Valerius felt a surge of anger at the Shadow Lord's words, a burning fire that cut through the fear and doubt that had been gnawing at him. "I will defeat you," he said, his voice filled with determination. "I will stop the darkness from consuming Terros."
The Shadow Lord chuckled, a sound that sent shivers down Valerius's spine. It was a laugh devoid of warmth or mirth, a cruel mockery of human emotion. "You are brave but foolish. The darkness is eternal, and it will consume all who stand against it. You cannot stop what is inevitable."
With a wave of its hand, the Shadow Lord sent a wave of darkness crashing toward Valerius. It moved like a tidal wave, a living mass of shadow that sought to engulf and obliterate everything in its path. Valerius barely had time to react, throwing up a shield of light to protect himself. The impact was devastating, the force of the darkness nearly overwhelming him, but he held firm, refusing to be pushed back.
"You underestimate me," Valerius said through gritted teeth, pushing back against the darkness with all his might. The light within him, the light that had been given to him by the angelic dimension, flared brightly, cutting through the shadow like a beacon. "I won't let you win."
The Shadow Lord's eyes glowed with a malevolent light, two burning embers in the darkness. "We shall see."
With a flick of its wrist, the Shadow Lord summoned more shadows, each one more powerful and more terrifying than the last. They swirled around Valerius, their whispers filling his mind, trying to break his resolve, twist his thoughts and turn him against himself. But Valerius held on, focusing on the light within him, the light that had guided him through countless battles, through the darkest of times.
As the shadows closed in around him, Valerius felt a surge of power well up within him, a force that had been lying dormant, waiting for the right moment to awaken. It was the power of the fallen angel within him, a power that was both a gift and a curse. He channeled that power into his sword, the blade glowing with a brilliant light that cut through the darkness like a blade of pure energy.
With a powerful swing, Valerius dispelled the shadows, the force of his attack sending them scattering into the void. The Shadow Lord staggered back, momentarily caught off guard by the sudden display of power. It was a small victory, but it was enough to give Valerius hope.
"This isn't over," Valerius said, his voice filled with determination. "I will find a way to defeat you."
The Shadow Lord recovered quickly, its eyes narrowing as it regarded Valerius with a mix of anger and something that almost resembled respect. "You are stronger than I anticipated," it admitted, its voice tinged with a hint of begrudging admiration. "But strength alone will not save you. You will fall, just like all the others who came before you."
The world around them began to fade, the darkness receding as the temple walls came back into focus. Valerius found himself back in the temple, standing before the altar, his hand still resting on the glowing runes. His heart was racing, his body trembling from the encounter, but he was alive, and that was all that mattered.
Elysia and Orion were by his side, their expressions filled with concern. "Valerius, are you alright?" Elysia asked, her voice laced with worry.
Valerius nodded, though he still felt the lingering effects of the encounter. The Shadow Lord's presence had been overwhelming, its power nearly crushing, but he had survived. "I'm fine," he said, his voice steady. "But we need to move quickly. The Shadow Lord knows we're here, and it won't be long before it sends more forces to stop us."
Orion glanced at the Heart of Shadows, which was now glowing with a faint, dark light. It pulsed softly, as if in response to the darkness that had just been unleashed. "What did you see?" he asked, his voice tense.
Valerius took a deep breath, trying to gather his thoughts. The memory of the Shadow Lord's voice, its mocking tone, still echoed in his mind. "I saw the Shadow Lord. It… it knows we're close to finding the key to its defeat. But it also knows that we're not strong enough yet to stop it. We need to find the next piece of the puzzle, and we need to do it fast."
Elysia nodded, her expression resolute. She could see the determination in Valerius's eyes, the fire that burned within him. "Then we keep moving. We won't let the darkness win."
With renewed determination, the trio left the temple, the Heart of Shadows safely tucked away in Valerius's pack. The path ahead was still shrouded in mist, but they moved forward with purpose, knowing that every step brought them closer to the final confrontation with the Shadow Lord.
The darkness was closing in, but they were ready to face it. Together.