The chaos storm outside raged like a living beast, tearing at the very fabric of the world's reality. Its howling winds carried whispers of destruction, echoing the unspoken fears in Kael and Sera's hearts. They had barely escaped the depths beneath the ruins, yet even here, the world trembled as if it knew the darkness was only beginning to wake.
Kael's breath was ragged as he looked over the fractured landscape—shattered trees, flickering shadows, and a sky swirling with unnatural hues. The world had become unstable, and every moment felt like the last. Sera, her sword still at the ready, kept a wary eye on the shadows that lurked at the edges.
They pushed forward, seeking shelter, when a figure stepped from the darkness—calm, deliberate, and eerily familiar.
It was Thane.
Once an ally, now a figure cloaked in darkness, Thane's eyes gleamed with a sinister light. His smile was cold, yet oddly calm.
"You've seen too much," Thane said softly, voice smooth as silk, but with an underlying chill. "The truth about the origins—the chaos—and about Hel. And now you understand why all of this happened."
Kael instinctively reached for his sword, trembling but ready. "What are you talking about?"
Thane's smile widened, revealing a hint of malice. "You've been so focused on Vain and Hel—so blinded by your purpose—that you never saw the bigger picture. Hel isn't the savior you think. It's been manipulating us all along. It's been guiding us toward chaos, trying to unmake everything so it can become the master of the new order."
Sera's eyes narrowed. "That's not true. Hel said—"
"Hel's lies," Thane interrupted, voice sharp and unwavering. "It's the master manipulator. It's been whispering in your ears, playing both sides. It's not here to save the world. It's here to see chaos unleashed, so that it can rise from the ashes and claim dominion over what's left."
Kael's mind reeled. "You're lying," he said, voice trembling with anger and disbelief.
Thane chuckled darkly, stepping closer. "Lying? No. I've seen what's coming. Hel's plan is to release the primordial chaos—the very darkness that predates the threads, the foundation of everything. And once that chaos is unbound, there will be nothing left but destruction, and Hel's influence will be the only thing standing."
The shadows around Thane flickered and shifted, twisting into a monstrous form—dark tendrils of chaos wrapping around him like a shroud. His voice grew deeper, echoing with a chorus of whispers that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere all at once.
"You've been pawns," Thane's voice hissed. "Hel has been using us—all of us—to tear apart the world, so it can claim what's left. It's not our salvation. It's the chaos's puppet master."
Kael's grip tightened on his shard. "You're wrong," he said fiercely. "Hel said it's trying to contain chaos, to prevent the end of everything. It's trying to save us."
"Save us?" Thane's eyes gleamed with derision. "No, Kael. Hel's true goal is power—absolute power. It's been feeding on your trust, your hope, your fears. It wants chaos so it can become the ultimate force—beyond the threads, beyond reality itself."
Sera's voice was sharp. "If that's true, then why did Hel show us the origins? Why did it try to warn us?"
"Because it's clever," Thane replied, voice cold. "It wants you to believe it's the hero—that it's fighting chaos. But in truth, Hel's greatest desire is to unbind the primordial chaos completely, to free the darkness that birthed all the threads. And once it's unleashed, it will devour everything—truth, order, life—everything."
Kael's heart pounded in his chest. "You're saying Hel is the enemy?"
Thane nodded slowly, a cruel smile curling his lips. "That's exactly what I'm saying. I've seen it firsthand. Hel's been working behind the scenes, orchestrating every step—laying the groundwork for chaos to break free."
The wind howled louder, and the shadows lengthened, swirling into a monstrous form that seemed to reach out with dark tendrils. Kael could feel the raw chaos emanating from it—an ancient, untamable hunger.
"Then what do we do?" Sera demanded, voice trembling with fury. "We can't let chaos reign. We have to stop Vain, yes—but we also need to stop Hel from destroying everything."
Kael stared at the shifting form of the chaos shadow, feelings of dread and resolve mixing within him. He realized that the fight was bigger than he had imagined. This wasn't just about Vain or Hel—this was about the very foundation of reality.
He took a shaky breath. "If what you say is true… then we're facing not just a battle for the world's survival but a war for its soul."
Thane's smile widened further. "And I've decided—I won't be a pawn anymore. I choose to stand for something different. If the chaos is coming, I'll be on the side that controls it—whether that's Hel's side or my own."
The chaos shadow roared, tendrils stretching out to envelop them.
"Then we fight," Sera declared, raising her sword. "For the future—whatever it takes."
Kael clenched his fists, the shard in his hand glowing faintly. "We end this—once and for all. We stop Hel, stop the chaos, and save what's left of this world."
The shadows converged, and the final battle erupted in fury. Blades clashed, magic crackled, and chaos roared like a beast unchained. Kael felt the weight of truth pressing down—this was the moment when everything would be decided.
But deep inside, he knew that the greatest challenge was yet to come. The real war was not just against Hel, Vain, or even chaos itself—it was against what lurked within him.
And in the chaos of the clash, the seed of betrayal was already taking root.