The horizon blazed, the first rays of morning piercing the storm. Light spread across the battlefield, fragile at first, then steady, unraveling the endless night.
Elira stirred in Kael's arms, her flame flickering but alive. The crown pulsed in harmony with the dawn, its fractured light weaving into the rising sun.
Marlic's roar split the air, sharp and furious. "No! Shadow does not hide! Shadow endures!"
But the storm faltered. The champions of shadow staggered, their blades dimming as daylight touched them. Smoke dissolved into air, grief unraveling under the weight of morning.
The Ashbound's torches blazed brighter, strengthened by the sun. Their voices rose in defiance. "The night is broken! Flame endures!"
Marlic pressed forward, his spear lashing against Kael's blade, but the light burned through him. His ember eyes flickered, his storm collapsing. He staggered, shadow peeling away from his form.
Elira raised her hand, weak but resolute. "Your storm cannot last forever. Dawn breaks you."
The crown pulsed, flame and shadow bound together, steady against the morning light. Marlic's roar shook the battlefield one last time, then his storm shattered.
He retreated into the fading smoke, his voice echoing with fury. "This is not the end, Flamebearer. Shadow will rise again. You cannot burn grief away."
The battlefield fell silent. The Ashbound stood, torches blazing in the morning light. Elira collapsed against Kael, her flame dim but enduring.
The war was not ended—but the night was.