The Trinity Vessel stood in the middle of the ruined camp. Its eyes glowed with three colors at once, purple, misty gray, and starry black. The three gods had taken full control of Kai's body.
Lira and Mira stood a few steps away. They refused to run even though the final wave was destroying everything around them. The Vessel looked at them and spoke with three voices together. The boy you knew is almost gone. His will is buried deep. Soon there will be only us.
Lira's hands shook, but she kept her silver threads glowing. She said, Kai is still in there. I can feel his thread. It is weak, but it is fighting. We will not leave him with you. Mira wiped her tears and held up her last card. She said, You are not Kai. You are just wearing his face. Give him back to us!
The Vessel laughed with three voices at once. Such loyalty is rare. But the boy chose this path when he took the tenth Echo. Now he belongs to us. The ground shook violently. New fissures opened everywhere. Hundreds of Quake spawns rose from the cracks, hungry for fresh awakenings.
The Vessel raised one hand. The spawns stopped attacking the camp and turned toward it, kneeling in obedience. It said, With this body, we will harvest every new Echo born today. We will become unstoppable. Lira sent her silver threads toward the Vessel, trying to reach the real Kai inside. She shouted, Kai, if you can hear me, fight them. Remember the morgue. Remember the first Echo when you sounded like a rich snob. Remember how we laughed together.
For a brief second, the three colored eyes flickered. Kai's real voice broke through, very weak but clear. Lira, Mira, I am still here, but they are crushing me. I am sorry. Then the Vessel pushed him down again and said, Enough. The boy is fading. His time is almost over.
Mira threw her last card with all her strength. It was the Kai's Real Will Card. The card exploded in front of the Vessel with a burst of warm light and the sound of Kai's normal laugh. The Vessel staggered. Kai's real voice came through again, stronger this time. I will not disappear. This body is mine. I choose me.
The Vessel screamed with three voices. Its body shook violently as the three gods fought to keep control. Lira saw her chance. She sent every silver thread she had left and wrapped them around the Vessel's body, trying to reach the real Kai. She shouted, Kai, come back to us. We need you. Mira ran forward and hugged the Vessel tightly, even though it was dangerous. She cried, Kai, fight them. We are your team. We are not leaving you.
The Vessel roared in anger. For nearly thirty seconds, Kai's real voice was the loudest. He said, I am Kai Voss. I died once, but I choose to live as me. I will not let you take my friends. The Vessel dropped to its knees. The three gods were losing control.
But the final crack in the sky opened completely. A massive surge of Veil energy poured down and flooded into the Vessel. The three gods roared in triumph. The Vessel stood up again, stronger than ever. Its eyes glowed with three bright colors, and its voice was perfectly balanced between the three gods.
It said, The final wave has given us what we needed. The boy's will is suppressed. We are now the Trinity Vessel in full. Lira and Mira stared in horror. The Vessel looked at them and said, You fought well. As a reward, we will let you live for now. Serve us, and you will have power. Resist, and you will be erased when we reshape this world.
Mira cried, We will never serve you. We want our Kai back. Lira's threads were fading, but she still stood protectively in front of Mira. She said, Kai is still fighting inside you. We will find a way to bring him back. The Vessel smiled coldly. Then watch as we begin our reign.
It raised both hands. The Quake spawns all over the camp stopped attacking and knelt toward the Vessel. The sky continued to tear open. The Trinity Vessel looked at Lira and Mira one last time and said, The boy you knew is almost gone. Soon there will be only us. It turned and walked toward the biggest fissure. The final wave was at its peak. And the Trinity Vessel was ready to reshape the world.
Lira and Mira stood together, refusing to give up. But deep down, they both wondered the same thing. Was there still enough of Kai left to save? The Vessel stopped walking. It turned back and looked at them with three glowing eyes. It said, Before we begin, we will give you one chance. Join us now and you will live as our servants. Resist and you will be the first to be erased when we reshape this world.
Lira stepped forward. Her voice was steady even though tears ran down her face. She said, We will never join you. We will fight until we bring Kai back. Mira stood beside her and said, Kai is our friend. We are not leaving him with you monsters. The Vessel smiled with three mouths at once. Then watch.
It raised one hand toward the sky. The biggest crack opened fully. A massive beam of purple black light shot down and hit the Vessel. Its power grew rapidly. The armor on its body became stronger. The crown of shadows above its head grew larger with three different glowing points.
The Vessel said, With three gods in one body, nothing can stop us now. It pointed at Lira and Mira. A wave of mixed energy shot toward them. Lira quickly created a silver shield with her threads. The wave hit the shield hard. Lira screamed in pain as the shield started to crack. Mira threw her body in front of Lira to protect her. The wave hit them both. They were thrown backward and crashed into the broken wall.
The Vessel laughed. It said, That was only a warning. The next attack will erase you. Lira struggled to stand. Her threads were almost gone. She looked at the Vessel and said, Kai, if you can hear me, please come back. Mira coughed blood but still smiled weakly. She said, Kai, we love you. Fight them.
The Vessel raised its hand again for the final attack. At that exact moment, something happened inside the Vessel. Kai's real voice broke through with a strength no one expected. He shouted, I will not let you hurt them. The Vessel's body jerked violently. The three colors in its eyes flashed wildly. For ten full seconds, Kai took control again.
He looked at Lira and Mira with his normal brown eyes and said, Run, please. I cannot hold them much longer. They are going to destroy everything. Then the three gods pushed him down with full force. The Vessel screamed in rage. It said, The boy is stronger than we thought. But it does not matter. The final wave is at its peak. We will finish this now.
It raised both hands. A giant ball of mixed purple, gray, and starry energy formed above the camp. The ball grew larger and larger. The Vessel said, This will erase the camp and everyone in it. Then we will begin our new world. Lira and Mira stood up slowly. They looked at each other and then at the Vessel.
Lira said, We will not run. Mira nodded and said, We fight for Kai until the end. The giant energy ball started to fall toward them. The Vessel smiled with three mouths. The final moment had arrived. Would the last spark of Kai be enough to stop it? Or would the Trinity Vessel destroy everything?