The sky above them crackled with electricity, a storm of cosmic energy that seemed to warp and twist the very fabric of reality. The air was thick with an oppressive weight, as if the world itself was holding its breath. In the distance, the Hollow, now more monstrous than ever before, stood in its full, terrifying form. It had grown stronger, feeding off the chaos it had wrought, its presence casting a shadow over the multiverse. The final battle had arrived, and the team was ready.

Aaron, Mara, and Jake stood side by side, their eyes fixed on the swirling maelstrom that was the Hollow. Each of them felt the gravity of the moment pressing down on them, the weight of the task at hand, and the uncertainty of what would come next. They had fought countless battles together, but this was different. This was the end.

The Hollow had already decimated entire realms, consuming everything in its path. Entire worlds had been wiped from existence, and the multiverse was teetering on the brink of annihilation. But the team had not come this far to fail now. They had endured so much, and they would not let it all be in vain. Together, they had faced the darkness and the chaos, and together, they would face the Hollow one last time.

"Are we ready for this?" Mara asked, her voice steady but filled with a quiet resolve.

Aaron glanced at her, his expression grim but determined. "We don’t have a choice. This ends today."

Jake, his eyes narrow with focus, nodded in agreement. "We’ve come too far to stop now."

The three of them exchanged a final glance before stepping forward, their hearts beating as one. The energy around them surged, the very air vibrating with power as they approached the Hollow. It seemed to sense their presence, the ground beneath their feet shaking as the entity shifted its form, its dark energy swirling and crackling like an angry storm.

"You are too late," the Hollow’s voice boomed, deep and resonant, shaking the very foundations of reality. "You cannot stop me. The multiverse belongs to me now."

Aaron stood tall, his eyes blazing with determination. "We’ll see about that."

The Hollow’s power lashed out like a tidal wave, a torrent of darkness that threatened to engulf them all. It was a force unlike anything they had faced before, a malevolent energy that seemed to come from the deepest recesses of the universe. The team braced themselves, their bodies tense, their minds sharp. This was it—the final showdown.

Aaron and Mara stood side by side, their hands glowing with energy, while Jake hovered a few steps behind, his stance firm. Together, they reached out to the multiverse, calling upon the very essence of their being, the strength they had built through their trials. The Hollow responded with a surge of power, its dark tendrils lashing out to strike at them. But they were ready. The team fought back with everything they had.

The battle was fierce and unrelenting, each strike of the Hollow’s power met with the strength of their combined will. Mara’s energy crackled as she summoned barriers of light, deflecting the Hollow’s dark tendrils. Jake unleashed his own unique power, manipulating the very space around them to bend the Hollow’s attacks. But even with their combined strength, the Hollow was overwhelming. It was everywhere—its energy flooding the air, the ground, and the very space between dimensions. It seemed unstoppable.

Aaron pushed forward, his mind focused on one thing: the Hollow had to be destroyed. There could be no more hesitation, no more doubt. The multiverse’s survival depended on it.

He summoned the full extent of his power, channeling it through every fiber of his being. The energy around him flared, lighting up the darkness like a star igniting in the void. It was a power born not just of his abilities, but of the journey he had walked, the sacrifices he had made, and the bonds he had forged with his team. With a cry of determination, he hurled himself at the Hollow, his energy colliding with the entity’s dark force in a burst of blinding light.

The impact sent a shockwave rippling through the landscape, the force of the explosion shaking the very core of the multiverse. For a brief moment, everything seemed to stand still. The air was thick with dust and static, and the world around them seemed to waver, as if reality itself was cracking under the pressure.

But the Hollow was not defeated. It recoiled, its form shifting and warping as it lashed out with even greater force. Its voice rang out, filled with malice and rage.

"You cannot defeat me," it hissed. "I am eternal. I am the void. I am the end of all things."

But Aaron stood firm, his gaze unwavering. "No. You’re just a shadow. And shadows can be destroyed."

With every ounce of his strength, Aaron reached out once more, focusing all of his power on the Hollow. He could feel the energy of the multiverse pulsing through him, a deep, unshakable connection to the very fabric of reality. For the first time since the destruction of the Stargate, he felt at peace. He wasn’t trying to control the multiverse. He wasn’t trying to bend it to his will. He was a part of it, just as everyone else was. He was no longer a master of it—he was its equal, its guardian, its ally.

