The valley blazed with shard‑light, flame and smoke entwined in defiance. For a moment, the alliance pressed Marlic back, their unity burning brighter than grief.
Marlic staggered, his spear faltering, abyss trembling. His ember eyes narrowed, fury blazing hotter than ever.
"You think unity can bind me? You think shards can defy abyss? Then endure my last fury!"
He raised his spear high, shadow coiling around it like a serpent. The abyss roared, caverns splitting wider, smoke pouring upward in torrents. The sky cracked, stars swallowed whole.
Marlic struck.
The spear lashed downward, a desperate blow carrying all his grief, all his betrayal, all his rage. Shadow tore through flame, smoke shattered, shard‑light flickered. The valley itself trembled, mountains groaning under the weight of his strike.
Warriors screamed, torches sputtering, shields breaking. Kael staggered, his blade nearly torn from his grasp. Elira's crown flared, shards blazing wildly, but even unity faltered under the abyss's last fury.
Marlic roared, voice echoing across the valley.
"If I fall, I will drag you all into the abyss with me!"
The strike consumed everything, flame and smoke collapsing, shard‑light dimming. For a moment, it seemed dawn itself was breaking apart.