The Eternal Garden had always been a place of ethereal peace. Silver rivers ran like veins through fields of luminous flowers, and the skies above shimmered with the drift of endless stars. Yet, even in such a world of beauty, shadows could creep in.
Aiden had sensed it first in the whispers of the wind — a subtle tremor that passed through the petals, a faint shiver along the rivers. Something was wrong. And though his mortal senses had faded, his heart remembered instinctively: danger lurked, one that threatened not just Lyra, but the fragile thread that tethered him to this world.
---
Lyra was humming by the crystal tree, picking luminous flowers as she often did. The melody carried through the garden, sweet and delicate, but something in her tone betrayed worry she could not name. Aiden watched silently from the shadows, his fading form blending with the light of the flowers.
Then he saw it.
A ripple across the rivers, dark and jagged, like ink spilled across silver. The petals around it wilted slightly, their glow dimming. From the shadowed ripple, a figure emerged — tall, wreathed in darkness, moving with a grace that was both unnatural and terrifying.
Lyra stopped mid-song, sensing the presence immediately. Her violet eyes widened, scanning the horizon. "Aiden…" she whispered instinctively, though she could not see him clearly. "Something's wrong…"
The shadow drew closer, revealing jagged limbs of darkness that seemed almost alive. It did not speak, yet a chill ran through the garden as if the very air was warning them.
Aiden stepped forward, his voice trembling with what little strength he had left. "Lyra… stay behind me!"
But she did not. Her hand touched the glowing flowers, and the petals shimmered in response, a soft barrier forming between her and the shadow. Yet even the magic of the Eternal Garden was not enough. The shadow shifted fluidly, its tendrils spreading faster than the rivers, snuffing out the light in its path.
---
Lyra raised her voice, calling out in the language of her people. The words were sharp, melodic, and full of power — but her strength had limits, and she was not the guardian she once thought herself to be.
Aiden, though fading and nearly insubstantial, felt a surge of determination. He had crossed worlds, given up his mortal life, and loved without hope for months — and he would not let this shadow take her.
He reached out, a transparent hand brushing the dark tendril that swept past him. It hit with a force that threw him back, but he held firm. The crystal from his mortal world — the last fragment of what had allowed him to cross over — glimmered faintly in the shadowed air, reacting to the danger.
Even in this state, part of him was still human. And human hearts, when fueled by love, could sometimes perform miracles.
---
The shadow recoiled slightly, as if surprised by his presence. Lyra noticed the change. "Who… are you?" she asked, eyes wide, voice trembling.
He wanted to say It's me, Aiden… but knew she could not hear the truth. So instead, he whispered to the shadow, to himself, to the world:
"I am here. I will not let you touch her."
With that, the last warmth of his mortal soul flared. The silver rivers responded, sending ribbons of light toward the shadow. The luminous flowers bent, forming a protective circle around Lyra. Even the winds themselves seemed to carry him, lending a strength he had not realized he possessed.
The shadow hissed, writhing against the tide of light, but it was relentless. It pulsed, black and hungry, drawn to the power that Lyra wielded. And yet, Aiden stood firm.
---
Hours—or maybe moments, for time had little meaning here—passed in this standoff. Aiden's form grew fainter, nearly translucent. Every heartbeat, every pulse, was an effort, yet he refused to leave her side. He could feel his essence being consumed by the world's magic — fading like mist under the morning sun — but he did not care.
Finally, Lyra's voice rang out, trembling but commanding: "Begone! You have no claim here!"
The shadow shrieked, a sound like the tearing of night itself. For a brief instant, it faltered, and the light of the Eternal Garden flared brighter than ever. The rivers swirled, petals lifted, and the very stars above seemed to pulse with Aiden's sacrifice.
Then, with a final screech, the shadow dissolved into the air, leaving only a faint residue of darkness along the edges of the garden.
---
Lyra sank to her knees, exhausted. The petals around her glowed softly, as if mourning the cost.
Aiden hovered nearby, nearly invisible, his form a faint shimmer among the light. His voice barely whispered, carried on the wind:
"It's over… you're safe…"
Lyra looked around, confused, sensing the presence of someone but unable to see him clearly. She reached toward the space he had occupied. "Thank you… whoever you are. I… don't understand… but thank you."
Aiden's chest ached. She would never know. She would never remember his name, his face, or the months of love he had carried silently for her. And yet, as he faded further into the light of the garden, he understood the truth.
Love was not about recognition. It was about sacrifice.
He would protect her. Always.
Even if she never knew him.
Even if his form disappeared entirely.
---
That night, the Eternal Garden was still. The silver rivers shimmered softly, the flowers glowed faintly, and the stars above traced their endless arcs. And somewhere, in the spaces between light and shadow, a boy who had crossed worlds and given up everything lingered, watching over the girl he loved.
Lyra, unaware, whispered to herself as she gazed at the crystal tree:
"Somehow… I feel like I'm not alone."
And in the faintest echo of the wind, a shadow of a heart answered:
You never were.