The chamber erupted into chaos. The cultists surged forward, their eyes gleaming with maniacal light as they chanted incantations that sent shivers down Kai's spine. The air thickened with the acrid scent of ancient magic, a suffocating reminder of their relentless pursuit. Kai could see Elias standing his ground, his staff raised, runes blazing as he muttered counterspells to hold back the onslaught. But there were too many of them.
Kai's mind raced, torn between the scene before him and the ember pulsing faintly in his chest. It felt closer now, as though the Sanctum had cracked the first layer of whatever bound it, but still, the power remained just out of reach. He clenched his fists, frustration boiling inside him as he watched Elias push back two cultists with a burst of light only for another to slip past his defense.
"No!" Kai shouted, the word raw and ragged in his throat. He charged, throwing his body into the fray without a second thought. The nearest cultist turned, eyes narrowing as Kai barreled into him. They tumbled to the floor, Kai's heart pounding as he grappled for control. The cultist snarled, twisting to free an arm and hurl a pulse of energy that seared the stone beside them.
Kai ducked just in time, the heat licking at his face. He pushed harder, managing to slam the cultist's wrist into the ground until the man's resistance weakened. The chanting continued around him, a symphony of malice. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Elias falter, the light from his staff dimming as exhaustion claimed him.
"Hold on, old man," Kai muttered through gritted teeth. He felt a surge of adrenaline as he leapt to his feet and planted himself between Elias and the advancing cultists. Without his power, he was a mere shadow of the force he once was, but he refused to give in to helplessness.
The cultists circled him, their expressions a mix of triumph and madness. One of them, a tall figure cloaked in dark robes, stepped forward. Runes danced across his face, and his eyes glowed a pale, unsettling blue.
"Your power is gone, seraphim," the cultist said, his voice a venomous hiss. "Why do you fight when your light has abandoned you?"
Kai's chest tightened, doubt creeping in like a cold fog. But he shook it off, straightening his back and meeting the cultist's gaze. "Because it hasn't," he said, voice stronger than he felt. "And I don't need it to stop you."
The cultist's expression hardened, and he raised his hands. The runes on his skin flared, casting a sickly glow over the chamber. Energy crackled around him, coalescing into a spear of dark light. Kai braced himself, heart racing as he prepared to dodge.
Before the cultist could unleash the spell, a bright, shuddering light erupted from Elias's staff. The old scholar was on his knees, face pale and sweat-soaked, but his eyes were fierce. The blast of light struck the cultist mid-incantation, shattering the spear and sending him reeling back into the crowd.
"Now, Kai!" Elias shouted, the command slicing through the noise.
Kai didn't need to be told twice. He lunged at the disoriented cultist, landing a solid blow to the man's jaw. The cultist crumpled, and the others hesitated for a split second, stunned by the sudden shift.
It was enough.
Elias forced himself upright, his staff trembling but still glowing. "To the Sanctum's heart!" he yelled. Kai turned, eyes catching the glimmer of the pool behind them. The light within it pulsed urgently, as if calling to him.
They needed to end this here. Kai reached out for Elias and half-dragged, half-supported him as they stumbled to the pool's edge. The cultists recovered from their shock, rallying once more with frenzied cries. Magic crackled in the air, streaks of dark energy hurtling toward them.
Kai pushed Elias down as a bolt of energy sizzled past, close enough that he could feel the sting on his skin. Panic clawed at him, each second stretching into an eternity. He stared into the shimmering depths of the pool, the echoes of wings and battle still whispering in his mind.
"Remember."
Kai squeezed his eyes shut, the word resonating through him like a heartbeat. The ember pulsed again, brighter this time, but still weak, still chained. He reached for it, not with the desperation he'd clung to earlier, but with resolve. This was his power, his legacy, and it was time to reclaim it.
The cultists closed in, their chanting building to a fever pitch. One of them hurled a jagged shard of energy, and Kai threw himself in front of Elias, bracing for the impact. The ember inside him flared, a searing warmth that exploded outward in a burst of white light.
The shard disintegrated just inches from Kai's face. He gasped, the heat in his veins racing through him like wildfire. His wings, once dull and lifeless, flared with sudden brilliance. The glow wasn't the fierce inferno he remembered, but it was enough. It was power.
The cultists recoiled, eyes wide with shock as Kai stood, wings ablaze with renewed light. He didn't waste the moment. He spread his wings wide and focused, willing the ember to grow. Energy arced around him, illuminating the chamber with a celestial glow that sent the cultists scrambling back.
"Elias," Kai said, turning to the old scholar who stared at him with a mix of awe and relief. "We end this now."
Elias nodded, the corners of his mouth lifting in a weary smile. With a final chant, he pointed his staff at the pool, and the runes on the chamber walls began to glow in response. The energy from the Sanctum surged, intertwining with Kai's light.
The cultists' chants faltered, replaced by shouts of fear as the chamber trembled. The swirling glow within the pool reached out, wrapping around Kai and Elias like protective arms. The air crackled with power as the Sanctum's magic rose to a crescendo, a wave that swept over the cultists and silenced their spells.
Kai felt the ember inside him flare again, brighter and fuller. It wasn't fully free, but it was awake, and that was enough. As the last of the cultists stumbled and fled, Kai breathed out, wings still glowing as he looked to Elias.
"Let's find out what the gods are so afraid of," he said, voice steady and eyes burning with determination.