The core of the blood moon teetered on the edge of collapse, its cracks spreading across the entire sky.
The soul of Karsath stood atop the crest of the blood tide, his eyes transforming into blazing blood moons.
He roared, raising his giant blade, merging his remaining soul with the sea of blood.
"Ashen flames... shall ultimately be devoured by blood!
Come, face the judgment of the Blood Moon's Eye!"
The sea of blood suddenly contracted, condensing into a colossal crimson pupil that hung high in the vault of heaven.
This was the very core of the blood moon—the "Eye of the Blood Moon," capable of swallowing all life.
Its gaze left Elya gasping for air, the oath brand throbbing as if it might split apart.
She stumbled into Lucian's arms, her voice trembling: "We... can't hold on."
Lucian wrapped his arms tightly around her, his eyes burning with resolve: "No, Elya. We must ignite the final phoenix."
He bent down, his searing kiss sealing her quivering lips.
Their bodies merged amid the interweaving of bloodflame and ashen flame, the oathfire blazing to its limit.
Elya let out a soft whimper, tears sliding down the corners of her eyes. "If this is the end... I would burn away with you."
Their union caused the phoenix's wings to unfurl completely. The ashen flames were no longer mere fire, but a brilliant radiance that pierced the Eye of the Blood Moon.
Karsath roared, his voice thundering: "No! You cannot defile the blood moon with desire and love!"
Lucian spoke low in her ear, his words cutting through the roar of the blood sea: "Remember, Elya, our ashen flames—were never defilement. They are judgment."
With their embrace and complete fusion, the phoenix's wings incinerated the sea of blood, diving straight for the Eye of the Blood Moon.
Elya's body trembled as her oath brand overlapped with Lucian's flame patterns. In the throes of ecstasy and pain, she screamed: "Burn it!"
With a deafening crash, the phoenix pierced the Eye of the Blood Moon, erupting into a blinding gray-white inferno.
The entire core of the blood moon shattered in a violent collapse.
The soul of Karsath let out a final roar, consumed entirely by the flames.
The sea of blood receded, the sky split open, and the first ray of true dawn spilled through the rift.
Elya panted, collapsing in Lucian's arms, her voice hoarse yet steady: "We... won."
Lucian held her close, his gaze fixed on the shattered sky, his voice low: "No. This is only the beginning of the final judgment."
The ashen-flame phoenix spread its wings and cried out, carrying them toward the dawn's light.
Behind them, the blood moon crumbled completely, dissolving into countless ashes that were carried away by the wind.