The streets of the Dwarven capital were filled with the sounds of battle. The once quiet, stone-carved city was now a war zone, with smoke billowing from the rooftops and the clashing of steel echoing through the narrow alleyways. CODE had fought their way through the heart of the city, but the real battle was just beginning. In the main square, a group of K's agents were attempting to open another portal—just like the one they had faced in the Ruins of Koroth.
"We need to move fast," Alex shouted over the noise of the fight, his sword flashing as he cut down another of K's agents. The air around them pulsed with dark energy, and Alex could feel the pull of the portal growing stronger with every passing moment. "If they open that portal, the entire city could be torn apart."
Rogan, ever the strategist, darted between the shadows, his daggers flashing as he struck down another enemy. "They're using the old Dwarven runes to power the ritual. We've seen this before—disable the runes, and we can stop the portal from opening."
Betsy loosed another arrow, her sharp eyes scanning the battlefield. "We need to find their leader. Take him down, and the rest will fall apart."
Drax, grinning through the chaos, swung his hammer with a roar, smashing through a group of K's agents with a single blow. "Then let's get to it! I'm ready to crack some skulls!"
Luke, as always, stood silently beside Alex, his shield raised to block an incoming blast of magic. His single word, filled with quiet determination, cut through the noise of the battlefield: "Verum."
Alex glanced at Luke, feeling the weight of that single word. It had always been a constant reminder of truth, but there was something more to it now—something deeper that Alex couldn't quite place. Luke's role in their journey had always been mysterious, and Alex had the growing sense that the word "Verum" held a significance he hadn't yet fully understood.
"We'll figure this out later," Alex muttered to himself, turning his focus back to the battle at hand. "Right now, we need to stop that portal."
The Fight in the Main Square
As CODE pushed deeper into the city, they finally reached the main square, where K's agents had gathered in force. At the center of the square stood a massive stone platform, engraved with ancient Dwarven runes that pulsed with dark energy. Above the platform, a swirling vortex of dark magic had begun to form—a new portal, growing stronger by the second.
Standing at the center of the ritual was a tall figure, cloaked in black robes and surrounded by a group of heavily armed agents. His hands were raised toward the portal, and his voice echoed through the air as he chanted in an ancient, twisted language.
"That's their leader," Rogan said, his voice tense. "He's the one controlling the portal. If we take him down, we can stop the ritual."
Betsy, her bow already drawn, nodded. "I've got a clear shot. I can take him out from here."
Alex placed a hand on her arm, stopping her. "Wait. We can't rush this. If we attack too soon, they might accelerate the ritual. We need to take out the runes first, just like we did in the Ruins of Koroth."
Rogan pointed to the glowing symbols on the stone platform. "There are four runes powering the portal. If we disable them, the whole thing will collapse."
Drax grinned, cracking his knuckles. "Sounds like a job for me."
Alex nodded. "Let's move. Betsy, cover us from a distance. Drax, you and I will take out the runes. Rogan, you find a way to get close to their leader."
Luke, standing quietly at Alex's side, gave his usual word of reassurance: "Verum."
Alex smiled, feeling the familiar sense of calm that came with Luke's presence. "Let's end this."
Disabling the Runes
With a plan in place, CODE sprang into action. Drax charged toward the nearest rune, his hammer swinging in a wide arc as he smashed through the enemies guarding it. The force of his attack sent a shockwave through the square, and the first rune flickered and died, its power broken.
"One down!" Drax shouted, his grin wide as he turned toward the next target.
Betsy, from her vantage point on a nearby rooftop, loosed a series of arrows that flew straight toward the guards protecting the second rune. Each shot was precise, taking out the enemies before they could react. "I've got you covered!" she called, already lining up her next shot.
Rogan, moving swiftly through the shadows, made his way toward the leader of K's agents, his eyes fixed on the man's hands as he continued to chant the ritual. The dark magic in the air was thick, and Rogan knew he would have to act quickly if they wanted to stop the portal from opening.
