Lyria closed the door to her room at the Copper Bell Inn behind her and Silvara, then leaned against it, trying to catch her breath.

  "Before you explain everything," Lyria said, "you need to know, I was part of a scouting party that went east two days ago. We reached Thornhaven. We saw the barrier."

  Silvara's eyes widened in surprise, then relief. "You've already been there? Then you understand the urgency. You've seen,"

  "I've seen the cracks spreading. The corruption seeping through. The darkness beyond the seal." Lyria moved to sit on the bed. "We documented everything, corrupted sites along the road, Thornhaven's condition, the ritual circles someone left near the barrier. The guild master is organizing a response team. We're meeting tomorrow morning."

  "Then there's still time," Silvara breathed. "If you've seen it, if you understand what we're facing,"

  "I understand we're in serious trouble," Lyria interrupted. "What I don't understand is the history. The Shadowfen itself, what is it exactly? How was the original seal created? Why is it failing now?" She looked at Silvara directly.

  Silvara settled into the room's single chair, her expression shifting into the focused intensity of a scholar.

  "The Shadowfen is an ancient sealed realm, a prison, essentially. A hundred years ago, a great darkness threatened to consume the eastern provinces. The texts describe it as corruption given form and will, not just magic, but something older. Something that existed before the current age." She paused. "The coalition that fought it realized they couldn't destroy it. So, they sealed it instead, using a barrier constructed from the combined power of dozens of mages and warriors. The ritual took weeks. Many died in the creation. But it worked, it held for a century."

  "Until now," Lyria said.

  "Until now." Silvara's voice was troubled. "The barrier was designed to be self-sustaining, drawing power from the ley lines beneath it. It shouldn't fail from age alone. Which means either the design had a flaw no one anticipated, or,"

  "Or someone's helping it fail," Lyria finished. "We found evidence of that. Fresh ritual circles, dark magic residue. Someone's been working to break the seal."

  "That's... deeply troubling. If someone is actively sabotaging the barrier," Silvara stopped, thinking. "Do you know who? Or why?"

  "No. We didn't get close enough to investigate properly. Too dangerous." Lyria stood, pacing. "But here's what I need to know: if the seal was created by dozens of powerful magic users working together, how am I supposed to repair it alone? Or even with a small party?"

  Silvara met her eyes. "Because you're not just any magic user. You're Lyriana Moonshadow. You defeated the Void Dragon. You cleansed the Celestial Gardens of corruption. Your power over light and shadow is legendary, exactly the kind of magic used in the original seal."

  Lyria wanted to laugh. Or cry. Or both.

  "That's the problem," Lyria said. "Everyone keeps talking about what I've supposedly done, these legendary feats, but I..." She struggled with how much to reveal. "I don't know if I'm the person you need me to be."

  "You are Lyriana Moonshadow. I studied your portrait in the Archives. It's you."

  "It's my face," Lyria corrected. "But..." She stopped. She couldn't tell Silvara the truth, that she was a man from another world wearing a video game character's face, that she had no memories of being a legendary hero because she'd never been one. That would help no one.

  "But you're uncertain," Silvara finished softly. "You don't remember everything you've done. That's... that's actually not uncommon for those who've encountered dark magic. Memory loss, gaps in recall. The corruption can do strange things to the mind."

  Lyria latched onto the offered explanation gratefully. "Yes. Exactly. There are things I don't remember. Things I should know but don't."

  "That doesn't change what you are. What you can do." Silvara sat beside her. "I've seen the records. I know what the Moonshadow accomplished. And even if you don't remember it all, your power remains. Your body knows what your mind has forgotten."

  That was... actually more accurate than Silvara realized.

  "The guild is organizing something for tomorrow," Lyria said. "I'll be part of whatever they put together. We'll go to the barrier, assess what needs to be done, and figure it out from there."

  "I'm coming with you."

  "You don't have to,"

  "I'm the Keeper of the Celestial Archives. I've studied the Shadowfen and its seal for years. You'll need someone who understands the magic theory even if they can't wield the power." Silvara's expression was determined. "And I've come too far to turn back now."

  The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

  Lyria studied the elf, exhausted from weeks of searching, desperate but still fighting, clinging to hope that she'd found the solution.

  "Alright," Lyria said. "Tomorrow morning. Meet at the guild hall at dawn. Bring whatever research you have on the seal, diagrams, ritual notes, anything that might help."

  "I have everything in my saddlebags." Silvara stood. "I should find a room here, get some rest. Tomorrow will be... challenging."

  "That's one word for it."

  Silvara moved toward the door, then paused. "Lady Moonshadow,"

  "Just Lyria. Please."

  "Lyria." Silvara's voice softened. "Thank you. For agreeing to help. For giving us a chance. I know you didn't ask for this burden."

  Lyria didn't respond right away. "I guess someone has to," she finally said, not sounding particularly convinced.

  After Silvara left, Lyria sat alone in her room, staring at the wall.

  Tomorrow she'd go back to the barrier. Would attempt to do something she had no idea how to do, with everyone watching, expecting her to save them.

  No pressure.

  She looked at her reflection in the small mirror, Lyriana Moonshadow, legendary hero, looking scared and uncertain and nothing like the confident figure from the stories.

