Kael lunged forward, his blade flashing in the dim light as he aimed for one of the gaps in Eryndor's defense. The strike connected, slicing through the dark energy surrounding his former mentor and drawing blood.
Eryndor staggered back, clutching his side. The wound wasn't fatal, but it was enough to disrupt his focus. Kael pressed the advantage, his movements fueled by a mixture of determination and desperation.
"You don't have to keep fighting," Kael said, his voice steady despite the chaos around him. "This isn't who you are, Eryndor. The man I knew would never let himself become a pawn of the Heart."
Eryndor's gaze darkened, but there was something else in his expression—a flicker of regret, buried beneath layers of anger and pride. "You still don't understand, Kael," he said quietly. "The Heart doesn't make you its pawn. It shows you the truth. It gives you the power to shape the world as you see fit."
Kael shook his head. "That's not power. That's enslavement. You're letting it control you, just like it's controlled everyone else who's ever touched it."
The words seemed to hit their mark. Eryndor hesitated, lowering his blade slightly as he looked at Kael with something resembling recognition.
But the moment was short-lived. The Heart flared to life, its dark energy surging through Eryndor's body like a wave of fire. His expression twisted into one of pain and fury as the artifact tightened its grip on him.
Kael could see it now—how the Heart was using Eryndor, feeding on his emotions and driving him to the brink of madness. It wasn't just a tool or a weapon; it was a parasite, and it was destroying the man Kael had once admired.
"I won't let it take you," Kael said, his voice filled with quiet resolve. He raised his sword, the blade glowing with a faint light as he channeled the last of his strength into it. "I don't care what it takes—I'm going to save you, even if it means destroying the Heart."
Eryndor's expression hardened, but there was a hint of something else in his eyes—a silent plea, buried beneath the weight of the Heart's influence.
"Then do it," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Kael didn't hesitate. He stepped forward, his blade aimed directly at the Heart. The artifact pulsed with dark energy, as if sensing the threat, but Kael didn't falter. With a final surge of strength, he drove his sword into the Heart, shattering its surface and releasing a wave of blinding light.