The Seer’s Gambit

The obsidian shard shattered beneath Magnus's claws, the darkness within it fracturing like a broken mirror. A pulse of raw void-energy blasted through the chamber, shaking the stone beneath their feet. The wolf-carvings, once vibrant with green light, screamed in agony, their eyes dimming as the room quaked. The pool of black liquid receded, vanishing into the cracks in the stone floor as if it had never been. Magnus stood amidst the remnants, his breath heavy, his claws still twitching as the echoes of the Citadel's power faded around him.

Veyne's body slumped to the ground, her runes flickering weakly. Her once-vibrant amber eyes now dulled, but the faintest spark of life remained within them. Her breath came in shallow gasps, a whisper of life fighting to stay amidst the overwhelming weight of the curse. Kiera, ever the vigilant protector, knelt beside her, the cold gleam of her daggers still reflecting the dim light from the chamber's remaining runes. Her silver-flecked eyes flickered between Veyne and Magnus, her face an unreadable mask of relief and dread.

"She's still alive," Kiera said, her voice tight with the tension that clung to the air. "But barely. We need to act fast, Magnus."

Magnus nodded, his amber gaze flickering with internal conflict. The shard was gone, the Citadel's hunger quieted, but he could still feel the lingering pull of the void within him, its hunger threatening to consume everything it touched. The curse in his blood stirred once more, restless, like a beast yearning to be freed.

Jakob, who had been silent since the explosion of power, stepped forward, his bloodied face pale but resolute. He held Magnus's sword in his hands, its runes flickering with a faint, unstable glow. He extended it to Magnus, his voice strained but steady. "You destroyed it, Magnus. The Key's shard... But now what? What happens next?"

The question lingered in the air, heavy with uncertainty. Magnus took the sword, his fingers brushing Jakob's briefly before his gaze settled on the shattered remnants of the shard. The Citadel had been silenced, for now, but the hunger was not gone. And the darkness, that consuming pull, still throbbed within him.

"Next," Magnus murmured, his voice low and controlled, "we find Lysara. And we end this. For good."

Kiera's grip on Veyne tightened, her eyes narrowing. "Lysara's still out there, Magnus. You saw her. She's no ally." Her voice carried the weight of the truth, and though Magnus could hear the doubt in her tone, he could feel the conviction in her words. Lysara had played her part in the Citadel's twisted game, manipulating them all, and now it was time to confront her—no more games.

The ravens, silent until now, resumed their eerie caws, their dark wings flapping in unison as if urging them onward. The chamber felt colder now, the shadows deeper, as if something waited just beyond their sight. The lingering presence of the Citadel seemed to grow heavier, pressing down on their shoulders, suffocating with its unnatural pull.

Magnus felt it too—the weight of his own choices. Each step forward was heavier than the last, but there was no turning back. He had made his choice. And now he would face whatever came next.

"Veyne," Magnus muttered, his voice strained, as he crouched beside her, his clawed hand brushing her hair from her face. "Stay with me. We're not finished yet."

Veyne's eyes fluttered open, her gaze cloudy but still faintly focused on him. Her voice was little more than a rasp, but the words cut through the silence like a blade. "Magnus... You're... not... alone..."

He nodded, his throat tight. He didn't know what she meant, but it was enough for now. She was still here, still breathing. That was enough.

Jakob stepped back, his eyes scanning the now-empty chamber, the tension in his body evident. "What's the plan, then? We hunt down Lysara. But we need to be careful. The Citadel's hunger isn't finished with us. And she's too dangerous."

Magnus clenched his fists around the sword's hilt, his resolve hardening like steel. "We find her. We end her. And then... we leave this place behind."

But as the words left his lips, the air grew colder still, and the ravens' caws took on a more ominous tone. The Citadel's hunger hadn't been silenced—it was only lying in wait.

And Magnus knew, deep in his bones, that the real battle was just beginning.