Aether stood still for a moment, eyes fixed on Barbara's motionless body. Her once radiant warmth had been reduced to silence, and beside her, a faint, flickering shimmer marked the presence of her departing soul.
He turned slowly.
Razor was barely breathing. Blood stained his side. Sucrose's hands trembled as she pressed cloth against the wound, her glasses fogged with tears.
"Razor… hang on, okay? You'll be fine… you have to be," she whispered.
But Aether could see the truth. Razor wasn't going to last much longer.
He closed his eyes and whispered, "Arise."
The shadows of the Ruin Guard and the Abyss Mage erupted from their corpses, black smoke twisting violently before taking shape and vanishing into his system. The system display confirmed their absorption. He didn't look at them again.
[
Successfully absorbed: ruin guard x1 , hydro abyss mage x 1
]
Instead, he walked to Barbara. Kneeling beside her, he lowered his head.
"…You were always kind. "
His voice was steady, but low.
"You wanted to help even when you were scared."
He reached out and gently brushed a lock of hair from her face.
"I don't know if your soul can hear me… But if you can…"
He paused, swallowing hard.
"…I need your help one more time."
He took a breath.
"I'll bring you back. Not forever—just long enough to save Razor. Then I'll release you. You have my word."
No response, of course. Just the cold silence of death.
Aether closed his hand into a fist.
"This isn't power. This is punishment," he said quietly.
He rose to his feet and whispered the word, heavy with guilt.
"…Arise."
Barbara's shadow emerged slowly from the ground—dark, translucent, and flickering like a dying flame. Her form stabilized, and without a word, she took a knee next to Aether.
She rose silently and walked over to Razor.
Sucrose stepped back, mouth parted in disbelief, her whole body shaking.
The shadow-Barbara knelt beside Razor, lifted her hand, and a gentle, glowing blue light began to flow from her palm. It looked almost identical to her healing in life—warm and serene.
Razor's wounds slowly closed, the gashes sealing, the bruises fading. His breath steadied.
Sucrose stared with wide, watery eyes. "Th-That's… that's Barbara… but she's…"
She couldn't finish the sentence. Her knees buckled slightly.
When Razor stirred, letting out a soft groan, Barbara's shadow looked down at him one last time, then slowly turned to Aether and bowed her head once more, quiet and composed.
Sucrose finally managed to speak. Her voice cracked.
"Are… are you going to keep her? As one of your monsters?"
Aether stood silently, eyes fixed on Barbara. He took in a slow breath and replied, voice even but burdened.
"She didn't wait for a command. She didn't hesitate. Even like this… she chose to heal him."
He stepped forward, speaking directly to the shadow-Barbara.
"You were kind… even now."
He lowered his voice.
"…I won't make you stay."
He lifted his hand, eyes sharp but somber.
"Release."
Barbara's shadow paused—just for a second—and then… tears formed in her dark, expressionless eyes. A single one rolled down her cheek. Her figure began to unravel into black particles, slowly rising and dissolving into the air like ash on the wind.
[Shadow of Barbara Deleted.]
Sucrose covered her mouth with both hands, tears silently running down her cheeks.
Razor, now conscious but weak, muttered, "Barbara…?"
She was already gone.
Sucrose swayed slightly, gathering her composure. She took a shaky step toward Aether.
"I…" she started, then had to pause and wipe her eyes again. "I didn't understand. I thought… you were becoming a monster."
She swallowed, then looked at him directly.
"But now I see… "
She bowed her head.
"…Thank you, Aether."
"We're done here," Aether said softly.