Into the Abyss

Kaelen and Lyria sprinted through the shattered halls of the Citadel, their footsteps echoing against stone walls now lined with creeping shadows. The air had changed—thick with unnatural energy, as if the fortress itself were suffocating under Varik's presence.

"We have one chance," Lyria said as they climbed a crumbling staircase. "The Heart of Eldrath."

Kaelen nodded grimly. He had heard the legends. Deep beneath the Citadel, an ancient power slumbered—a crystal forged by the gods, pulsing with the last remnants of true light. If they could reach it before Varik…

A deafening roar split the air.

A monstrous shadowborn, nearly twice Kaelen's height, erupted from the darkness ahead, its gaping maw lined with jagged fangs. Kaelen barely had time to raise his blade before it struck, sending him crashing through a broken doorway.

Lyria lunged, her daggers flashing, but the creature swiped at her, forcing her back.

Kaelen groaned, forcing himself up. The beast loomed over him, its glowing violet eyes filled with malice. With a defiant snarl, he drove his sword upward, piercing its throat. The creature let out a strangled cry before dissolving into black mist.

Lyria ran to his side. "You good?"

"Never better." He staggered to his feet. "We don't have time for this."

They pushed forward, descending deeper beneath the Citadel until they reached an ancient chamber. At its center, floating above an ornate pedestal, was the Heart of Eldrath—a radiant crystal pulsing with golden light.

Lyria hesitated. "It's beautiful."

A slow, mocking clap echoed behind them.

They turned.

Varik stood in the doorway.

"You came all this way," the warlord said, his voice smooth, almost amused. "And for what? A dying relic of a forgotten age?" He stepped forward, his jagged armor gleaming in the dim light. "You cannot stop what is coming."

Kaelen gritted his teeth. "I can try."

He lunged.

Their blades met in a furious clash, the impact shaking the chamber. Varik was impossibly strong, his strikes relentless. Kaelen barely parried each blow, his arms aching under the force.

Lyria darted behind Varik, aiming for a weak spot, but the warlord spun unnaturally fast, backhanding her across the room. She hit the wall with a gasp and crumpled.

Kaelen's rage ignited. With a roar, he swung his sword, but Varik caught the blade mid-strike, gripping the steel with his gauntleted hand.

"You are nothing," Varik whispered.

Darkness surged from his palm, engulfing Kaelen in searing agony. His vision blurred, his strength failing. The shadows crept over his skin, pulling him into oblivion.

And then—

Light.

A golden radiance flared from the Heart of Eldrath, shattering the darkness. Kaelen gasped as the warmth flooded his body, burning away Varik's corruption.

Varik recoiled, snarling. "No!"

Lyria, barely standing, reached out and placed her hand on the Heart. Its light exploded outward, enveloping the chamber.

Varik screamed.

The shadows writhed and twisted, unable to withstand the pure energy. Cracks formed across Varik's armor as his body began to disintegrate, his form unraveling into nothingness.

Kaelen watched as the warlord let out one final, furious cry—before vanishing into the abyss.

The Citadel trembled. The darkness was fading. The war was over.

Lyria sagged against the pedestal, exhausted. "We did it."

Kaelen exhaled, staring at the empty space where Varik had stood. "For now."

The battle was won, but something told him this was just the beginning.