The camp's fires flickered under a restless sky, shadows dancing like whispers of the past and portents of what was to come. Lucas paced near the edge of the encampment, the Rainbow Orb cool yet pulsing faintly in his hand.
Martha joined him quietly, her gaze steady. "Selene's arrival changes everything. She's more than a foe—she's a guardian turned judge, convinced your power is a threat."
Lucas clenched his jaw. "She sees the Ruin affinity as a curse. But it's part of me now. I can't just turn it off."
"Nor should you try," Martha said softly. "The key is control. Balance."
Seris approached, crossbow slung but eyes sharp. "The scouts report increasing shadow disturbances near the Veilways' borders. Selene's influence is spreading."
Lucas nodded. "We need answers—and fast."
That night, Lucas dreamed. The Orb's glow bathed his vision as he stood in a place between worlds—an endless void speckled with flickering stars.
From the darkness emerged Selene, her eyes fierce but sad. "You hold great power, Lucas. But that power terrifies even those sworn to protect the affinities."
"Why?" he asked, voice echoing.
"Because Ruin is both creation and destruction. It is the end of cycles and the start of new ones. Many fear what they do not understand."
She reached out, and Lucas felt the weight of choice—the temptation to surrender to the darkness or rise above it.
He woke with a start, heart pounding. Martha was there, waiting. "It's real," he said. "She's not just an enemy. She's a warning."
The days that followed were a blur of preparation. Lucas trained harder, mastering the intricate dance of affinities, while Martha guided him through rituals to temper the Ruin affinity's wild edge.
Seris organized defenses, coordinating with allies from distant realms. Kaelen led patrols to hunt lingering titan shards, but each victory felt hollow, as if something greater loomed just beyond reach.
One evening, as the sun dipped below shattered horizons, Lucas stood with Martha and Seris overlooking the camp.
"Do you ever wonder," Lucas said quietly, "if the real battle isn't just out there… but inside us?"
Martha smiled, her hand finding his. "Every day. But bonds like ours—they're the light that keeps the darkness at bay."
Seris nodded. "And whatever comes next, we face it together."
Just then, the Orb pulsed sharply—a warning.
From the mists emerged figures cloaked in shadow—Selene's followers, emissaries of balance and judgment.
Lucas took a deep breath, feeling the weight of destiny settle once more.
The war for the affinities had grown beyond magic and monsters.
It was now a war for the soul of the realms—and the hearts of those who bore their power.