edrin.
"Open the connection."
Edrin hesitated.
"…I don't know how to do that safely."
Kael answered.
"We don't have time for safe."
Edrin sighed.
"…I hate when that's the answer."
The void surged again.
The shape rising higher.
The pressure increasing.
Time running out.
Edrin took a breath.
"…Fine."
He focused.
Not pulling the connection tighter—
But opening it.
Letting it expand.
It felt wrong.
Unstable.
Too much.
"…Okay, this is a terrible idea," he muttered.
Lyra placed her hand on his arm.
"I'm here."
Ronan placed his hand on Edrin's shoulder.
"Let's make it worse."
Kael stepped in as well.
"Hold steady."
Edrin exhaled.
"…Alright."
The connection spread.
Not clean.
Not controlled.
But shared.
The echoes reacted—
Stabilizing slightly—
The pull weakening—
Not because it stopped—
But because it had more to resist.
The void responded immediately.
Violently.
"UNAUTHORIZED."
Edrin winced.
"…It's yelling now."
Ronan laughed. "Good. That means it's losing control."
The shape surged upward—
More complete—
More present—
The air trembled—
The sky above cracked further in response.
Lyra strained.
"It's forcing manifestation!"
Kael tightened his grip.
"Then we stop it now."
Edrin swallowed.
"…How?"
Kael looked at the void.
Then at the connection.
"…We don't let it take anything."
Edrin blinked.
"…That's the plan?"
"Yes."
Edrin stared.
"…That's not a plan, that's a refusal."
Kael nodded.
"…Exactly."
Edrin laughed weakly.
"…Okay."
A breath.
"…I can do refusal."
The void roared—
A sound without sound—
The shape pushing higher—
Closer—
Reaching—
Trying to claim everything at once.
The echoes trembled.
The connection strained.
Edrin felt like he was being torn apart.
"…This is too much!" he shouted.
Lyra's voice was steady.
"Then don't hold it all together."
Edrin blinked.
"…What?"
"Just don't let go."
A pause.
"…That's different."
Ronan grinned.
"Welcome to our strategy."
Edrin let out a shaky breath.
"…Alright."
The void surged again—
The shape nearly fully formed—
The edge collapsing rapidly—
Everything on the verge of breaking.
Edrin closed his eyes for a moment.
Then opened them.
"…No," he said.
A pause.
"…Still no."
The connection held.
Barely.
But it held.
And for the first time—
The void didn't push forward.
It stopped.
Just for a moment.
Just long enough—
To realize—
It couldn't force the answer.
Edrin exhaled slowly.
"…Okay."
A faint, exhausted smile appeared.
"…That got its attention."
The shape trembled—
Not advancing—
Not retreating—
Uncertain.
And for something that had only known taking—
That hesitation—
Was everything.