The chamber trembled.
The Spiritfallen Votari unfurled its twisted wings, each feather a jagged shard of crystal glowing with corrupted spirit energy. Its molten claws scorched the stone beneath it. Eyes lined its chest like a starless sky, all turning to the intruders.
Lucas stood at the center, Amaterasu's flame coiling in his right hand, Fenrir's frost in the left.
"Formation B," he said.
Elayne and Kael immediately flanked the creature. Elira vanished into the air, her aura cloaked like mist. Seren lingered near the edge, eyes calculating.
The creature moved.
In an instant, it launched a spiral of molten crystal feathers. The air shimmered. One feather clipped the stone platform beside Kael — and it disintegrated into ash.
Lucas raised his hands and clapped.
> Soul Fusion: Solar Howl — Phase I.
Flames and frost exploded outward, forming a barrier that dissolved the feathers midair. But the strain hit hard. His body trembled as Fenrir's essence partially merged with his frame — his eyes flashed silver, and fangs lined his grin.
"Go!" he shouted.
Kael dashed in, twin blades glowing with rotating wind sigils. He danced under the Votari's claws, drawing blood — or what passed for it. The creature hissed, recoiling, but retaliated with a tail strike that sent him flying.
Elayne followed, her glaive blooming into a crescent of light. She struck down on its shoulder, shattering part of its armor. Votari roared, the sound fracturing several surrounding platforms.
Suddenly — the creature vanished.
A burst of shadow and light. It reappeared behind Seren.
But she didn't move.
Elira did.
Her spirit flared, a lunar construct of silver needles spiraling into the air. She intercepted the Votari's claw mid-swing, her expression cold and detached.
"You're not the only one who can warp space," she whispered.
Then she vanished, reappearing above the core.
> Nine-Star Technique: Moon Pierces Silence.
Silver light stabbed downward like a divine decree, puncturing the Votari's second heart — the one embedded in its back.
It screamed.
Lucas charged, fire erupting from his limbs.
> Amaterasu Burst: Twilight Eruption!
He collided with the guardian's core chest, sending flames erupting through every crack in its form. Ice followed — sealing the cracks in place.
Kael, Elayne, and Elira hit in unison.
The Spiritfallen Votari exploded.
Ash. Light. Silence.
---
When the smoke cleared, the dungeon core hovered exposed — flickering between collapse and stabilization.
Lucas approached it slowly.
He reached forward, spirit force flowing into his palm.
> Soul Contact: Attempting Fusion...
Dual-Spirit Resonance Confirmed.
Divine Core Link Activated.
A rush of energy hit him like a tidal wave.
He saw visions — stars falling, a beast sealed inside a crystal tree, an old war among half-step demigods… and a throne waiting in the void.
He staggered back.
The core pulsed once.
Then solidified — cleansed of corruption, now radiating pure energy.
The Vale's mist faded. The twisted trees began to straighten. Light returned to the dungeon.
Elira was the first to speak. "It's done."
Seren said nothing, but her eyes never left the core.
Lucas turned to face the group. "Mark this place. I don't think this dungeon is just an accident."
He looked up at the murals — at the black flame, the frost beast, and the ancient throne.
> "I think this was a warning."