The Shadow King's throne room was a cathedral of darkness, its vaulted ceiling lost in swirling mists of shadow. Maya found herself bound by ethereal chains, forced to witness the true scope of his plan as hundreds of glowing orbs floated around the chamber—each one containing a human soul. "Magnificent, isn't it?" The Shadow King's voice resonated from everywhere and nowhere at once. His form was barely visible, a shifting mass of darkness with eyes like dying stars. "Each fragment represents a life touched by despair, fear, or loss. Emotions that create the perfect bridge between our realms." Elena stood at his side, her transformation now complete. Where once she had been Maya's beloved sister, now she appeared as a dark mirror—beautiful but terrible, with shadows flowing from her like a living cloak. "You see, Maya," the Shadow King continued, "your world and mine were never meant to be separate. Long ago, they existed as one, until your ancestors used the Crystal of Echoes to split reality itself. But every use of magic, every moment of strong emotion, weakens that barrier." Maya struggled against her bonds, watching as more soul fragments drifted into the chamber. "You're destroying innocent lives!" "I'm freeing them," he corrected. "In my realm, there is no death, no aging, no pain of loss. Only eternal existence in perfect shadow. Your sister understands this now." Elena stepped forward, her purple eyes fixed on Maya. "He showed me our parents' final moments, Maya. The pain they felt, the fear. In the Shadow Realm, they could be with us forever, free from suffering." The revelation hit Maya like a physical blow. Their parents had died when they were children, a loss that had shaped both sisters' lives. But she knew that what the Shadow King offered wasn't salvation—it was a beautiful lie wrapped in darkness. "That's not living, Elena," Maya whispered. "That's just existing in a cage made of shadows." The Shadow King laughed, a sound like thunder in the distance. "Soon, you'll understand. The final convergence approaches, and you, Maya, will be the key that unlocks the door between worlds forever."