Chapter 27: The Final Strike
The storm of light and shadow clashed, each wave threatening to tear the cathedral apart. Stones rained from above, runes flickered violently, and the ground cracked beneath their feet.
Jian's shadow-beast roared, its voice a chorus of agony and rage. He poured every ounce of his hatred into the abyss, his form swelling with unstable power.
"You will drown in what you created, Le Wai!" Jian bellowed, his voice breaking under the strain.
Le Wai pressed forward, his glowing blade carving through waves of darkness. Each strike burned brighter, as though the weapon itself had chosen to defy the abyss.
"Jian!" he shouted, his voice carrying above the chaos. "I failed you once—but I will not let that failure define me anymore!"
The beast lunged, claws like mountains crashing down. Le Wai met the strike head-on, his blade blazing with radiance. The collision shook the cathedral like an earthquake. For an instant, time seemed to freeze—light and shadow locked in perfect opposition.
Then Le Wai roared, pouring every ounce of his spirit into one final strike. His blade cut through the beast's arm, the light searing into its core.
A scream tore from Jian's throat, half human, half monstrous. The shadow-beast convulsed, cracks of light splitting across its body.
Mei Lin, battered but unyielding, raised her sword and struck as well—her blow piercing the shadow's side, reinforcing Le Wai's attack.
Together, their blades formed a cross of light, cleaving straight through the darkness.
The cathedral exploded in a blinding flash. Shadows screamed as they were torn apart, unraveling into nothingness. Jian's form staggered, the cloak falling away to reveal his scarred, broken face.
For a moment, his burning eyes softened, and the fury in his voice faltered. "Le Wai… why now…?"
Le Wai's chest heaved, his blade still glowing faintly. He looked at Jian—not as an enemy, but as the comrade he once knew. "Because I finally understand. I can't erase the past… but I can face it."
Jian reached out, as though trying to grasp something just beyond his reach. Then his body dissolved into fading shadows, his voice echoing one last time before silence fell.
The cathedral stood in ruins, dust drifting through the pale moonlight. Le Wai lowered his blade, exhaustion washing over him.
Beside him, Mei Lin steadied herself, her eyes meeting his. "It's over," she said softly.
But Le Wai's gaze lingered on the place where Jian had vanished. His heart was heavy, but his resolve burned stronger than ever. "No," he whispered. "This was only the beginning."