The embers of the Gray Realm were swept into the sky by a sudden storm.
The Shadow Inheritor advanced slowly, its wings of black flame unfurling in the void. Wherever it passed, even the embers were devoured.
Lucian and Elea stood side by side. Though weak, she drew strength from Lucian's embrace, and phoenix-like fire blazed in her eyes.
"Lucian…" she murmured, "if this battle requires me to burn away completely, would you fall into the fire with me?"
Lucian clasped her hand tightly, his lips brushing her ear, his voice steady as an oath: "If you burn to ash, I will burn with you."
Their souls instantly aligned once more, and the Soul-Scorching Ring flared to life.
Flames spread in a ring; Elea's body was ignited by blazing desire. Her trembling breath intertwined with Lucian's heartbeat, making the flames roar like a living thing.
The Shadow Inheritor sneered, raising both hands. Pitch-black flames condensed into a spear, aimed straight at them.
"Desire can devour residual souls, but it cannot shake true shadow."
Boom—!
The Soul-Scorching Ring collided with the black flame spear, the explosion splitting the earth. The Gray Realm was torn open by abysses, fire and shadow intertwining like an apocalyptic war.
Elea's body trembled under the impact, pleasure and pain mingling. She couldn't suppress a moan, tears spilling from the heat, yet she persisted: "Lucian… don't stop… let me merge deeper with you!"
Lucian's gaze burned; he growled and held her tighter, his movements growing more intense. Each union swelled the Soul-Scorching Ring, fending off the shadow's onslaught.
The Shadow Inheritor was forced back half a step, its eyes hardening as it intoned a low incantation.
Pitch-black flames transformed into hundreds of shadow blades, from the void.
Lucian shouted, "Lift your head, Elea!"
Elea tilted her head back, tears and fire pouring forth. The soul-scorching pact erupted into a giant soul-flame phoenix, which spread its wings from the ring and soared, incinerating countless shadow blades to ash.
The Shadow Inheritor finally cracked a sinister smile: "Excellent… your soul-scorching power is more perfect than I imagined. But perfect flames—burn out the fastest."
It pressed a hand to its chest, black flames into a rune. The entire Gray Realm trembled, as if it were the true master of this world.
Elea panted softly in Lucian's arms, her breath nearly breaking, yet she still clung to his hand: "No matter how we burn… I will stand with you until the end."
Lucian bent to kiss her lips, growling like a vow: "Then let us—burn the Gray Realm to ashes!"
Their bodies and souls merged completely, the collision of flame and desire reaching its limit. The soul-scorching phoenix roared again, clashing with the Shadow Inheritor's black flame shadows. War in the Gray Realm ignited fully.