One sword burned black. The other burned white.
Kael and the First Sword moved in a blur. They didn't speak. They didn't plan. They just fought.
The Anomaly was everywhere. It lashed out with a thousand claws, trying to crush the two sparks of light that dared to hurt it.
The First Sword was the shield. His blade of starlight moved so fast it formed a solid wall, deflecting the shadow-strikes.
"Now, boy!" he shouted.
Kael was the spear.
He dove through the opening the First Sword created. His obsidian arm screamed in protest, but he pushed it further, pouring his desire—his *Oath*—into the blade.
He slashed.
The Void-blade cut deep into the Anomaly's core. The shadow shrieked, its form boiling away where the black fire touched it.
*You are nothing!* the Anomaly roared, growing three new heads to snap at Kael.
You are fuel!
"We are Knights!" the First Sword answered.
He grabbed one of the shadow-heads with his bare hand. His skin sizzled, but he didn't let go. He drove his light-blade into the creature's neck.
The head exploded into dissipating smoke.
"Together!" Kael yelled.
They struck at the same time.
Determined to end it, Kael thrust his Void-blade into the Anomaly's chest. The First Sword brought his Light-blade down on its crown.
Black fire met white light inside the creature's body.
The reaction was catastrophic.
The Anomaly didn't die. It detonated.
A blast of silent energy tore through the Deep Basin. It vaporized the bridge. It vaporized the Scavengers. It blew the Anomaly apart, scattering its essence into a billion harmless motes of dust.
Kael was thrown backward, landing hard on the edge of the funnel.
The silence returned.
"Is it dead?" Kael gasped, trying to stand.
The First Sword stood near the edge, his light-blade fading. "Nothing dies down here. But it is scattered. It will take an Era to reform."
He turned to Kael. The glow in his scars was dimming. He looked old. Tired.
"But we have a bigger problem."
He pointed down.
The drain was open. The Anomaly was gone. There was nothing stopping the Void Sea.
A wall of black water—pure, liquid entropy—was rising from the hole. It wasn't water. It was the stuff of nightmares. It climbed the sides of the funnel with terrifying speed, dissolving the scrap metal it touched.
"The tide," Voss's voice came over the comms. "It is rising at vertical velocity. We have four minutes before this elevation is submerged."
"Run," the First Sword said.
He grabbed Kael by the back of his armor and heaved him toward the Titan skull entrance.
"But the Throne!" Kael yelled. "We have to plug it!"
"The plug is broken!" the First Sword shouted, running beside him. "The only thing left to do is not drown!"