The morning briefing left a ripple of tension through Team Unknown. They had faced impossible missions before, yet today's objective felt different—a whisper of something ancient, foreboding. Dr. Lewis stood before them, the holographic blueprint of a rugged, mountainous terrain flickering behind him.

"Our next mission is set in the Eris Mountains," Dr. Lewis announced, his voice steady but carrying an uncharacteristic weight. "This location is believed to be the resting place of the fifth and final ruin stone—the last known key to the Primordial Vault." He paused, his eyes meeting each of theirs. "This retrieval will be the most dangerous yet. The intel we have is sparse, which means we're heading in with minimal knowledge of the potential defenses."

Val's gaze flickered, his mind already running through the strategy, feeling a chill settle in. The fifth stone… If the legends were true, this would be the culmination of all their battles against the Vault's mysteries.

"We deploy tomorrow at dawn," Dr. Lewis continued, his tone solemn. "Take tonight to prepare. This mission will test each of you in ways we cannot predict." He caught Val's gaze, a silent understanding passing between them. "Umbra, remain on standby. HQ will coordinate with you for final adjustments."

The briefing ended, but the weight of Dr. Lewis's words lingered. The fifth ruin stone—each stone had unlocked a new seal on his left eye, drawing him deeper into the Void's power, yet binding him closer to its dangers. Val had no doubt this one would be the most challenging yet.

Later that night, the familiar shadows of Bellator Manor loomed around him as he entered the quiet, empty halls. Here, in the dim sanctuary of his ancestors, he felt the years of battle and memory pressing close. In his heart, he knew why he had returned to this place—the decision awaiting him was too grave to make anywhere else.

In the silence, Deleo's presence stirred in his mind, a calm and ancient weight that anchored Val. After a pause, Val spoke, his voice barely more than a whisper.

"The final stone… what does it mean for me, Deleo?"

Deleo's voice was soft but carried an ominous gravity. "This stone is different from the others, Val. It is the final lock, the one designed to test you not in power but in resolve. You cannot merely retrieve it—you must confront it with a mind and spirit fully prepared to sacrifice."

Val's chest tightened, a faint tremor threading through his resolve. "Sacrifice what? We've been through this before. You and I have faced the Void and come out the other side."

A shadow of sorrow, almost empathy, flickered in Deleo's tone. "The Void seeks more than just strength. It hungers for your core, your very essence. This final stone has a power that will test your ability to wield it without losing what makes you… you."

Val clenched his fists, his breath steady but tense. He had accepted the risks of the Void long ago, yet something in Deleo's words felt heavier, more final. "You think I could lose myself?"

"The Void's nature is to consume, to erode away the layers of a soul until there's nothing left but hunger and emptiness," Deleo replied, his voice taking on a harsh, almost threatening edge. "You are but a flicker within its ancient vastness, Val. This stone's power is the final line—it will try to drag you beyond it."

Val's heart pounded as the gravity of the challenge settled over him. The thought of standing against a force that had devoured so many before him, to face something even Deleo seemed wary of—it made the stone's allure that much darker.

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"What if I fail?" The words slipped from him, low, almost too quiet to be heard.

"Then you will fall like those before you," Deleo responded, his tone a mixture of warning and finality. "I cannot pull you back from that abyss. I am bound to the Void, and even I have no power over its will should it decide to consume you."

Val felt the sharp sting of doubt for the first time in years. Deleo had been his constant guide, his guardian within the Void's endless pull, yet here he stood, facing an ordeal even Deleo seemed unable to protect him from.

A flicker of anger sparked within him, defiance against the overwhelming force he was meant to face. "I'm not some pawn for the Void to devour," he spat, his voice taut. "I've survived each seal, mastered them. I've faced everything it's thrown at me."

Deleo's voice, however, was unyielding, cutting through Val's anger like a knife. "You may be strong, but do not let your pride blind you, Val. This stone will demand something from you—something you might not be willing to give."

Val fell silent, the words settling over him like a dark shroud. His mind raced, images of Ember and Exeo flashing before him, the reminder of everything he fought to protect. Yet the doubt lingered, a gnawing shadow in the back of his mind.

"I have to bring them back, Deleo," he said, his voice softer, almost pleading. "They're my brothers. I can't… I can't just abandon them."

"And it is that love, that loyalty that the Void will test," Deleo replied, a hint of sorrow woven into his words. "The Void will not care for your noble cause, Val. It will only see your desire, your desperation—and it will seize it, twist it, until you no longer recognize yourself."

Val's fists tightened, his breathing shallow. "And yet, you're telling me to go through with this?"

"I am warning you, not guiding you," Deleo replied, his voice dark, a simmering threat beneath the words. "You have walked this path of your own will. But if you choose to proceed, know that there is no turning back"

Deleo continued, with a tone of regret, "If I had given a choice, I would choose not to let you take this path. I do not wish for you to be like them..."

Deleo's words hung like Val knew who those 'them' mean.

"You're...important to me, Val."

The weight of the words sank into Val, cold and unyielding. He felt his resolve waver, a sliver of fear threading through his determination. The thought of standing against the final stone, of facing the Void in its purest, most ruthless form—it shook him to his core.

But as he gazed out over the darkened halls of Bellator Manor, the memories of Ember and Exeo filled him with a fierce, unbreakable purpose. He couldn't give up now—not when he had come so far.

"I don't care what the Void wants," he said, his voice rough but resolute. "I'm not doing this for power. I'm doing it for them."

Deleo's silence was heavy, his presence a steady, ancient weight in Val's mind.

"Very well," Deleo finally said, his tone resigned but carrying a note of pride. "If you are to face this, then do so with every part of yourself. But remember, Val… This will be unlike any trial you have faced. The Void will try to consume everything you are. It will try to break you."

Val's heart pounded, but his voice was steady, his resolve unwavering. "Then let it try. I've made it this far—I won't let the Void take me without a fight."

A silence settled over him, heavy and foreboding, as if the very air around him had stilled in recognition of his choice. Deleo's presence receded slightly, but not before Val felt a quiet, almost sorrowful acknowledgment from the ancient being.

"Tomorrow will be a test not of your strength, but of your choices," Deleo murmured, his voice fading like a whisper. "May you choose wisely."

The words lingered, filling the silent halls of Bellator Manor with a sense of foreboding that crept into Val's bones. He closed his eyes, steeling himself for the challenge that awaited.

The next day came too quickly, and as dawn broke, Val joined his team in the deployment zone. Each of them sensed the weight of the mission, their expressions sober, their gazes focused.

As they prepared to depart, a single thought rang in Val's mind—a promise to himself and to his brothers.

This will end with them by my side.

But as they vanished into the teleportation, the darkness of the Void waited, ready to test the full extent of his resolve.