The world became silent.
Kael stood at the center of the shattered chamber.
Blue flames surrounded his body.
Energy poured from every crack in the facility.
The air trembled.
Reality itself seemed unstable.
Across from him—
The Devourer watched.
For the first time—
Fear filled its eyes.
"No..."
Its voice shook.
"Impossible."
Kael took a step forward.
The floor cracked beneath him.
He could feel Aetherion.
Not as a passenger.
Not as a voice.
A partner.
Their thoughts flowed together.
Their power moved as one.
"Aetherion."
"I'm here."
The answer felt closer than ever.
The Devourer roared.
Darkness exploded outward.
The entire chamber vanished beneath a tidal wave of black energy.
Hosts ran for cover.
Walls collapsed.
Metal twisted.
Everything in its path was consumed.
The Devourer had stopped holding back.
At last.
Kael raised his hand.
Blue light answered.
A single pulse erupted outward.
BOOM.
Darkness and starlight collided.
The explosion shook the underground complex.
For several seconds—
Neither force moved.
Then the darkness began to retreat.
The Devourer's eyes widened.
"No..."
The blue light pushed forward.
Stronger.
Brighter.
Relentless.
Kael walked through the storm.
One step.
Then another.
The Devourer attacked again.
Dark spears.
Shadow blades.
Pure destruction.
None of it mattered.
The starlight consumed everything.
The distance between them vanished.
The Devourer struck.
Kael struck back.
Their fists collided.
The chamber exploded.
A shockwave tore through the facility.
Silence followed.
For one brief moment—
Everything stopped.
Then a crack appeared across the Devourer's chest.
The creature froze.
Its eyes widened.
"No..."
The crack spread.
Blue light poured from within.
The Devourer stumbled backward.
"It cannot end like this..."
Kael looked at it silently.
The creature laughed.
Weakly.
Bitterly.
"You think you've won?"
A chill ran through the room.
The Devourer's smile returned.
"There are more."
The words echoed.
Heavy.
Certain.
"Far more."
Darkness began to consume its body.
Its form broke apart.
Piece by piece.
"You are the Last Core."
Its gaze locked onto Kael.
"They will come for you."
The smile widened.
"And when they do..."
Its body shattered into black dust.
"...you will wish we had succeeded."
Silence.
The battle was over.
The Devourer was gone.
The facility remained standing.
Barely.
Kael exhaled.
The blue flames faded.
His legs gave out.
He collapsed.
Exhausted.
Broken.
Alive.
Aetherion spoke softly.
"Well done."
Kael laughed weakly.
"We survived."
"For now."
The words lingered.
For now.
Suddenly—
Every screen inside the facility flickered.
Once.
Twice.
Then activated.
A star map appeared.
Thousands of lights filled the display.
The room stared.
Confused.
Then one light vanished.
Then another.
Then another.
And another.
Until only a handful remained.
Kael's blood ran cold.
"What am I looking at?"
Aetherion's answer came immediately.
Its voice carried a sadness older than worlds.
"The remaining Cores."
Silence.
Then a new light appeared.
Far beyond the edge of known space.
Red.
Burning.
Watching.
The entire map trembled.
And for the first time—
Aetherion sounded afraid.
"They know I'm alive."
The screen went black.
The next war had begun.