The wind sweeps across the lonely hill, carrying with it the scent of distant rain and the heavy weight of solitude. Shadow stands there, his figure silhouetted against the fading light of the setting sun. His eyes, dark as the evening sky, stare out into the horizon, lost in thoughts that are far from this peaceful place.

The world around him is still, as though even nature itself recognizes the quiet storm brewing within him. His posture is rigid, his hands clenched into fists at his sides, as though he is holding back something—something that could tear him apart if let loose. His chest rises and falls with each shallow breath, but his thoughts are elsewhere, swirling in the depths of his mind.

There’s a voice in the back of his mind, a memory that he can’t shake, no matter how far he tries to run from it. “Shadow…” The voice is soft, filled with trust, but it’s one he hasn’t heard in so long. His brow furrows, the edges of his vision blurring as that voice grows louder in his mind, demanding his attention. The memory resurfaces, fleeting but vivid—a flash of gold and blue, the warmth of a smile that once made everything feel right.

He can almost see her face, even though she’s been gone for what feels like an eternity. Maria.

The weight of his failure presses down on him like a stone. He should have been there. He should have— No. He forces the thought away, shaking his head as though trying to physically cast out the painful reminder. There’s no use dwelling on the past, no use in regret.

But it doesn’t stop the feeling, does it? The feeling of being incomplete, of something broken within him that he can never fix. His heart aches with the memory of a promise unfulfilled, of a dream that died before it ever had a chance.

He looks down, the faint glow of the setting sun casting long shadows across the hill. It’s just like him, isn’t it? The shadows stretch out, never quite able to reach the light.

His hands tremble slightly as he breathes in the cool air, his thoughts racing in a quiet spiral. He can feel the anger building up inside him, a quiet fury that has no outlet, no release. He’s been running from it for so long, but there’s nowhere left to go. The guilt, the anger, the regret—they’re all just beneath the surface, waiting for a crack, a break. And when it comes, will he be able to control it?

A sharp gust of wind cuts through the silence, snapping him back to the present. Shadow’s eyes harden, his jaw setting with a determination that is cold and unyielding. He’s been lost in his own mind for too long. The past is behind him now. He doesn’t have time for it.

With a deep breath, he closes his eyes for a moment, letting the wind clear the remnants of the storm inside him. But even as he opens them again, the ache in his chest remains. The past may be behind him, but its shadows never truly leave.

He stands there for a long time, the sun dipping lower, his thoughts still swirling, but for the first time in a while, he’s not consumed by them. He doesn’t have all the answers—he never will—but for now, he allows himself the briefest moment of peace, standing in the quiet, just him, the wind, and the fading light.