LOGINTheir fingers closed around the key at the same time—Cole on one half, Lila on the other. The golden metal hummed with power, warm at first, then searing hot. A wave of energy shot out from the key, pushing the Forgotten back against the chamber wall, his dark power flaring in protest. No! he screamed, thrashing against the energy. You can’t do this! I am the first god! I will not be trapped again! But the key’s power was stronger. It wrapped around Cole and Lila, lifting them into the air, their bodies glowing with the same golden light. The chain connecting the two halves grew taut, and they could feel the prophecy’s truth settling in—one life for each half. One to bind the Forgotten, one to bind the other trapped gods. Lila looked at Cole, tears streaming down her face, but her eyes were filled with determination. “I’ve lived a good life,” she said, her voice carrying over the roar of energy. “A life filled with love. With you. That’s all
Five years had passed since the new balance was forged, and the world had changed. The valley at the foot of the Sunstone Mountains had grown into a thriving city—Balance’s Rest—where humans, former primal warriors, and light guardians lived together in peace. Four massive towers stood at the city’s corners, each one channeling power from the four pillars of the Well of Origins, strengthening the barrier that held back the void and the trapped gods. Cole stood at the top of the central tower, the crystal still in his hand. It glowed with a steady mix of black, white, gold, and purple—no longer flickering, but still holding the weight of what lay inside. Lila walked beside him, her hand finding his, her eyes fixed on the sky where the barrier shimmered like a thin, iridescent veil. “The disturbances are getting stronger,” she said, her voice soft but serious. “Three this week alone. They’re trying to break free.” Cole nodded, his gaze never le
The power erupted from the crystal like a supernova—white, black, and purple light weaving together in a single, blinding beam that shot up from the falling group, striking the Oblivion dead center. The ship screamed, its metal hull melting away, and the Forgotten roared in rage and surprise as the energy wrapped around him, binding him tight. Lila’s hand closed around Cole’s, and she felt the power flow through her too—warm and cold, terrifying and beautiful. “Cole, what are you doing?” she cried, but her voice was swallowed by the roar of energy. Saving you, he thought, and she heard it in her mind, clear as day. Saving everyone. The new power spread out from the beam, washing over the valley, over the primal fleet, over the entire world. The primal warriors froze, their weapons falling from their hands as the energy merged with their own, calming the rage within them. The ships in the sky stopped their attack, their purple light dimming to
The crack in the crystal spread like a spiderweb, and a wave of cold dread washed over Cole. He clutched it tighter, but the damage was done—primal energy seeped through the fissures, mixing with Leo’s spirit and the balance power, sending jolts of pain up his arm. Lila grabbed his hand, her light wrapping around him, trying to steady him. “Cole, what’s wrong?” she asked, her eyes wide with fear as she saw the crack. “What did that voice say?” He shook his head, his jaw tight. “It was the first god,” he said, his voice barely a whisper. “The one they called the Forgotten. He built the door. He sent the fleet. And he’s coming.” A gasp went up from the survivors who had heard him. Jade stepped forward, her dagger still in her hand, her face set with grim determination. “Three days,” she said. “We have three days to find a way to stop him. To fix the crystal. To save this world.” Cole looked at the cracked crystal, feeling Leo’s spirit
The door in the scrying pool loomed larger with each passing second, its runes glowing brighter, its pulse of power growing stronger. Lyra stumbled back from the water, her hands shaking as she watched the ancient stone slabs grind open, revealing only darkness beyond—but a darkness that hummed with a life of its own. “It’s accelerating,” she breathed. “I’ve never felt anything like it. Not void energy. Not light. Not shadow. It’s… primal. Older than all of them.” Cole clutched the golden-black crystal tighter, feeling Leo’s spirit stir within it—warm, steady, a quiet anchor in the rising storm. “We need to warn the others,” he said, turning to Lila. “Get Jade. Get my father. Get every warrior and healer we have. We need to strengthen the barrier now.” Lila nodded, her light magic flaring to life around her as she turned and ran toward the valley. Cole and Lyra followed, their feet pounding against the earth as they raced back to the communit
The light was so bright it felt like the sun had exploded in the clearing. Lila threw her arms around Cole, shielding his body with hers as waves of energy washed over them—warm and cold at once, gentle and devastating. The Void Queen’s scream was swallowed by the roar of power, and when the light finally faded, the clearing was unrecognizable.The crystal spire still stood, but it now glowed with a soft, golden-black light. The Void warriors were gone—vanished into the energy wave. The light guardians lay on the ground, breathing but weakened. And in the center of the clearing, where Leo had stood, there was nothing left but a single, small crystal—half black, half gold, pulsing with a quiet energy.Cole pulled away from Lila, his legs shaking as he walked toward the crystal. He knelt down and picked it up, his fingers tracing its smooth surface. He could feel Leo’s presence in it—not his physical form, but his spirit, merged with the balance of light and dark he had created.“He’s s