The cavern stilled as the last Void creature fell, the rift's energy weakening under Kael and Liora's sustained ritual. The task force stood guard, their breaths heavy, while the shard's light bathed the scene in a soft glow. Exhausted, Kael and Liora sank against a rock, the shard still pulsing between them, its power ebbing as the void resisted.
Liora broke the silence, her voice hoarse. "We've been obsessed—me with proving my worth, you with atoning. That's why we hated each other." Her silver eyes met his, raw with realization.
Kael nodded, his golden gaze steady. "Same fire, different fuel. Our ancestors' obsession created this mess, and we've been feeding it." He glanced at the rift, its darkness fading. "We've been fighting ourselves."
The truth settled over them—their enmity stemmed from mirrored drives, a cycle of pain and pride. Liora's hand brushed his as she adjusted the shard, the touch lingering. Neither pulled away, the proximity charged with a new understanding. "Maybe it's time to let it go," she whispered.
Kael's lips twitched, almost a smile. "Maybe." Their hands remained close, a silent pact to break the cycle. The team watched, sensing the shift, as the rift's hum softened. The obsession that had fueled their hatred now bound them, a fragile hope emerging from the ashes of their past.