The stone doors of the ancient temple groaned open as Kai pressed his palm against the carved symbol of the sun. Dust motes danced in the shaft of light that cut through the darkness, revealing a chamber vast enough to hold a city block. At its center, perched on a pedestal of polished granite, lay the Keystone of Aether pulsing with a soft, silver glow that seemed to breathe in time with the mountain itself.
Mara stumbled behind him, her sword still clutched in her trembling hand. "We made it," she whispered, her voice echoing off the cavern walls. "After all this time, all this loss..."
Kai didn't turn. His eyes were fixed on the artifact that had driven kings to war and scholars to madness. "It's not over yet," he said. "The Order will be here any minute. We have to activate it before they do."
As if on cue, shouts rang out from the tunnel behind them. The heavy tread of boots on stone grew closer. Kai stepped forward, his fingers hovering over the keystone's surface. It was warm to the touch, and he could feel power thrumming beneath his skin raw, untamed, and ancient.
"The incantation," Mara said, pulling out the weathered scroll they'd found in the ruins of the Old City. "I remember the words, but are you sure this will work? The texts say it could tear the world apart as easily as save it."
Kai nodded, his gaze never leaving the keystone. "We don't have a choice. The Order wants to use its power to rewrite reality to make themselves rulers of everything that is, was, or will be. We have to seal it away, lock it where no one can find it again."
He began to chant, his voice clear and steady despite the chaos closing in around them. The silver light from the keystone intensified, casting long shadows that twisted and writhed like living things. The mountain shook, sending pebbles raining down from the ceiling.
The first of the Order's soldiers burst into the chamber, their armor gleaming in the magical light. "Stop him!" their commander roared.
But it was too late. With a final, resounding note, Kai slammed his palm down on the keystone. The chamber erupted in light, and the world dissolved into white.