The whirlwind of light and darkness extinguished abruptly. Moaito was on his knees, gasping for breath. The glow of Lumer and Umbra was faint. Across from him, the "Shadow that Swallows Light" still stood, but her form seemed less dense, more wavering. It had been not an explosion, but a shoving match, and neither had gained the upper hand.
Under Korvan's leadership, the Naje warriors fought with ruthless efficiency against Kael's disintegrating army. Yet Kael stood in the center of the battlefield, steely and unmoving. He wasn't admitting defeat, only delaying it. His eyes shifted from Moaito, to the combatants, and finally to where Sere had been standing. He had seen Lyrian speaking with her.
A flicker of confusion and deep betrayal shadowed his face. Was Lyrian pursuing his own plans?
"Retreat!" Kael bellowed, his voice cracking with rage and frustration. His command was instantly obeyed by the loyal Ash Hunters and fanatics. In a chaotic order, they began pulling back down the valley. This wasn't a rout, but a tactical withdrawal.
The "Shadow that Swallows Light" appeared beside Kael, calm as if she had never fought. They took one last look at Moaito – Kael's face filled with fury, the Shadow's with an almost curious expression – and then vanished into the heart of the retreating army.
The battlefield was suddenly cloaked in an eerie silence. Only the moans of the wounded and the tired breaths of the Naje warriors, who were not shouting victory cries but were simply glad to be alive, could be heard.
Sere ran to Moaito's side. "Are you okay?"
Moaito needed her help to stand. "I live," he replied, short and precise. His eyes were still fixed on the direction the enemy had gone. "We didn't stop them. Only delayed them."
"But we saved the villagers," Sere insisted. "And we shattered their army! That's a victory!"
At that moment, Korvan approached them. The old warrior's face was covered in war paint and dust, but his eyes were clear and sharp. "Your young friend is right, Ancient One," he said, his voice like gravel. "For the first time, we've struck a tangible blow against the Void. But he," he added, pointing with his axe towards where Kael had retreated, "will return like a storm. Stronger."
Then he turned his eyes to Sere. "And you... your words were what called our horns. You ignited a spark in people's hearts. That is more valuable than a sword stroke."
Sere bowed her head, blushing with a shame she didn't feel she deserved. She had just shouted her anger.
Korvan turned back to Moaito. "So now? What is the plan of the Guardian of the Lake of Destiny?"
Moaito finally tore his eyes from the battlefield. "Lyrian was here," he whispered, his voice dangerously low. "He spoke with Sere."
All attention turned to Sere. She explained what had happened: Lyrian's notebook, the "stone of possibilities," and most disturbingly, his prophecy that she would play a "role greater than Moaito's."
When Moaito heard this last part, his face remained unchanged, but something flashed in his eyes—perhaps unease. "Lyrian is not a traitor," Moaito explained. "He is something more dangerous: a skeptic. He doesn't care which side wins. He only wants to see the 'story's' end. And if he said that about you, there's a reason."
"What does that mean?" asked Korvan.
"It means the rules of the war have changed," Moaito replied. "Kael is a physical threat. But Lyrian... he is the threat of knowledge, of ancient secrets, and unforeseen possibilities. We cannot hunt him. He will join us... or confront us on his own terms."
Moaito turned to Sere. "And you... don't worry about this 'role.' You have already become my balance. The rest is just the path."
These words calmed Sere. Moaito still believed in her.
"The plan?" Korvan repeated.
Moaito looked up at the sky. "Kael is retreating south, towards Aethelburg. He will regroup and return stronger. We cannot follow him; it would be a trap. Instead, we will continue our journey." He touched the Threshold Stone. "The next target... the Spine of the Earth. But before we reach it, we need a city, a fortress. To rest, gather information, and find new allies."
Korvan nodded in agreement. "Then I will take you to Grimhold. The hidden Naje fortress in the heart of the mountains. You will be safe there. And there... perhaps you can find answers to some of those 'ancient secrets' Lyrian mentioned."
This was a new beginning. The war wasn't over; it had just changed form. They were no longer just two people. With an army, a fortress, and an even greater mystery ahead, they set out for the next adventure.