The Wyrdlands shook under the weight of Maelor's power. Shadows stretched like black rivers across the plains, clawing toward Kaelis and Selara. Their combined light flared, forming a barrier that rippled under the onslaught.
Kaelis gritted his teeth. "We hold them back. Stay with me!"
Selara nodded, her aura twisting and coiling around his, reinforcing their shield. The shard pulsed violently, sensing the approaching danger—Maelor himself descending the hill, eyes burning crimson.
"You are bold," Maelor said, his voice rolling like thunder. "But boldness is not strength."
He raised his hands, and the shadows surged into monstrous forms—creatures with dozens of limbs, mouths where eyes should be, each radiating hatred and despair.
Kaelis charged first, weaving illusionary blades with his dagger, striking at the nearest shadow. Selara followed, sending arcs of radiant energy that disintegrated the darkness on contact. But for every creature they destroyed, two more rose.
Maelor laughed, the sound vibrating through the ground. "Your bond is strong… but not enough!"
A shadow larger than the rest separated from the mass—a hulking figure, shaped like Kaelis, but twisted, eyes burning with all his fear and doubt.
"You will fail," it whispered, mimicking Kaelis's own voice. "You cannot protect her. She will be lost."
Kaelis staggered, the words slicing through his mind. Selara shouted his name, breaking his focus, and he blinked, seeing her fierce eyes. "Not true!" he roared. "I choose you, over everything else!"
He struck the shadow with all his strength. Light met darkness in a blinding clash, and the illusion dissolved into mist.
But Maelor's grin widened. "Impressive. But this is only the beginning."
He leapt forward, a wave of shadow energy smashing into their barrier. Kaelis and Selara were thrown back, rolling across the scorched earth. Pain seared through Kaelis's side, but he forced himself to his knees, reaching for Selara.
She extended her hand, light spilling from her palm, entwining with his. Together, they rose, aura blazing, defying the darkness.
Kaelis's eyes met hers, fierce and unwavering. "We face him together. No illusions, no lies, no shadows will separate us!"
Selara's aura flared in agreement, their bond resonating through the shard. The light surged outward in a wave so strong it disintegrated the nearest shadows and forced Maelor to stagger back.
For the first time, Kaelis saw doubt in Maelor's eyes. Not much—just a flicker—but enough.
Nyros watched from the ruins at the edge of the battlefield. "This is the proof," the guide whispered. "The bond is their weapon… and their shield."
Kaelis and Selara stood side by side, battered but unbroken. The air hummed with tension. Maelor slowly rose, shadow energy crackling around him like storm clouds ready to break.
"You may have survived this encounter," he said coldly, "but the storm is not over. And soon… you will understand the true cost of your love."
The Wyrdlands fell silent, save for the echo of his words and the pulse of the shard in Selara's hand. The battle was only beginning, but Kaelis and Selara had proven one undeniable truth: they would not face it alone.