In that moment of clarity, Aaron realized something profound. The Hollow had fed on the fear of the multiverse, the fear of the unknown, the fear of the end. But in this moment, he had no fear. The Hollow could no longer manipulate him. And that realization unlocked a power within him that had always been there, a power that was more than just strength—it was will. It was belief. It was purpose.

Aaron closed his eyes and focused, channeling that power into a single, focused blast. His energy surged forward, a beam of pure light that cut through the Hollow’s darkness. It was as if time itself slowed as the beam connected with the entity, the force of it sending ripples through the very fabric of existence. The Hollow screamed in agony, its form beginning to crack and fracture as the energy tore into it.

For a moment, everything seemed to freeze. And then, with an earth-shattering explosion, the Hollow was no more.

The energy around them dissipated, the storm of chaos and darkness dissolving into nothingness. The sky cleared, the air growing still, and the ground beneath their feet felt solid again. It was over.

But as the team stood there, catching their breath and recovering from the intensity of the battle, Aaron felt a strange sensation. His body was heavy, his energy drained. It was as if every ounce of power he had given to the final strike had been pulled from him. He staggered, feeling the weight of his own existence pull him down, as if he were no longer connected to the multiverse at all.

Mara rushed to his side, her face filled with concern. "Aaron! Are you okay?"

But Aaron could barely find the strength to speak. His voice was a faint whisper. "I… I did it. It’s over. The Hollow is gone."

Jake stood by, his own expression filled with a mixture of awe and sorrow. He had witnessed the incredible power that Aaron had unleashed, and he knew that this victory had come at a cost. Aaron had given everything to save the multiverse, and in doing so, he had lost the very essence of his connection to it.

Aaron collapsed to his knees, his body trembling. The power that had once flowed so easily through him was gone, drained completely in the final act of destruction. He had sacrificed everything to destroy the Hollow, and now he was left with nothing. No power. No connection. Only the memories of the journey he had walked, and the knowledge that he had given everything for the greater good.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

Mara knelt beside him, her hand resting on his shoulder. "Aaron… you did it. You saved us all."

Aaron smiled faintly, the exhaustion in his eyes palpable. "It was worth it. The multiverse is safe now. That’s all that matters."

Jake stepped forward, his voice filled with quiet respect. "You gave everything for us, Aaron. For the multiverse. I don’t think we’ll ever be able to repay that."

Aaron’s eyes fluttered closed, his body heavy with the weight of his sacrifice. But in his heart, he knew that he had made the right choice. The multiverse was safe. The Hollow was gone. And though he had lost everything, he had gained something far greater—the peace of knowing that he had given everything for the greater good.

And with that, as his vision dimmed and his body grew still, Aaron let out a final breath, a sense of peace washing over him.

The multiverse had been saved, but at a cost.

And in that moment, Aaron knew that his sacrifice had been worth it.

As the light of the Hollow’s destruction faded, the team stood in a solemn silence, the weight of the moment pressing heavily upon them. Though the storm of chaos had ended, a new kind of quiet had settled in—a quiet filled with the echoes of what they had just lost. The battle was over, but the cost of victory was profound, and each of them had to reckon with what had transpired.

Mara knelt beside Aaron, her hand gently resting on his shoulder, her fingers trembling slightly. She had seen him endure so much, push himself beyond his limits, and now, here he was, lying in the aftermath of his sacrifice. His body was still, his breathing shallow, but he was alive—barely. He had saved them all, but at the expense of everything that had once made him the leader, the force that had driven them forward. Now, he was just… Aaron.

“Please, Aaron,” Mara whispered, her voice cracking. "Come on, stay with us."

Jake, standing a few feet away, could only watch. His heart felt heavy with a mixture of admiration and sorrow. He had always seen Aaron as a pillar of strength, someone who could carry the weight of the world without flinching. But this, this was beyond anything they had faced. Aaron had given everything, and in doing so, he had lost the very power that had made him who he was.

“Is he…?” Jake began, but his voice faltered.