  "Fake it till you make it," she told her reflection. "That's all you can do. Just... fake it until you figure it out. Or die trying."

  Her reflection looked deeply unconvinced.

  "Yeah," Lyria muttered. "Me too."

  ***

  She tried to sleep but it wouldn't come.

  Her mind kept racing, the barrier, the darkness, Silvara's desperate faith, Finn's innocent belief that she was a hero, Kara's shocked face when the truth came out.

  Around midnight, she gave up and pulled on her cloak, heading downstairs.

  The common room was mostly empty, just a few late-night drinkers nursing their ales. Lyria bought a cup of water from the bored-looking night attendant and found a corner table.

  She was halfway through the water when someone slid into the seat across from her.

  Kara.

  "Couldn't sleep either?" the warrior asked.

  "Something like that." Lyria studied her. "You followed me down."

  "I was already down here. Saw you come in." Kara leaned back in her chair. "So. The Moonshadow. That's... that's something."

  "Kara, I,"

  "Don't." Kara held up a hand. "I'm not mad. Surprised, yes. A little hurt you didn't trust me with the truth, but not mad." She paused. "Actually, it explains a lot. The assessment orb. The way you fight. How you kept holding back in the sewers."

  "I wasn't trying to lie to you."

  "Weren't you?" Kara's expression was complicated. "You've been hiding who you are since you arrived. That's lying by omission."

  "I just wanted to be normal," Lyria said quietly. "I wanted to learn, to build something here, without everyone treating me like some legendary figure I'm not sure I can live up to."

  "Are you? Sure you can live up to it, I mean."

  "No. I'm not sure at all." Lyria met her eyes. "But I'm going to try anyway. Because what else can I do?"

  Kara was quiet for a long moment. "For what it's worth, I think you'll manage. You've got good instincts. You care about people. And you're willing to try even when you're scared." She smiled slightly. "That's pretty heroic, actually."

  "Even though I've been lying to you?"

  "Even though." Kara stood. "Get some sleep if you can. Tomorrow's going to be rough, and you'll need your strength. And Lyria?" She paused. "I'm still your partner. If they're organizing a party to the Shadowfen, I'm coming. You don't get to face impossible odds alone."

  "You don't have to,"

  "I know. I'm doing it anyway. That's what friends do."

  She left before Lyria could respond, leaving her sitting alone with the word "friends" echoing in her head.

  She had a friend. Someone who knew the truth, or at least part of it, and was still willing to stand beside her.

  That was worth something.

  Maybe worth everything.

  Lyria finished her water and headed back upstairs, managing a few hours of fitful sleep before dawn broke and the impossible day began.

  ***

  The guild hall at dawn was controlled chaos.

  Aldric had clearly worked through the night. Maps covered every surface, supply lists were being checked and rechecked, and at least a dozen adventurers milled about, some she recognized, most she didn't.

  "Ah, Lyria." Aldric waved her over. "And you must be Silvara Dawnwhisper. Welcome. Your timing is... fortuitous, to say the least."

  "You're organizing a response?" Silvara asked.

  "Best I can with one day's notice. It's not enough, it's never enough, but it's what we have." He gestured at the map. "Here's the situation: I've called in every favor I have. We'll have a party of twelve heading to the Shadowfen, mixture of Bronze, Silver, and one Gold rank. Combat specialists, healers, a mage who specializes in barriers."

  "When do we leave?" Lyria asked.

  "Noon. Gives us time to gather supplies, brief everyone, make final preparations." Aldric looked at her seriously. "You'll be co-leading with the Gold rank, a woman named Helena Stormwind. She has the most experience with large-scale threats. You two will make the tactical decisions once we're on-site."

  Co-leading. Of course. Because they thought she had experience leading parties into danger.

  "Understood," Lyria said, trying to sound confident.

  "One more thing." Aldric lowered his voice. "I've arranged for emergency evacuations to begin. If the barrier falls before you can seal it, we'll need to get people west as fast as possible. The town guard is being briefed now."

  The weight of it settled on Lyria's shoulders. All these people, all these plans, all depending on her being able to do something she wasn't sure she could do.

  "We'll fix it," she said, because what else could she say?

  "I believe you will." Aldric squeezed her shoulder. "The Moonshadow has never failed us yet."

  Except I'm not really her, Lyria thought. And I have no idea if I can do what she could do.

  But she nodded and started reviewing the maps, the supply lists, the roster of who would be coming.

  Kara was on the list, as promised. So was Garrett from the original scouting party. Bram and Brom, the twin scouts. Mira the healer.

  And others she didn't know, this Helena Stormwind who'd be co-leading, a mage named Aldris, various combat specialists whose credentials looked impressive on paper but meant nothing to Lyria who didn't know them.

  Twelve people.

  Going to face ancient evil and a failing magical barrier.

  Led by someone who was making it up as she went along.

  "This will be fine," she muttered to herself. "Everything will be completely fine."

  Outside, the sun climbed higher, noon approaching with inevitable certainty.

  And Lyria prepared to lead a party into darkness, hoping desperately that her body would know what to do when her mind didn't.

  Because the alternative, failure, the barrier falling, darkness consuming everything, was unthinkable.

  Even if she had no idea how to prevent it.

  The clock ticked toward noon.