### **Chapter 20: The Eternal Flame**
The battlefield was a wasteland, a broken testament to the devastation that had unfolded over the past few days. The air was thick with smoke and the acrid scent of burning ruins, the ground littered with the bodies of the fallen—comrades and enemies alike. The city that had once stood proud was now little more than a shadow of itself, its walls shattered, its streets flooded with the blood of those who had fought and died to defend it. The enemy had pushed them to the brink, but they had not yet claimed victory. Not yet.
Riven stood at the heart of the ruin, his body battered, his breath ragged. His sword was heavy in his hand, bloodstained and scarred from the brutal battles of the past days. His armor, once shining, was now scorched and dented, the weight of countless battles pressing down on him. He could barely feel the exhaustion anymore—his body had long since gone numb, fueled only by the burning resolve that had carried him this far. But now, as the final confrontation loomed, there was only one thing left to do. He had to finish it.
Before him, the enemy leader stood, his figure like a dark mirage against the backdrop of destruction. The man was a towering figure, clad in obsidian armor that shimmered with an unnatural glow. His eyes burned with an infernal fire, the same flames that had consumed Riven's world and set the stage for this war. The **Lord of Flames**, the one who had orchestrated the destruction of everything Riven held dear. The man who was responsible for Kieran's death, for the bloodshed that had marred the land.
The Lord of Flames raised his hand, and the air around them shimmered, heat radiating from him in waves. His power, the same power that had razed cities and scorched entire armies, pulsed with an intensity that made the ground beneath them tremble. It was the power of destruction, of annihilation—a flame that never went out, a fire that devoured all in its path.
"You are a fool, Riven," the Lord of Flames sneered, his voice a low growl that seemed to echo through the scorched earth. "You think you can defeat me? I am the flame that will consume everything. No one can stop me. Not you, not your pathetic little city. I am eternal."
Riven's eyes narrowed as he took a step forward, his grip tightening around the hilt of his sword. He didn't flinch, didn't falter. This was the moment that would define everything. The battle had raged on for too long, and the cost had been too great. Every sacrifice, every death—they would all be for nothing if he didn't finish this.
"You're wrong," Riven said, his voice steady despite the weight of the moment. "You're not eternal. You're just a man, and all men fall."
The Lord of Flames let out a derisive laugh, a sound that sent a chill through the air. He raised his hand high, and flames erupted around him, swirling and twisting like living creatures. The fire roared, crackling with the intensity of a thousand suns, and Riven felt the heat pressing in on him, threatening to suffocate him. But he didn't step back. He didn't flinch. He could feel Astra at his side, her presence a steady, grounding force that kept him focused. The bond between them pulsed with power, a connection that had only grown stronger with each battle they had faced together.
Riven closed his eyes for a moment, focusing on that bond. Astra's gravity swirled around him, offering him protection and strength, but he knew he couldn't rely on her alone. This battle would be won or lost on his own terms. His resolve had to be enough.
He charged forward, his sword cutting through the air with deadly precision. The Lord of Flames responded in kind, raising his arms to summon a torrent of fire that crashed toward Riven like a tidal wave. The flames licked at the ground, scorching the earth as they raced toward him, but Riven didn't hesitate.
With a flash of movement, he shifted, the world around him slowing as Astra's gravitational powers manipulated the space around him. The flames missed by inches, their heat scorching the air as Riven closed the distance between them. He could feel the power of the Lord of Flames pressing against him, trying to crush him, but he pushed forward. His sword slashed through the air, striking at the Lord's side.
But the Lord of Flames was no ordinary foe. His armor absorbed the blow, the flames surrounding him shifting and hardening into an impenetrable barrier. He laughed again, the sound of it mocking, cruel. "Is that all you have?"
Riven's heart raced as he dodged another wave of flame, his body moving instinctively as Astra's power guided him. He could feel the heat, the pressure of the battle closing in on him, but he refused to give in. He couldn't. Not when so many had died, not when Kieran's sacrifice still burned in his chest like a raw wound.
"I'm not done yet," Riven muttered through gritted teeth, his voice fierce with determination. "I will stop you. You'll never win."
He reached deep within himself, drawing on the last reserves of his energy. The connection between him and Astra flared brightly, the gravitational force around him intensifying. His sword hummed with energy, a new surge of power infusing it. The Lord of Flames's smirk faltered for a brief moment as Riven lunged forward, the blade aimed directly at his heart.
The clash was like the collision of two worlds. Fire and gravity collided, the resulting explosion of power shaking the very earth beneath their feet. Riven felt the force of it tear through him, but he didn't stop. His sword found its mark, plunging deep into the heart of the Lord of Flames. The enemy commander let out a gasp, his eyes wide with shock as Riven twisted the blade, the flames around him faltering.
But even as the blade pierced his chest, the Lord of Flames grinned. "You… think you've won?" he rasped, blood trickling from his mouth. "I… am eternal… This is not the end."
Riven's heart sank as he realized the truth in those words. The Lord of Flames was not just a man—he was a force of nature, a being fueled by an insatiable hunger for destruction. Even in death, his flame would never truly extinguish.
With a final, defiant roar, the Lord of Flames's body erupted in a burst of fire, his flames spreading outward like a wildfire. Riven staggered back, barely managing to avoid the inferno that threatened to consume him. His sword fell from his hand as he raised his arm to shield his face from the heat.
In that moment, he thought of all the people who had fallen, of all the lives lost in this endless war. He thought of Kieran, of the sacrifice that had brought him here. He thought of the city that would never be the same, of the lives that would never be restored. And then, he thought of Astra.
The fire around him began to fade, the heat dissipating as the Lord of Flames's body collapsed into ash. Riven was left standing, gasping for air, his body battered and broken. But he had done it. The Lord of Flames was gone.
The cost had been immense. The city was in ruins, the people were lost, and so many had given their lives in this final battle. But they had won. Riven had kept his promise.
As he collapsed to his knees, the weight of the battle finally crashing down on him, Astra's massive form appeared beside him. Her gravitational field, once a crushing force, now gently encircled him, offering him what little comfort it could. She nudged him gently with her snout, her eyes filled with a strange, almost human sadness.
"We did it," Riven whispered, his voice hoarse. "But at what cost?"
Astra gave a low, mournful growl, her power swirling protectively around him. The battle was over, but the journey had taken its toll on them all. Riven's heart was heavy with loss, but there was still one thing he could do. He would honor the sacrifices that had been made. He would carry their memory with him, and he would rebuild.
For the fallen. For Kieran. For the city. And for Astra, who had never wavered.
The Eternal Flame had been extinguished. But the fire within him still burned. And Riven would carry it forward.