The Choice
In the end, it wasn't the strongest who claimed the Heartstone, but the one who understood it the most. Elara, with her knowledge of the ancient texts, saw that the Heartstone was not meant to be wielded by any one person. Its power was too great, too dangerous.
Instead, she used her knowledge to destroy the Heartstone, severing the link between the dungeons and the world forever.
The Abyss crumbled, and the dungeons began to fade. The heroes, their mission complete, returned to the surface, forever changed.
They had faced the darkness within and emerged stronger—not because they had defeated the dungeon, but because they had learned to face themselves.
And so, the legend of Aleroth's greatest heroes ended—not with the claim of a powerful relic, but with the wisdom to know when not to wield it.
The dungeons were gone, but the heroes remained, their names etched into the annals of history, their story a warning to those who would seek power without understanding its cost.