The ruins of Ashara faded behind them as Kaelis and Selara emerged into the open Wyrdlands. The shard still pulsed in Selara's hand, but now its glow was steadier, as if strengthened by the trials they had survived.
Kaelis glanced around. The forest beyond was quiet—too quiet. "Something's coming," he muttered, his hand instinctively gripping his dagger.
Selara nodded, eyes scanning the horizon. "It's him. Maelor's here."
From the shadows beyond the trees, a wind stirred, carrying with it whispers and screams. Dark clouds gathered unnaturally fast, blotting out the sky. A figure emerged atop a hill—a man cloaked in black, eyes like burning coals, power radiating like a storm.
Maelor.
Kaelis felt his pulse quicken, but he didn't falter. "Selara… stay close."
Selara's fingers tightened around his. "Always."
Maelor's laugh rolled across the Wyrdlands. "So, the little lovers survived the Trials of Ashara. Impressive. But trials do not prepare you for me."
Kaelis stepped forward. "We're not the same people you faced in Elyndra. We're stronger—together."
Maelor's eyes flickered to Selara. "Ah, the cursed heir. You cling to him, yet you know the darkness inside you is mine. You cannot hide it forever."
Selara's aura flared, light intertwining with Kaelis's energy, forming a shield against the creeping shadows. "Try me," she said softly, but with fire.
Suddenly, from the trees behind them, Nyros appeared—not in the calm, measured way from before, but poised for battle, staff glowing with a fierce energy. "You will need more than your bond," Nyros said. "Maelor has grown stronger while you were in the Trials. He has learned from your defiance."
Kaelis turned to Nyros. "Then what is your role? Ally or something else?"
Nyros's gaze met his, unwavering. "I am the guide… and the witness. I will test you no longer. But the battlefield ahead will not forgive mistakes, and Maelor will exploit anything—doubt, fear, hesitation. Do you trust yourselves enough to fight him?"
Kaelis nodded, gripping Selara's hand. "We do."
Nyros raised their staff, pointing toward the hill where Maelor stood. The ground between them rippled as shadows surged from Maelor's cloak, forming monstrous figures, each more terrifying than the last.
"The war begins," Nyros said quietly. "And the world will tremble beneath it."
Kaelis drew a deep breath. "Then we fight. For each other… and for everyone Maelor threatens."
Selara's light flared, entwining with his. Together, they stepped forward, ready to face the storm.
Above them, dark clouds swirled, and Maelor's laughter grew louder, echoing across the Wyrdlands: a promise of chaos, destruction, and the ultimate test of Kaelis and Selara's bond.