The night had fallen completely, wrapping the forest in a suffocating silence that felt too still, too expectant. Serena's heart pounded as she processed Elias's words, his warning echoing in her mind: The stars will begin to fall. The weight of it pressed down on her, leaving her feeling vulnerable in a way she hadn't anticipated. They had fought so hard, sacrificed so much, and now it felt as though their journey had only led them to the edge of something even darker.
Rebecca stepped forward, her face a mixture of disbelief and anger. "You're saying we went through all of that, destroyed the Lumen Corvus, just to unleash a new threat? You expect us to believe you?"
Elias's eyes flickered with an intensity Serena hadn't seen before, his jaw clenched as if he were barely holding himself together. "You have every reason to doubt me, I know. But I've seen what lies beyond that barrier. I tried to stop you from destroying it because I understood what it kept at bay. Now that it's gone, the realms are vulnerable, and there's nothing holding those ancient entities back."
Alaric crossed his arms, his gaze calculating. "If that's true, Elias, then why are you here? Why come back after betraying us?"
Elias sighed, his shoulders slumping as if the weight of everything had finally crushed his resolve. "Because I don't have a choice. I may have chosen the wrong path, but I didn't want to see the world fall. The Syndicate… we believed we were doing what was necessary. Now, I have nowhere else to turn. If we're to face what's coming, we'll have to do it together."
Serena's fingers tightened around the hilt of her weapon as she searched his face, looking for any sign of deception. She wanted to reject his offer, to push him away after everything he had done. But his desperation was raw, unfeigned. Whether or not she trusted him, Elias knew things that could help them prepare.
Rebecca shot Serena a dark look. "You're not seriously considering this, are you?"
Serena took a deep breath, glancing between her friends and Elias, who stood apart like an outcast pleading for redemption. "If there's even a chance he's telling the truth, we need to hear it. We can't afford to ignore any warning right now. This might be our only shot."
Rebecca's expression was tense, but she nodded reluctantly, a flicker of agreement in her eyes. "Fine. But one wrong move, and he's done. I'm not giving him a second chance."
Elias seemed to accept this unspoken threat, his eyes softening with something that might have been gratitude. "Thank you," he said quietly, a hint of relief in his voice. "If we want to stop what's coming, we need to understand it first. And that means knowing where they're coming from."
Alaric stepped closer, his gaze narrowing. "What do you know about these entities?"
Elias took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts. "They're beings of immense power, ancient forces that existed before the realms were sealed off. They're called the Veilborn—creatures that live in the shadows between worlds, feeding on the energy that flows from one realm to another. They're drawn to instability, to moments when the boundaries between worlds weaken."
Serena's pulse quickened. "So, by destroying the Lumen Corvus, we created that instability."
Elias nodded. "Exactly. The Lumen Corvus acted as a stabilizing force, a bridge that kept the boundaries intact. Without it, the boundaries are fractured, and the Veilborn are sensing that weakness. They're coming to feed, to consume our world's energy until there's nothing left."
Rebecca's face hardened. "And you think we can stop them?"
Elias hesitated, his gaze dropping to the ground. "I don't know if they can be stopped, not in the way you're hoping. But there are ways to protect the realms, to slow the Veilborn's advance. The Syndicate gathered knowledge about ancient wards—rituals that can strengthen the boundaries between worlds. I can help you set those up."
Serena's mind raced as she processed his words. She had hoped that destroying the Lumen Corvus would be the end, but now it felt like they were only at the beginning of an even greater battle. "How long do we have before they arrive?"
Elias glanced up at the sky, his expression dark. "Not long. Days, maybe. The signs are already starting. The first indication will be in the stars. They'll fall from the sky, a warning that the boundaries are weakening."
Rebecca crossed her arms, her face set with determination. "Then we don't have a choice. If setting up these wards can slow them down, then that's what we're going to do."
Elias nodded, his expression grave. "There's a place we can start. It's a shrine hidden in the mountains, an ancient site that holds one of the strongest warding symbols. If we can activate it, we might be able to buy ourselves time."
Serena felt a flicker of hope, fragile but real. "Then we'll head there at first light. Lead the way, Elias."
The group set up camp for the night, the fire casting flickering shadows across their faces as they sat in tense silence. Serena's mind was restless, filled with thoughts of what lay ahead. She knew this journey would be dangerous, that there was a high chance they wouldn't return. But the thought of doing nothing, of letting those creatures invade her world, was unbearable.
As the night deepened, Serena glanced up at the sky, her gaze tracing the familiar constellations. But something was different. A faint shimmer caught her eye, a flash of light streaking across the sky.
A falling star.
Her stomach tightened as another star fell, then another. The sky above seemed to tremble, each falling star a warning, a sign that the Veilborn were indeed approaching.
Rebecca noticed Serena's expression and followed her gaze. "It's happening, isn't it?"
Serena nodded, her voice barely a whisper. "They're coming."
They spent the rest of the night in uneasy silence, each lost in their own thoughts, watching the stars fall. It was as if the heavens themselves were weeping, warning them of the darkness that was closing in.
At dawn, they packed up and began their journey toward the mountains, moving with a sense of urgency that belied their exhaustion. The path was rugged, the air thin and cold as they climbed higher, but none of them complained. The only sound was the crunch of gravel underfoot and the occasional call of a distant bird.
Elias led the way, his movements sure and steady, but Serena noticed the shadows under his eyes, the weight of his guilt hanging over him like a shroud. She knew he carried the burden of his choices, and while she wasn't ready to forgive him, she couldn't deny the value of his knowledge.
By midday, they reached the shrine, an ancient structure carved into the side of the mountain, hidden from sight by overgrown vines and moss. The air was thick with a strange energy, a feeling of dormant power waiting to be awakened.
Elias approached the shrine, his voice soft but resolute. "This place holds the first warding symbol. If we can activate it, it will begin to stabilize the boundary here."
Serena watched as he knelt before the shrine, his hands tracing the symbols carved into the stone. The symbols glowed faintly, responding to his touch, and a low hum filled the air as the energy of the ward began to awaken.
As the light grew brighter, Serena felt a wave of hope surge through her. They had a chance—a slim, fragile chance—to hold the Veilborn back, to protect their world from the coming darkness.
But as the ward's energy spread, a chill crept over her, and a whisper echoed in her mind, as if something beyond the veil had sensed their presence.
The Veilborn were coming.
And they wouldn't be stopped easily.