As they descended deeper into Galamon's caverns, the air grew heavier. Dark veins pulsed along the stone walls, beating like a living heart. Silence was broken only by a distant, ominous hum.
At last, they reached a vast chamber at the bottom. In the center stood a massive shadow cage, forged entirely of darkness, its corners bound by ancient seals. Inside, a woman knelt with her head bowed. For ten long years, the only breath she could take came from a tiny hole above the prison.
Mamir's chest tightened, his eyes glistening.
— "Mother…" he whispered.
But before he could take a step closer, an ominous darkness swept around them. From the shadows emerged towering monsters: hulking, human-shaped beasts with four muscular arms, their bodies woven from pure shadow. Among them, a familiar figure cloaked in black rags appeared.
The traitor elf sneered.
— "This is your final stop."
Necor's eyes burned with fury.
— "You don't deserve to live!"
He shot forward like a thunderbolt, his twin blades flashing. With a single strike, he severed the traitor's head. The body dissolved into darkness, leaving only a fading, sinister echo.
But the monsters attacked. Dozens of shadow-beasts lunged, their four arms stretching to seize the heroes.
Mamir tightened his grip on his sword, his gaze blazing. From the depths of his heart, he poured all his purity, all his goodness, and the burning love for his mother into the blade. Suddenly, the steel shone like the sun itself.
As the monsters reached for them, Mamir raised his sword high. Light erupted in a wave that filled the cavern. The shadows screamed as their bodies dissolved in the radiance, torn apart and erased.
The brilliance was so intense that even the shadow cage melted away, its seals shattering one by one. At last, the prison crumbled.
Kirarya lifted her head, tears streaming down her face.
— "Mamir…"
After ten years, mother and son were reunited. The cavern of shadows vanished, leaving only the warmth of light.
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