Kaelen stood amidst the remnants of the fifth monolith, the crater was still glowing faintly from the power of the beacon that had erupted from its destruction. His breath was ragged, his body was battered and bruised from days of ceaseless digging, but he didn't stop. Not now. Not when he was so close.
'Two more.'
His gaze shifted to the horizon, where the oppressive storm wall loomed larger with each passing moment, its jagged edges crackling with chaotic energy. The air felt thick, charged with a palpable sense of tension, and Kaelen knew that the end was drawing near.
'Two more.'
Every step, every breath, had led him to this point. Just two monoliths left. Then, it would be over. The layer would be broken. The beacons would fall silent.
'Two more.'
