The Dominion groaned under the weight of unraveling reality. Shards of sky screamed as they split, rivers of fire rained into the abyss, and the Watcher's colossal form loomed at the center, its chest glowing with annihilation.
Carlos stood on a fragment alone, the Blade of Ascension raised high, its fire bright enough to rival the stars. He felt the weight of the choice pressing against him. Sacrifice, destiny, truth.
But he was not alone. Not truly.
Lys
She crouched on a crumbling ledge, her bow trembling in her hands. Her arms burned from loosing too many arrows, but her eyes stayed sharp, locked on the Watcher.
I swore I would protect them. Even if I fall, my arrows will fly true.
She thought of her village, of the fields that had burned in visions and lies. This battle was her chance to make sure such a fate would never become real. She nocked a final arrow, whispering to herself:
"For them… and for him."
She raised her bow. Her aim was steady.
Thalor
The knight knelt on a fragment of stone, shield cracked, armor scorched, his body screaming with pain. He had given everything, and still the Watcher stood.
My brothers fell because I was not strong enough. This time, I will not fail.
He forced himself upright, planting his shield in the ground. The runes on its battered surface flared one last time, drawn not from the metal but from his will.
"If this is my end, let it be while I stand between my friends and the abyss."
He raised his shield, ready to meet the next wave of chains head-on.
Rina
Balanced on a narrow sliver of stone, Rina's daggers glimmered in the fractured light. She was bleeding, breath ragged, yet her eyes burned with fury.
All my life I hunted shadows. Faces of enemies I could never touch. But now, here it is. A shadow vast enough to swallow everything. And I have a chance to cut it down.
She twirled her daggers, the movements sharp and deliberate. Fear had no place left in her heart. Only defiance.
"If you want to consume us, Watcher, you'll choke on me first."
She crouched, ready to leap.
Maren
Her staff was cracked, magic leaking from its core like blood. She leaned on it, trembling, but her eyes shone brighter than ever. The storm within her was unstable, dangerous—but it was hers.
The Watcher said I was a vessel of destruction. Maybe I am. But destruction can protect as well as harm.
She lifted her staff, sparks of fire and frost swirling in equal measure. Her hair whipped in the wind as the Dominion bent and twisted.
"I'll burn a hole through the void itself if I have to."
Her voice carried across the abyss, reaching the others, steady and proud.
Carlos
Alone on his fragment, Carlos listened. He heard Lys's whisper, Thalor's vow, Rina's defiance, Maren's courage. Each voice reached him across the fractured Dominion, anchoring him, filling him with strength.
He was not just a gamer lost in a cruel game. He was not just desperation, or fear, or hunger for meaning. He was the choice to fight—together.
He tightened his grip on the Blade of Ascension. Its fire flared in response, not demanding his sacrifice, but resonating with the unity of his companions.
Carlos smiled grimly. "We finish this together."
The Final Charge
The Watcher unleashed its second annihilation beam, the void twisting around its chest as raw energy surged.
Lys loosed her arrow—silver light that split the darkness.Thalor raised his shield—absorbing the storm and hurling it back.Rina leapt, daggers flashing, striking chains before they could ensnare.Maren released a torrent of unstable magic, fire and frost spiraling into a storm of brilliance.
And Carlos, blade raised high, leapt across the abyss toward the Watcher's burning helm.
Their voices, their strength, their defiance merged in that one moment.
The Dominion itself held its breath.