The beast attacked without warning, its limbs stretching out impossibly far as it swiped at Aiden. He rolled to the side barely avoiding the strike and countered with a slash from his glowing blade. The creature recoiled, its twisted maw spewing out a deafening screech.
Lyra was at his side in a flash, her sword slicing into one of the beast's many arms. "We need to weaken him down before you can seal the rift!" she yelled.
Stepping forward, Caelum released a geyser of fire, which engulfed the beast's upper half. It writhed and thrashed, its cries shaking the plateau; but it did not falter. Rising from its ground, a wave of shadow swept out and sent all three Guardians flying.
The shard in Aiden's hand flared brighter, reacting to the presence of the rift and the Void's guardian. He set his mind and body to work-he barely rose to his feet, his body aching-and raised the shard skyward. Its light pierced through the shadows and momentarily drove the creature back.
"We can't keep this up," Caelum gasped, bracing himself with his staff. "That thing is drawing power directly from the rift. As long as it's open, it's invincible."
Aiden looked to the rift, then back to the shard. The truth was clear. "I'll seal it," he said. "But you two need to buy me time."
Lyra's eyes went wide. "Are you insane? You can't do it alone—"
"You have to trust me," Aiden cut in, his voice resolute. "This shard is not just a weapon. It's a key. If I can focus its power, I can close the rift and stop that thing."
Lyra paused for only a moment before nodding. "Fine. But you'd better come back."
With that, she and Caelum turned to the guardian of the Void, launching a concerted attack to hold it back. Aiden knelt before the rift, the shard's light becoming blinding as he poured his will into it. The whispers of the Void grew louder, threatening to drown him, but he focused on the bond he shared with his companions, on the hope that had brought them this far.
The shard replied, and his energy burst through him like a rogue tidal wave. The rift shrunk as the edges crackled with resistance. The Void tried to put up a fight, sending waves of shadow to disrupt the process, but Aiden stood firm, his determination unyielding.