As Alex and Drax moved toward the third rune, the ground beneath their feet began to tremble. The portal above them pulsed with increasing intensity, and Alex could feel the pull of its dark magic growing stronger. They were running out of time.
"We need to move faster," Alex muttered, raising his sword as he cut through another of K's agents. "The portal's getting stronger."
Drax swung his hammer, smashing through the third rune with a deafening crash. The dark energy surrounding the rune flickered and faded, and for a brief moment, the portal wavered.
"Almost there!" Drax shouted, turning toward the final rune.
But as they moved toward the last rune, a blast of dark magic shot through the air, striking the ground in front of them and sending a shockwave through the square. Alex stumbled, barely managing to keep his balance as the magic crackled through the air.
The leader of K's agents, his eyes glowing with dark power, had turned his attention toward them. "You think you can stop us?" he snarled, his voice filled with rage. "The portal is opening. You're too late."
A Mysterious Power
Alex raised his sword, his eyes locked on the leader. "We've stopped you before, and we'll stop you again."
The leader sneered, his hands still raised as he continued to channel the portal's power. "You're nothing. The barrier is already falling, and there's nothing you can do to stop it."
As the leader spoke, the portal pulsed with dark energy, its swirling surface growing larger and more unstable. The air around them crackled with magic, and the ground trembled beneath their feet.
But as the dark magic surged toward them, Luke stepped forward, raising his shield. His calm presence seemed to cut through the chaos, and as the magic struck, it dissipated, unable to touch him.
"Verum," Luke said softly, his voice filled with quiet strength.
For a moment, the leader of K's agents faltered, his eyes narrowing as he looked at Luke. "What… what are you?"
Alex felt a strange sense of understanding wash over him. Luke had always been a mystery, a quiet but powerful presence in their group. He had never spoken more than a single word—"Verum"—but that word now seemed to carry more weight than Alex had ever realized.
"Luke," Alex said, his voice filled with realization, "you've known all along, haven't you? You know the truth about the barrier."
Luke, his face calm and unreadable, nodded once. "Verum."
Alex's heart raced as he pieced it together. Luke wasn't just a simple paladin—they had known that for some time. But now it was clear that Luke held a deeper connection to the barrier between worlds, one that would be crucial in stopping the collapse.
"The truth," Alex murmured, looking at Luke with new understanding. "You've been protecting us this whole time… protecting the barrier."
The leader of K's agents sneered, his eyes filled with fury. "It doesn't matter! You're too late! The portal is already opening, and you cannot stop it!"
But Luke stepped forward, his shield raised high, his presence calm and unwavering. The dark magic around them seemed to recoil in his presence, and for the first time, Alex understood why Luke had always been so important.
"Verum," Luke said again, his voice echoing through the square.
With a single, powerful strike of his shield, Luke shattered the final rune, the dark energy dissipating into the air. The portal wavered, its power broken, and with a final pulse of light, it collapsed, its swirling surface disappearing into nothingness.
The leader of K's agents let out a scream of fury as his connection to the portal was severed. "No! You… you can't—"
But his words were cut off as Rogan's daggers flashed through the air, striking him down before he could finish his sentence.
The battle was over.
The Truth Revealed
As the dust settled and the square grew quiet, Alex turned to Luke, his heart still racing. "Luke… you've been hiding something from us this whole time. You knew the truth about the barrier, didn't you?"
Luke, his expression as calm as ever, nodded once. "Verum."
Alex smiled, the weight of everything they had been through settling on his shoulders. "You've been here to protect us… and to protect the barrier. But why?"
Luke, ever silent except for that single word, simply placed a hand on Alex's shoulder and looked him in the eyes. "Verum."
Alex nodded, understanding more than ever before. The truth of the barrier was still a mystery, but Luke had been their guardian, guiding them toward that truth. And now, they would need to uncover the full story before it was too late.
"We'll figure it out," Alex said, his voice filled with determination. "Together."