The narrow corridor reeked of dampness and age, as if it held the breath of creatures long dead. Its walls were coated in shimmering moss, and every step Luma, Kael, and Ereth took echoed like the heartbeat of someone dreading what lay ahead.
"This is the final path," said Ereth, his voice steady though his eyes were not.
They stepped into Vaeloth's domain. The only light came from the small crystal in Luma's hand, and even that seemed fragile. The passage twisted downward like a serpent with no end, curling deep into the belly of the world. The sound of dripping water and whispering wind unsettled them, as if the tunnel itself were alive—watching, judging.
Suddenly, a subtle tremor passed through their bodies.
"Stop!" Ereth shouted, but it was too late.
The light from Luma's crystal split into three, and in an instant, they were separated.
Luma
Luma opened her eyes in a space of pure white. No walls. No floor. Just endless emptiness. Standing before her was herself—or rather, her shadow.
"You are not Selene. And you're not strong enough," said the shadow.
Luma tried to push the voice away, but it slithered into her thoughts, touching old wounds that hadn't healed.
"You're just a reflection."
"I am what you hide."
Luma exhaled deeply. Slowly, she raised her hand, and light began to shine from within her—not Selene's light, not the ancient spirit's—but her own. Love. Trust. Hope.
The shadow ignited, dissolving into the light she had created herself.
Kael
Kael stood in the middle of a grassy field he knew well—the place where he and Elen used to play as children. But now, Elen stood before him, her eyes red, her voice filled with hatred.
"You left me. You chose her."
Kael swallowed. Guilt rose like a tide. He had never made peace with that choice.
"I chose to believe. I chose to protect, even if it wasn't you I saved that day."
Elen stepped forward, tears and fury mingling on her face.
"You should've died with me."
Kael opened his arms and bowed his head.
"If that would bring you peace... then do it."
Elen's form paused. Slowly, she smiled. Then faded, leaving behind only a single flower petal.
Ereth
Ereth knelt, surrounded by versions of himself clad in black robes, eyes glowing blood-red.
"See who you'd be if you chose the easy path. Power without principle. Strength without mercy."
"That's not me," Ereth replied.
"But you want it. In your dreams. In your silence."
Ereth stood, though his body trembled.
"I'm human. I have sinned. But I choose to stand firm."
One by one, the shadows of himself vanished. At last, only he remained—alone, but no longer afraid.
All three of them returned to the main chamber. Their breaths were heavy, bodies weary, but their eyes held purpose. Before them now stretched the throne room, its floor etched with ancient magical carvings. And on the black throne of thorns sat Vaeloth.
"Welcome, heirs of light," he said. His voice was twofold—one male, one female.
Luma stepped forward. "We didn't come to kill you. We came to end the darkness you've spawned."
Vaeloth smiled. "And you think the light you've conjured is enough to erase shadows born of the world's deepest fears?"
Kael and Ereth readied themselves, weapons in hand.
Shadows began to crawl from the cracks in the floor. Soldiers of darkness rose one by one.
Vaeloth stood, his eyes glowing crimson.
"Let us see... who truly deserves to bring about the end of days."
Outside, the sky began to roar. Violet lightning tore through the clouds.
And the battle began.
To be continued in Chapter 15...