Defeating the Obscured One came at a great cost. As his staff shattered in Kaelen’s hands and his constructs dissolved into nothingness, the ancient temple began to collapse in on itself. A cacophony of grinding stone and snapping timber filled the air as the corrupted shards unleashed a surge of unstable energy, creating jagged fissures in the ground and sending shockwaves rippling through the Veil itself. The once-vibrant glow of the Veil dimmed, flickering like a dying flame.

  The group barely escaped, emerging from the wreckage into the forest just as the temple crumbled behind them in a cloud of dust and ash. The eerie silence that followed was deafening, broken only by the rustling of leaves and the faint hum of the Veil’s frayed edges. The air felt heavy, as if the world itself was holding its breath.

  Kaelen stumbled forward, their face pale, and dropped to their knees. Their trembling hands hovered over the dirt, instinctively tracing runes in the soil as their mind raced with calculations and fears. Their green eyes, usually so sharp and steady, were clouded with worry. They could feel it—the Veil, once a sturdy bridge between realms, was now fragile, fractured.

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  “This isn’t over,” they said, their voice barely above a whisper but carrying a weight that silenced the others. “The damage he’s done… it’s spreading.”

  Cassia stood beside them, her fists clenched tightly at her sides. Her knuckles were bruised, and her hair was matted with sweat and ash, but her dark brown eyes blazed with unyielding determination. She took a step forward, the crunch of leaves underfoot echoing in the tense stillness.

  “Then we’ll fix it,” she said firmly, her jaw set in defiance. Her voice was steady, almost commanding, despite the exhaustion etched into her features. “No matter what it takes.”

  The group exchanged glances, the weight of Cassia’s words sinking in. Liora wrapped her arms around herself, her golden skin pale as she stared back at the ruins. “But how do we repair the Veil? If it’s truly broken…”

  “We’ll find a way,” Cassia cut in, her tone brooking no argument. She turned to Kaelen, her expression softening slightly. “We always do.”

  Kaelen nodded slowly, though doubt lingered in their eyes. The task ahead seemed insurmountable, but Cassia’s determination was a beacon in the darkness. For now, they had no choice but to press forward, to find answers in a world unraveling around them. Behind them, the ruined temple was a grim reminder of the cost of failure—and the price of hope.