The battlefield was a raging inferno, flames licking at the sky as the beast summoned by the Shadow King tore through the Elders' sanctuary. The sacred spires, once symbols of untold power, cracked and crumbled under the relentless assault. Damen's heart pounded in his chest as he parried a strike from a lesser shadow spawn, his sword cutting through the inky darkness of its form. His muscles burned from the exertion, but he pushed forward, knowing that retreat meant death.
The Elders' Last Stand
Elder Iskiel and the remaining Elders formed a protective barrier around the sanctuary's core, their chants a rhythmic pulse of energy. The air vibrated with power as they pushed against the monstrous force before them. But it was clear—their strength was waning. The centuries of knowledge they had harnessed were now being tested in a battle they had not foreseen to be this brutal.
"Damen!" Iskiel's voice rang through the chaos. "You must leave! You and Zyra are the only hope now."
Damen gritted his teeth, his gaze locking onto Zyra. She was already engaged in a deadly dance with two shadow creatures, her twin blades slicing through the darkness with terrifying precision. Cassian covered her back, his arrows finding their marks with unerring accuracy.
"Go!" Iskiel commanded. "Find the relic before it's too late!"
Zyra turned, her violet eyes blazing. "What relic?"
"The Heart of Aetheris. It is the only thing that can sever the Shadow King's hold on this realm."
Damen felt the weight of the revelation settle over him. Another piece of the puzzle, another impossible task. But they had no choice.
Valen's Treachery
Deep in the Shadow King's fortress, Valen stood before his master. His usually calm demeanor was tinged with unease. The flickering torches cast long shadows across his face, making his hesitation all the more apparent.
"The beast has engaged them, but the Elders are stronger than anticipated," he reported.
The Shadow King, shrouded in darkness, turned his piercing gaze on his general. "Then ensure they do not leave that battlefield alive."
Valen hesitated. "If Damen reaches the Heart of Aetheris, our grip on the realms will weaken."
"Then do what must be done," the Shadow King hissed. "Betray them. Use their trust against them."
Valen nodded, though something flickered in his expression—doubt, perhaps, or something dangerously close to regret. The weight of his decisions was beginning to crush him, but there was no turning back now.
Cassian's Buried Past
As the battle raged, Cassian felt a familiar pull in his chest. He had fought in wars before, but this was different. The fire, the desperation—it stirred memories he had buried long ago.
In the heat of combat, a masked figure emerged from the smoke. Cassian froze. It couldn't be.
"Hello, brother," the figure sneered, blade glinting in the dim light.
Cassian's blood ran cold. His past had finally caught up to him.
He took a step back, his hands tightening around his bow. "You're dead."
The masked man chuckled. "Am I?"
Cassian's mind raced. He had spent years believing his brother had perished in the last great war, yet here he was, standing before him, very much alive and aiming for his throat.
The Beast Unleashed
The creature roared again, its flames engulfing what remained of the sanctuary's entrance. Zyra cried out as a wave of heat nearly overwhelmed her, but Damen pulled her back just in time. The intensity of the fire melted nearby stone, leaving molten puddles in its wake.
"We have to move!" Damen yelled over the chaos.
But before they could escape, the ground trembled. The beast's eyes locked onto them, and with a deafening roar, it lunged. Its massive claws tore through the ground, sending shockwaves that threw Damen and Zyra apart.
Damen barely had time to roll to his feet before the beast's tail came crashing down. He dove out of the way, landing near Zyra, who was breathing heavily.
"We need a plan," she said between gasps.
"There's no time," he replied. "We have to distract it long enough to escape."
Before they could act, the beast reared up, preparing to unleash another wave of destruction.
A blade whistled through the air. Just as the beast reached Damen, steel met flesh. Blood sprayed across the battlefield.
But it wasn't Damen's.
Zyra gasped as she saw the figure standing between them and the beast—Valen, his sword buried deep into the monster's throat. But his expression was not one of victory.
It was regret.
"You have to run," Valen whispered. "Before it's too late."
The battlefield fell silent for a split second before the creature let out one final, earth-shattering scream. And then, everything exploded into darkness.