The air crackled as the Architect's presence warped the very space around Kael and Aeris. Shadows stretched like living tendrils, twisting reality with every breath.
Kael's eyes burned with fierce determination, the fire in his palms flaring bright enough to cast long, flickering silhouettes against the swirling vortex.
Aeris tightened her grip on the amulet — its glow a calm beacon amid the chaos. "We've come too far to back down now," she whispered, voice steady despite the storm brewing around them.
Suddenly, the Architect raised her hand, and a wave of shimmering energy shot out like a tsunami. Kael's flames met the wave, clashing in a violent explosion of sparks and light that sent shockwaves through the Rift.
The ground beneath cracked open, revealing veins of glowing crystal that pulsed with ancient energy, illuminating the battle's stage in eerie hues of blue and violet.
Aeris darted forward, weaving between bursts of energy, her eyes locked on the Architect's form, searching for a weakness hidden beneath the shifting light.
"Kael, the Core is unstable! If we don't control it, it will consume everything — including us," she shouted over the roaring tempest.
Kael's jaw clenched. "Then we end this here. Together."
With a roar, he summoned every ounce of power, flames engulfing him in a blazing aura that surged toward the Architect like a comet blazing through a starless night.
The Architect smiled, eyes gleaming with unspoken secrets. "This is only the beginning."
As their powers collided, a brilliant flash of light swallowed the Rift — and in that blinding moment, the line between friend and foe blurred forever.