Even from this distance, his presence struck like agony. The ship groaned violently as though creation itself resisted our approach. Beside me, Naeris inhaled sharply. I tightened my grip on her hand. There. At the center of the storm. Somewhere inside that endless darkness, Caelor still burned.
The closer we flew to Earth Prime, the louder the whispers became. Not mere voices anymore. Memories. Pain. Rage so ancient it had become part of the fabric of the Abyss itself.
The Harrowed One was waiting.
The ship bucked violently as a wave of dark energy slammed into the shields. Naeris gasped beside me. Impossible female that she was, she had left the chair to get a closer look. I caughther instantly, one arm wrapped around her waist while the entire cabin tilted sideways.
“Shields are almost gone!” Nadine shouted.
“Stabilizers are gone,” Ella added, gripping the edge of her console with white knuckles.
Ahead of us, the vortex above Earth Prime expanded. The darkness moved. Not metaphorically. Actually moved. The Harrowed One saw us. A shape began to form within the swirling void. At first, it looked impossibly vast, larger than worlds themselves. Then it shifted again, becoming humanoid for one horrifying instant before dissolving back into living shadow.
Eyes opened within the darkness. Thousands of them. Burning gold. My flaw reacted immediately. Pain exploded through my veins. I doubled over with a curse as black fire rippled beneath my skin.
“Thyros!”
Naeris' voice reached me through the roar inside my skull.
Mine. The Harrowed One’s whisper slid against my mind like poison.Return to me.
I slammed mental barriers into place with every ounce of strength I possessed.
No.
The darkness pressed harder.You belong to me.
A snarl tore from my throat. Before I could answer, another presence surged through the bond.
Warm.
Bright.
Fierce.
Her hand locked around mine. And suddenly the whispers weakened. The Harrowed One recoiled. Not from me. From us. Realization hit instantly. It feared the bond. Not merely the Aelyth connection. But what it represented. Perfected balance.
Completion.
Hope.
Healing.
The very thing it had spent millions of years trying to prevent.
“Hold together!” Zapharos roared.
The ship dove sharply as enormous tendrils of darkness erupted from the vortex ahead. They smashed through Arkhevari formations like tidal waves. Warriors detonated in brilliant bursts of light, trying to hold them back. And still the Arkhevari fought.
Stars. They fought like beings possessed. Golden light filled the Abyss from every direction as surviving legions hurled themselves directly into impossible odds to keep the Mmuhr’Rhongs away from us. For the chance that this endless war might finally end. Emotion burned painfully in my chest.
Dravok’s voice cut sharply across the cabin. “We won’t survive another direct hit.”
Zapharos’ expression never changed. “We only need one opening.”
As if the universe answered him, an explosion of golden fire erupted ahead. A massive Arkhevari battalion slammed directly into the vortex surrounding Earth Prime. The darkness convulsed. A path opened.
“Now!” Zapharos thundered.
