Chapter 224: Fractured Peace

Talen stood at the edge of the mountain ridge, the cool night air brushing against his face. Below him, the ruined battlefield stretched out under the pale glow of the moon. The remnants of the corrupted creatures lay scattered across the rocky ground, dissolving into shadowy mist that faded into the night.

"It's finally over," Solen said, stepping up beside him. His bow was slung over his shoulder, and his golden eyes reflected the moonlight. "At least… this part is."

Talen didn't respond. His gaze remained fixed on the valley below, where the Heart's light had once pulsed with the chaotic rhythm of corruption. Now, it was quiet. Peaceful. But peace never lasted long.

Erynn leaned against a nearby rock, her arms crossed over her chest. Her dark hair fluttered in the wind. "You're not smiling, Talen. We just saved the world. Again."

Talen sighed. "Yeah. But at what cost?"

Erynn's smile faded. She approached him slowly, resting a hand on his shoulder. "We made it through. That's what matters."

"Did we?" Talen murmured.

From the depths of the valley, a faint tremor rippled through the ground. Talen's eyes narrowed. "Did you feel that?"

Solen tensed. "Yeah. That wasn't just the ground settling."

Erynn drew one of her daggers. "Tell me it's not more of those things."

Talen's hand tightened around the relic. Its light dimmed, but he could still feel the lingering presence of darkness beneath the surface. Something unfinished. Something waiting.

A soft gust of wind brushed past them, carrying with it the distant sound of whispering voices.

Solen frowned. "Please tell me that's just the wind."

"It's not," Talen said grimly.

A faint shimmer appeared in the air before them, dark and oily, twisting unnaturally.

"It's not over," Talen muttered. "The corruption's gone… but something else is still here."

A New Threat

They made their way down the mountain path toward the valley. The trail was narrow and steep, the rocky walls closing in around them as they descended.

Solen kept his bow drawn, his eyes scanning the shadows. "What exactly are we walking into?"

Talen's gaze darkened. "I don't know."

Erynn was at his side, her daggers glinting in the dim light. "Feels like a trap."

"It probably is," Talen said.

They reached the base of the valley. The ground was scorched and fractured, but at the center of the destruction, a faint glow remained—silver and black, pulsing rhythmically.

Talen approached it cautiously. He knelt beside the glow and placed his hand above it. A sharp jolt shot through his body. He gasped and yanked his hand back.

"What was that?" Solen asked.

Talen's breath quickened. His vision blurred for a moment. Then he heard it—a cold, familiar voice in his mind.

You should have left it alone.

Talen's eyes widened. "No…"

Erynn stepped forward. "What is it?"

Before Talen could respond, the ground beneath them cracked. Black tendrils shot out from the earth, wrapping around Talen's arm and pulling him to the ground.

"Talen!" Solen fired an arrow, severing one of the tendrils.

Erynn slashed at the others with her daggers. "Get up!"

Talen's body trembled as the dark energy surged through him. A shadowy figure rose from the fractured ground—a tall, humanoid form with glowing red eyes and jagged horns curling from its head. Its body was wrapped in tattered robes of shadow, and black smoke coiled around its limbs.

The figure's voice was deep and resonant. "You think you've won?"

Talen's breath hitched. "No…"

The figure smiled darkly. "You cleansed the Heart. But the imbalance remains. And now… you are part of it."

Talen struggled to stand. "Who… what are you?"

"I am the Void."

Talen's heart slammed against his chest. "That's impossible."

The Void raised its hand. "I was bound to the Heart, trapped within its corruption. You severed the chains—but in doing so, you freed me."

Solen cursed. "Great. We just let out something worse."

The Void's smile deepened. "The Heart's corruption was a symptom. I am the disease."

Talen's hands burned as he channeled light into the relic. "Then we'll destroy you."

The Void's eyes narrowed. "Try."

The Fight Begins

The Void extended its hand, and waves of dark energy shot toward them.

Talen raised the relic, forming a barrier of light. The darkness struck the barrier, shattering it into fragments of light. Talen stumbled back.

Solen fired a volley of arrows. The arrows dissolved mid-air as they struck the Void's body.

"That's not good," Solen muttered.

Erynn flashed behind the Void, driving her daggers toward its back. They passed through the shadowy form without resistance.

The Void's hand shot out, grabbing Erynn by the throat and lifting her into the air.

Erynn gasped. Her daggers fell from her hands.

"Let her go!" Talen shouted.

The Void's eyes glowed brighter. "Weak."

Talen raised the relic. Light erupted from it, striking the Void's arm. The shadow hissed and released Erynn, who fell to the ground, gasping.

Solen pulled her to her feet. "You okay?"

Erynn coughed. "Yeah. I've had worse."

Talen's grip on the relic tightened. His eyes burned with determination. "We need to push it back."

"How?" Solen asked.

Talen stepped forward. "We have to weaken it first."

He raised the relic high. "Lux Infernum!"

A beam of light shot from the relic, striking the Void's chest. The Void's form flickered, but it didn't fall.

"You think light alone will stop me?" the Void growled.

The darkness surged toward them. Talen extended the relic again. A barrier of light formed, but it began to crack.

"I… can't hold it…"

Erynn wiped the blood from her mouth. "Then stop holding back."

Talen's eyes widened. "What?"

Erynn stepped toward him. "You've been protecting yourself. Stop it. Let it in."

Solen's eyes darkened. "Erynn, that's—"

"It's the only way," Erynn said.

Talen took a shaky breath. He closed his eyes.

Let it in.

The relic pulsed. Light and darkness swirled together around him.

The Void's eyes widened. "What are you doing?"

Talen's eyes snapped open.

"Finishing this."

He thrust the relic toward the Void. Light and shadow collided, creating a shockwave that tore through the valley. The Void screamed as its form was torn apart.

A final pulse of energy exploded outward, sending Talen to the ground.

The smoke cleared.

The Void was gone.

Talen lay motionless.

Erynn rushed to his side. "Talen!"

Talen's eyes fluttered open. He smiled weakly. "Did we… win?"

Erynn's eyes softened. "Yeah. We won."