The eerie silence that filled the fortress after the destruction of the Lumen Corvus was almost as unsettling as the battle that had just taken place. Serena stood in the center of the chamber, her hands trembling slightly as the adrenaline slowly faded from her veins. The artifact lay dormant on the ground, its once-pulsing energy gone, leaving behind only a dark, cold shell.
Around her, the bodies of the Seekers lay scattered across the stone floor, their dark robes still and lifeless. The overwhelming power that had driven them, the madness that had fueled their relentless pursuit, had evaporated along with the energy of the Lumen Corvus. Whatever force had bound them to their dark cause had been severed, leaving them hollow.
Serena inhaled deeply, trying to steady herself. It was over. At least for now.
Rebecca appeared at her side, her face streaked with dirt and exhaustion. She wiped sweat from her brow, her eyes wide with disbelief as she surveyed the chamber. "We did it," she said, her voice barely more than a whisper. "We actually did it."
Serena nodded, though the weight of the victory felt more complicated than triumph. The threat of the Lumen Corvus had been stopped, but the cost had been immense. The fortress was in ruins, and they had barely survived the onslaught of the Seekers. And yet, even with the artifact deactivated, there was still an unease in Serena's chest—a sense that the dangers were far from over.
Alex staggered toward them, his face pale but determined. His arm was bandaged from a wound he'd taken during the battle, but he didn't seem to notice the pain. "What now?" he asked, his voice rough. "Is it really over?"
Serena shook her head slowly. "The Lumen Corvus is deactivated, but it's not destroyed. We don't know what's left of its power, or if someone else will come for it. We need to secure it."
Adrian appeared from the shadows, his expression grim but composed. He knelt beside the artifact, studying it carefully. "Whatever power it had, it's gone for now. But Serena's right. This thing isn't just going to disappear. We need to hide it, bury it somewhere no one will ever find it again."
Serena's jaw tightened. "We've seen what people are willing to do to get their hands on it. The Seekers might be finished, but someone else will come looking for it. We have to make sure it's never used again."
Adrian nodded, standing up. "There are places—isolated, remote locations where artifacts like this can be buried deep. But it won't be easy. If anyone even suspects we still have it, they'll come after us."
Serena met Adrian's gaze, understanding the gravity of his words. Keeping the Lumen Corvus out of the wrong hands was a task that could consume the rest of their lives. The artifact's potential for destruction was too great, and its allure too dangerous.
Elena, who had been standing quietly to the side, finally spoke, her voice soft but filled with determination. "We can't let it fall into anyone else's hands. The legend… it was true, and we barely survived it. Whatever happens next, we need to ensure that no one ever tries to use it again."
Serena turned to Elena, a mixture of gratitude and concern on her face. "You did well, Elena. I know this wasn't what you expected when you came looking for answers, but you saved us all."
Elena's eyes were still wide with the weight of what had happened, but she nodded slowly. "I only hope it was enough."
Rebecca stepped forward, her usual sharpness softened by exhaustion. "The question is—where do we go from here? We're all beat up, and the fortress is falling apart. We need a plan."
Serena glanced around the room, assessing the situation. The Seekers were defeated, but the fortress wasn't safe. The walls were cracked, the ceiling unstable, and there was no telling when another section might collapse.
"We need to get out of here," Serena said, her voice firm. "This place won't hold for much longer. We'll take the artifact with us and find a safe place to regroup. After that, we can figure out how to hide it—permanently."
Adrian smirked slightly, though there was no real humor in his eyes. "And I assume you'll be keeping an eye on me to make sure I don't run off with it?"
Serena's lips tightened into a thin smile. "I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't."
Adrian chuckled, though the tension between them remained. They had worked together to stop the Seekers, but Serena knew better than to trust him completely. Adrian always had his own agenda, and she wasn't about to let her guard down now.
They gathered what little supplies they had left and prepared to leave the fortress. Serena took one last look at the Lumen Corvus, now wrapped securely in a thick cloth and placed in a reinforced bag. It looked so small, so deceptively harmless. But she knew better.
As they made their way through the crumbling fortress, the reality of what they had survived began to settle in. The adrenaline had worn off, leaving them all battered and exhausted, but there was still a sense of quiet determination among them. They had faced death, darkness, and a force far beyond their understanding, and they had come out the other side.
But the journey wasn't over.
The path down the mountain was slow and treacherous. The rain from the previous night had turned the trail into a slick, muddy mess, and they had to move carefully to avoid slipping. Despite the difficulty, Serena felt a strange sense of relief as they left the fortress behind. The ancient, crumbling walls had been the site of a battle that could have ended in disaster, but they had won. At least, for now.
By the time they reached the base of the mountain, the sun was beginning to set, casting long shadows across the valley. Serena could feel the weight of the Lumen Corvus in her pack, and with each step, she became more certain of what needed to be done. They had to disappear—completely. No more confrontations, no more battles over ancient artifacts. The world didn't need the Lumen Corvus, and it was their responsibility to make sure no one ever found it again.
Adrian, ever the strategist, spoke up as they reached the edge of the forest. "I have a place we can go. It's off the grid—no one will find us there. We can rest, regroup, and figure out the best way to bury this thing."
Serena glanced at him, wary but too tired to argue. "Lead the way."
As they followed Adrian into the trees, Serena couldn't help but think about everything they had lost—and everything they had gained. The Seekers were gone, their dark vision of a world reshaped by the Lumen Corvus destroyed. But the scars of what had happened would linger, both on the landscape and on the people who had fought to stop them.
They had won a battle, but the war against the forces that sought to control ancient power would never truly be over. The Lumen Corvus was just one piece of a much larger puzzle—one that Serena wasn't sure she wanted to solve.
But for now, they had survived. And that was enough.
As the last light of day faded into the horizon, Serena looked ahead at the path that stretched before them. It was uncertain, dangerous, and full of unknowns. But she would face it, just as she always had.
One step at a time.