Around them, the last remnants of the battle were winding down.
The Veil had cornered the remaining Darkspawns and cultists, dispatching them with ruthless efficiency. A flash of steel, a cry of pain, and the dark creatures crumbled into nothingness.
The smell of burning abyssal energy filled the air as the Veil worked quickly, destroying the runes that controlled the portal.
Kael watched as one of the Veil's mages, Naigar, raised his staff and muttered an incantation under his breath.
A sharp crack echoed across the courtyard as the last rune shattered, and the rift—a swirling mass of black energy—wavered and then collapsed in on itself. With a final hiss, the portal was gone, and the air felt lighter, cleaner.
Varin exhaled deeply, rolling his shoulders. "That should hold it. For now."
Kael didn't respond, his attention focused on the altar. He placed his hand on the stone, feeling the pulse of its energy.
It was calmer now, stable, but still thrumming with latent power. The altar had done its job—it had absorbed the Riftlord's life force and converted it into his Shadow and Void energy. He could still feel the echoes of that power in his own body, his mind buzzing with new possibilities.
But something gnawed at him.
He turned to Varin, his expression thoughtful. "The Riftlord… he wasn't the strongest, was he?"
Varin's eyes darkened. "No. Not by a long shot."
Kael nodded, his suspicion confirmed. The Riftlord had been powerful, yes. But if this was just one of many, then the battles ahead were going to get much worse. The Abyss wasn't done with them.
And neither was he.
With the rift sealed and the battle over, the Veil turned their attention to the survivors. The citizens of Aeloria, many of whom had been poisoned by abyssal corruption, lay scattered across the courtyard. Their faces were pale, their skin marked with the telltale signs of dark energy. Some were unconscious, their breaths shallow and labored.
Kael knelt beside one of them—a young woman, barely older than him. Her eyes fluttered open as he placed his hand on her forehead, the soft glow of his healing magic flowing through her.
The corruption inside her body began to retreat, burning away under the purifying light. She gasped, her chest rising as her strength returned.
He smiled faintly. "You're going to be okay."
The woman nodded weakly, tears filling her eyes as she clutched his hand. "Thank you…"
Kael rose, his eyes scanning the courtyard as more survivors were brought to the altar. His newfound power surged through him, making the task of healing them feel almost effortless. With every touch, the corruption withdrew, the darkness fading from their bodies.
Varin joined him, his expression softer now, the weight of the battle slowly lifting. "You've got a good heart, Kael," he said quietly, watching as another citizen took a deep, relieved breath.
Kael didn't answer immediately. He wasn't sure if it was goodness or just duty that drove him anymore. The line between the two had blurred, and with the power of the Abyss lurking in the corners of his soul, he couldn't afford to think too much about it.
"Let's just get these people back on their feet," he said finally, his voice steady but distant.
Varin nodded, though his gaze lingered on Kael for a moment longer than necessary.
As night fell, the veil of calm that had descended over Aeloria felt fragile, like a thin layer of glass waiting to shatter. The survivors huddled together, some around small fires, others resting in makeshift shelters. Kael sat alone near the altar, his back against one of its pillars, his mind racing.
He had leveled up—his power had grown—but with it came an unsettling realization. The Riftlord's death wasn't the end. It was the beginning.
He looked at the Rebirth gem he held on his hand, dropped by the Riftlord after it turned into dust and disappears. He will give this to Varin later. He needed it to cure his damaged core.
The wind shifted, carrying with it a whisper—soft at first, barely audible. But as the minutes passed, it grew louder, more insistent. A voice, dark and unfamiliar, echoed in his mind.
"You are one of us, Kael. Every time you rise, you fall closer to the Abyss."
His breath caught in his throat. He squeezed his eyes shut, willing the voice away. But it persisted.
"How long before it consumes you?"
Kael's hand clenched into a fist, the muscles in his arm tensing. He had fought this voice before, back in the ruins of Ardorr, and again during his battles with the Darkspawns. It was the voice of the Abyss—the part of him that had been tainted when he first unlocked his Rebirth Core.
But this time, it felt closer. Stronger.
His eyes snapped open, and for a moment, he thought he saw a shadow flicker at the edge of his vision. But when he turned, there was nothing there.
Only the night, and the distant sound of the wind.
Kael stood at the edge of the courtyard, staring out into the darkness. The streets of Aeloria stretched out before him, silent and still, but he knew better than to trust the quiet. The Abyss was always lurking, waiting for its chance to strike.
Varin approached, his steps heavy with exhaustion. "We'll need to move soon," he said quietly, his eyes scanning the horizon.
Kael nodded, though his mind was elsewhere. The voice of the Abyss still echoed in his head, a constant reminder of the darkness that lurked within him. He had leveled up, gained new power.
By now, Limo should appear, but he didn't. He could not hear Ethan's voice in his mind too. Is something wrong with them?
Varin glanced at him, his expression unreadable. "You alright?"
Kael didn't answer immediately. He wasn't sure if he could be honest—not yet. But he couldn't ignore the gnawing sense of dread that had taken root in his chest.
"Yeah," he said finally, though his voice lacked conviction. "I'm fine."
Varin didn't press him, though his gaze lingered for a moment longer than necessary. "We'll be leaving at dawn. Get some rest."
Kael nodded, though he knew sleep would not come easily. The Abyss was closer than ever, and with every step forward, he felt its pull.
But he couldn't stop now. Not when so much was at stake.
As Varin walked away, Kael turned his gaze back to the altar, its soft glow a reminder of the power he now wielded. With a thought, his altar shrink back and returned to his virtual space.
He had come this far, survived against impossible odds—but the path ahead was darker than ever.
And he wasn't sure how much longer he could resist the call of the Abyss.