The Shadow Keep trembled.
Stone cracked. Runes sparked and shattered. Darkness recoiled like a wounded animal as Carlos faced Kael — the
embodiment of the curse, the master of the Abyssal Grove, the final barrier between him and freedom.
Kael staggered, his obsidian armor splitting where the Blade of Ascension had struck. Shadows hissed and writhed around
him, no longer obedient, now frenzied and unstable. His eyes, once burning with twisted purpose, flickered with doubt.
"You… were never meant to win," Kael growled, his voice echoing with a thousand others — echoes of all the players he had
consumed.
Carlos stepped forward, light radiating from the blade in his hands. Behind him stood Lys, Thalor, Rina, and Maren — bloodied
but unbroken, the last of the survivors, bound not by necessity anymore, but by trust.
"No," Carlos said, steady and strong. "You were never meant to rule."
Kael roared, raising a storm of black energy, tendrils shooting in every direction. The keep itself began to collapse, cracks
racing up the walls like spiderwebs. Time seemed to warp — reality shivering under Kael's final fury.
Carlos felt everything: the crushing weight of the game, the eyes of the Helm watching him, the history of every realm echoing
in his mind. But instead of fear, he felt clarity.
He lifted the Blade of Ascension once more — now burning white with light.
And then he struck.
The sword pierced Kael's chest.
There was no scream — only silence. And then... light.
A shockwave exploded outward, vaporizing the darkness, disintegrating Kael's body into pure energy. The shadows faded like
smoke in wind. The cursed magic that had gripped the realm for so long — was broken.
The Abyssal Grove was free.
The World Begins to Heal
The oppressive clouds lifted from the sky.
Sunlight — real sunlight — poured through the shattered ceiling of the Shadow Keep. The black obsidian stone lost its glow and
turned gray and lifeless. All around them, the forest beyond the keep shimmered as if waking from a nightmare.
Lys turned to Carlos, panting but smiling. "You did it. You actually did it."
"No," Carlos said, sheathing the blade. "We did."
Maren stepped forward, her eyes reflecting the gentle light. "The curse is gone. The Grove will return to what it once was…
before the Helm corrupted it."
Suddenly, a gentle chime echoed through the air.
Carlos felt the Helm of Realms pulse on his head.
A new message appeared before his eyes:
Final Challenge Complete.
Player: Carlos — Status: VICTOR.
Realm Cleared: 9/9
Exit Portal Unlocked.
A glowing portal shimmered into existence beside them — tall, swirling with golden light.
A Choice — and a Farewell
Carlos stared at it. His way out. Back to the real world. Back to the gray apartment, the empty fridge… and the quiet, familiar
routine. Yet it felt... distant now. Like a life he no longer belonged to.
He turned to the others.
"What about you? Will you come back too?"
Lys shook her head. "This realm is my home now. I wasn't pulled in like you. I chose to stay — long ago."
Thalor placed a heavy hand on Carlos's shoulder. "Every player makes their choice. You've earned yours."
Rina gave a wry grin. "If you ever come back, try not to almost die every five minutes."
Maren simply nodded, a knowing look in her eyes. "You'll carry this with you — always."
Carlos stepped toward the portal. He took one last look at the world behind him — a world of trials and terror, yes, but also
growth, friendship, and purpose.
He stepped through.
Back to Reality
Carlos's eyes opened to fluorescent light.
The musty smell of the tech store filled his nose. The strange old man behind the counter was gone. Dust motes floated in the
still air. The Helm of Realms now rested quietly on the counter, lifeless and dark.
He looked at his reflection in a cracked monitor.
Same face. Same clothes. But he was different.
Stronger. Wiser. Changed.
He walked out of the store and into the light of the real world — no longer a dreamer trapped in a dull life, but a survivor, a
leader, and a warrior who had faced the darkness and won.
Somewhere deep inside, the Helm pulsed once — like a heartbeat.
The game was over.
For now