The Beacon rose from the cliffside like a spear of stone and glass, its spiral tower carved with ancient runes that once flared bright enough to pierce storms. Now, its light flickered weakly, spasming like a candle drowning in oil.
The air itself vibrated wrong.
Ryan felt it before the others — the shard pulsed sharp, beating in his chest like a war drum. Every step closer to the tower made it thrum hotter, as if something inside the Beacon was calling it home.
Kaelin moved at his side, scanning the cliffs and ridges with predator's focus. She was silent, but Ryan noticed the way she stayed closer than before, shoulders brushing when the trail narrowed. It wasn't softness. It was vigilance — a vow unspoken.
Lyra's staff glowed faintly, its runes tracing the air like veins of lightning. "The Beacon isn't just failing," she said. "It's been corrupted. Something is feeding on its resonance."
Theron grunted, resting his axe against one shoulder. "Then we cut out whatever's chewing on it."
---
The Silent Ascent
The stair carved into the cliff wound upward in jagged spirals, slick with ash and shadow. Ashborn soldiers formed a perimeter below, holding the ridgeline against stray thralls.
Ryan, Kaelin, Lyra, and Theron climbed alone. Each step made the shard burn hotter.
Halfway up, Ryan staggered. Kaelin's hand shot out, steadying him before he slipped. Her grip was firm, her silver eyes sharper than the edge of her blade.
"You with me?" she asked.
Ryan managed a grin, though sweat streaked his brow. "As long as you don't let go."
Her hand lingered a moment longer than necessary before she released him, eyes forward. "Then don't make me regret it."
---
The Beacon's Heart
They reached the platform at the tower's crown. The Beacon lamp — once a blazing core of pure aura — was now a nest of shadow. Black tendrils writhed through shattered runes, pulsing like veins.
And standing before it was a figure.
He wore Ashborn armor, but his face was pale and hollow, eyes pits of smoldering red. His arm was sunk into the Beacon itself, as if feeding it his very essence.
Kaelin's blade sang free. "Thrall."
Lyra shook her head sharply. "No. Something worse. He's tethered — like Ryan."
The man turned slowly, his mouth twisting into a smile that wasn't human. "Too late. The Obelisk remembers. And it calls him by name." His burning eyes locked onto Ryan.
The shard inside Ryan convulsed. For a moment, his vision doubled — the Beacon platform and the vault of ash overlapping, the crown of fire and moonlight hanging above him.
"Ryan!" Lyra's voice cut through the haze. "Focus! Don't let it drag you under."
Kaelin's voice was sharper, closer, grounding. "Look at me! Not it — me!"
Ryan tore his gaze from the thrall to Kaelin. Her eyes were fierce, steady. He clung to that anchor, forcing the shard's fire into shape.
"Then let's finish this," he growled.
---
Battle for the Beacon
The thrall moved with inhuman speed, shadow flaring from his arm like a whip. Kaelin met it with a silver arc, cutting through the darkness. Theron charged in with a roar, his axe smashing against the corrupted armor, sparks flying.
Ryan thrust his aura forward, fire bursting in a storm of gold and blue. The thrall shrieked as flame collided with shadow, the Beacon trembling from the clash.
Lyra planted her staff, runes spiraling outward to contain the corruption. "Seal it, Ryan! Drive your shard into the Beacon before the Obelisk takes root!"
Ryan hesitated. The shard burned hotter, whispering — Not seal. Claim.
His knees buckled. Shadow clawed at his mind, showing him visions: himself crowned, fire and moonlight at his command, armies kneeling in ash.
Then Kaelin's hand seized his arm again, strong and certain. Her voice cut sharper than the shard's lies.
"Stay with me, damn you."
The fire obeyed her voice.
Ryan roared, slamming his aura into the Beacon. Flame surged, wrapping the corruption in searing light. The thrall screamed as shadows peeled away from his body, leaving only a hollow husk that crumbled to ash.
The Beacon flared — not weak and stuttering, but blazing pure once more, its light spearing the heavens.
The shard in Ryan's chest fell silent, its heat no longer wild, but steady.
---
Aftermath
The platform shook as the last shadows burned away. Lyra sagged against her staff, exhausted but smiling faintly. "It's done. For now."
Theron spat over the edge. "Good fight. Ugly corpse."
Ryan leaned heavily against the Beacon's frame, his chest still heaving. Kaelin stood close, her hand brushing his arm again, her eyes scanning his face.
"You almost slipped," she said quietly. Not an accusation — a confession.
Ryan met her gaze. "But you pulled me back."
For a long moment, they held each other's eyes, the Beacon's light casting silver and gold across them. Something unspoken hung in the air — something hotter than fire. But Kaelin broke it first, turning away sharply.
"Don't make me do it again," she muttered.
Ryan smiled faintly, though his chest still hammered. "No promises."
---
The Call Beyond
As the Beacon blazed, a deep pulse rippled across the land. Ryan felt it through the shard — a rhythm, distant but insistent, echoing from far beyond the northern mountains.
Lyra's eyes widened. "Another Obelisk. Awake."
The group exchanged grim looks. One victory, but the war was only beginning.
Ryan tightened his grip on his blade, the shard's heat steady under Kaelin's lingering touch. "Then we keep moving. Wherever it leads."
✨ Author's Note ✨
Thank you so much for reading this chapter! Your thoughts and feedback mean the world to me — they help me grow as a writer and keep the story alive. If you enjoyed the chapter, please consider leaving a comment or a like. Tell me what you loved, what surprised you, or even what you'd like to see more of. Every bit of support encourages me to keep pushing Ryan's journey forward. Let's make this adventure unforgettable — together!