The air crackled with tension as the Harbingers closed in, their twisted forms moving with an unnatural grace. Rynze tightened his grip on the Nameless Flame, its light flaring brightly in defiance. Beside him, Seris stood ready, her weapon gleaming in the dim light.
"Stay close," Rynze said, his storm-grey eyes scanning the encroaching figures.
Seris nodded, her frozen-sky eyes locked on the enemy. "We've faced worse," she said, though her voice betrayed a hint of unease.
The first Harbinger lunged, its movements a blur. Rynze met it head-on, the Nameless Flame slicing through the air with a searing intensity. The creature let out a guttural screech as it dissolved into shadows, but more took its place.
"They're endless," Seris said, parrying an attack from another Harbinger.
"Then we keep fighting," Rynze replied, his voice steady.
In the Ordo chamber, Srakar Ilmen watched the battle unfold through the scrying pool. His golden eyes narrowed as he observed the Harbingers' relentless assault.
"The flame tests them," he said, his voice a mix of awe and frustration. "But will they endure?"
He turned to the acolytes. "Begin the ritual," he ordered. "If they fall, the flame must not be lost."
Back in the realm of the flame, the battle raged on. Rynze and Seris fought with a ferocity born of desperation, their movements perfectly synchronized. But the Harbingers showed no signs of relenting.
"Rynze!" Seris called out, her voice cutting through the chaos. "The Keeper said the flame comes at a cost. What if this is the cost?"
Rynze hesitated, her words striking a chord. The Nameless Flame pulsed in his hand, its light flickering as if in response.
"No," he said, his resolve hardening. "The flame chose us for a reason. We can't give up now."
As if sensing his determination, the Nameless Flame flared brighter, its light pushing back the darkness. The Harbingers recoiled, their forms wavering.
"It's working," Seris said, a glimmer of hope in her voice.
Rynze stepped forward, the flame blazing in his hand. "This ends now," he said, his voice echoing with authority.
With a surge of energy, he unleashed the full power of the Nameless Flame. The light engulfed the Harbingers, their forms disintegrating into nothingness. The ground trembled, and the sky above seemed to ripple in response.
When the light subsided, the Harbingers were gone, and the realm was silent once more. Rynze lowered the Nameless Flame, his grip steady but his expression weary.
"We did it," Seris said, her voice filled with relief.
Rynze nodded, though his storm-grey eyes remained cautious. "For now," he said. "But this isn't over."
As they stood amidst the aftermath, the Keeper reappeared, its form more distinct than before.
"You have proven your strength," it said, its voice resonating with a sense of finality. "But the true challenge lies ahead."
Rynze and Seris exchanged a glance, their resolve unshaken. "We're ready," Rynze said.
The Keeper nodded, its form beginning to fade. "Then step forward," it said. "And embrace your destiny."
As the gate to the next realm began to open, Rynze and Seris took a deep breath and stepped through, the Nameless Flame lighting their path.