The dark mist slithers through the streets like a living nightmare, swallowing the lamplight and twisting the shadows into monstrous shapes.
Kael's breath comes fast as he grips his staff tighter, feeling the Mark blaze fiercely on his palm — a beacon of light in the suffocating gloom.
"Lyra, we need to seal the breach!" he shouts over the roaring wind.
She nods, chanting the Words of Binding under her breath, the ancient runes glowing on the ground beneath them.
Jaren staggers beside them, the shard clenched in his fist, struggling against the shadow's pull.
The mist coils, reaching for their minds, whispering venomous lies, twisting their fears into paralyzing doubt.
Kael's vision blurs, memories and nightmares flooding in — the fire, the door, Aelis's betrayal — a spiral of despair threatening to consume him.
But then, a steady warmth blooms from the Mark, anchoring him.
With a roar, Kael focuses every ounce of his will into the glow, the power surging outward in waves.
The mist recoils, screaming in silent agony as the Words of Binding crackle with renewed strength.
The chasm begins to close.
But the Keeper of the Gate appears — a towering shadow with eyes like burning coals, blocking their path.
"You cannot stop what has been unleashed," the Keeper hisses, voice like grinding stone.
Kael meets his gaze, defiance blazing.
"We will not let the darkness consume this world."
The battle ignites — light against shadow, power against corruption.
Kael weaves his magic, staff striking sparks that dance through the mist.
Lyra's voice rises in a song of strength, the runes blazing brighter.
Jaren, trembling but resolute, shatters the dark shard, breaking the shadow's hold on him.
The Keeper roars, a sound that shakes the earth.
But Kael's light burns through the darkness, sealing the breach, locking the door once more.
Silence falls.
The village is safe — for now.
But Kael knows this is only the beginning.