The dawn's light was dim, as if the sun itself hesitated to rise over the war-torn lands. Elara stood at the edge of the collapsed tunnel, her gaze fixed on the horizon where the dark clouds still swirled ominously. The Shadow Shard's essence was free, but so too was the hope that they could still end this once and for all.
"We need to regroup," Kael said, his voice breaking the heavy silence. He wiped the dirt from his face, his expression hard but resolute. "That… thing is out there, and it won't stop until it's destroyed everything."
Elara nodded, her thoughts racing. The essence they had unleashed was a raw, primordial force, driven by a hunger for destruction. But it was also weakened by the loss of its heart. That gave them a sliver of a chance—a small opening to strike and end the threat before it could regain its full strength.
