Memories Unbidden

Darius finally remembers the past.

A wave of darkness surged out from the rift, and for a heartbeat, the world seemed to tilt; like the sea had forgotten how to hold itself. Wind howled between the ruined buildings of Storm Harbor, carrying screams that weren’t entirely human. Darius staggered back, palm seared red from where the crystal flared in his grip.

Lyle didn't flinch. He stepped into the wake of the pulse like a man walking into a church. The Treaders followed, their massive forms warping the dock planks beneath their weight.

“Don’t fight it,” Lyle said. “You’ll see. You’ll remember.”

Darius gritted his teeth. The shard in his hand buzzed; not with power, but memory. He blinked...

...and the storm fell away.

He was a child again, in the garden behind the old house on Kenwood Row, the sun gold and low in the sky. His mother knelt beside him in the grass, tucking a fresh daisy behind his ear. Her fingers were calloused from work but gentle. There was dirt under her nails and kindness in her voice.

“You take care of Lyle,” she said, brushing hair from his face. “You’re his lighthouse, Darius. When the storm comes, he’ll need you.”

The memory tore loose as the Hollow surged again.

Darius dropped to one knee, clutching his temples. Maren shouted his name, but it sounded far away, muffled by a storm inside his skull. The crystal in his palm glowed brighter now, not in resistance, but in resonance.

Lyle stepped closer, both hands outstretched.

“I remember that day too,” he whispered. “The daisy, the promise. But you left me. You broke that promise. When our father came, you were gone.”

Darius rose slowly, his eyes shining with tears he hadn’t felt fall.

He met Lyle’s gaze.

“You’re our brother,” he said, voice breaking. “