Mara didn’t answer at first. She didn’t need to. They both knew what had happened. Aaron had given up his connection to the multiverse in order to destroy the Hollow. The very essence of who he was had been stripped away. His power, his purpose—all of it was gone. And in its place was a man, weary and broken, but still breathing.

“We can’t lose him,” Mara muttered, her voice desperate now. She ran her hand through Aaron’s hair, trying to rouse him, trying to bring him back from the brink. “Not after everything he’s done.”

Jake stepped closer, his brow furrowed. "There’s nothing more we can do, Mara. He gave everything he had. Maybe… maybe it’s time to let go."

But Mara shook her head, her tears falling freely now. “No. We can’t just let him fade away. He saved us all. We owe him more than that.”

The silence that followed was suffocating. The landscape around them was still, the violent energy of the battle now only a memory. The remnants of the Hollow’s chaotic power had dissipated, leaving a void—a stillness that mirrored the emptiness Mara and Jake felt inside. They had won, but at what cost?

Aaron stirred suddenly, his eyelids fluttering as though he were emerging from a deep slumber. His eyes, usually so full of fire and purpose, were now clouded, distant. His voice came out in a weak rasp. “Mara… Jake…”

Mara’s heart leapt at the sound of his voice. “Aaron! You’re awake!”

He blinked, trying to focus on her, but his gaze seemed unfocused, as though he were struggling to make sense of the world around him. “Did… did we win?”

Jake knelt down beside him, his expression somber. “Yeah. We won, Aaron. But you… you gave everything. The Hollow is gone, but so is your connection to the multiverse.”

Aaron’s face softened as he processed Jake’s words. He seemed to understand the gravity of the situation. The once-vibrant energy that had always flowed through him was gone. He was no longer the leader who could shape reality, no longer the one who could command the power of the multiverse. It was all stripped away in the final battle.

But in that moment, Aaron wasn’t angry. He wasn’t resentful. There was only a sense of quiet acceptance in his eyes, as if he had found peace in the choice he had made.

“I… I knew what I was doing,” Aaron said softly, his voice weak but steady. “It was the only way. The multiverse had to be saved. And I… I wasn’t meant to be its master. I was never meant to control it. I was meant to protect it.”

Mara placed her hand on his chest, feeling the faint beat of his heart beneath her palm. “You did. You protected us all.”

Jake’s eyes glistened with unshed tears. “We wouldn’t have made it without you. None of us.”

Aaron’s smile was faint but genuine. “You all fought just as hard. You all have your own power. I couldn’t have done this without you. I never wanted to be the only one carrying the weight. It was always about us, about the team.”

The team. The word echoed in Aaron’s mind as he looked at Mara and Jake. They had come so far together, and now they stood united in the aftermath of their shared sacrifice. It was a bond that transcended power, transcended reality. They were no longer just individuals fighting for their own survival. They were a family, a force bound by something greater than the sum of their parts.

But even as he felt a sense of peace in that realization, Aaron could feel the weight of his own mortality. The power he had once wielded was gone, and with it, the connection he had to the multiverse. For the first time, he was just a man, standing in the quiet aftermath of a battle that had changed everything.

Mara and Jake helped him to his feet, supporting him as he stumbled, weak from the energy he had expended. His body felt drained, his mind foggy, but despite it all, he felt something that he had not expected: a sense of relief. The burden of responsibility, the constant struggle to control and protect, was gone. In its place was something simpler—peace. He had done what he set out to do. He had given everything for the greater good. And though he had lost so much, he had gained something even more important: the knowledge that the multiverse was safe, that they had saved it together.

As they stood in the quiet aftermath, a faint breeze swept through the barren landscape. The battle was over, the war had been won. The team had defeated the Hollow, but the victory was bittersweet. There would be no return to the way things were before. Things had changed. Aaron had changed.

“I’m sorry,” Aaron whispered, his voice hoarse. “I never meant to lead you into this.”

Mara shook her head, her eyes softening. “You didn’t lead us into anything, Aaron. You brought us together. You showed us how to fight, how to trust each other. You gave us the strength to win.”

Jake nodded in agreement. “You showed us what it meant to sacrifice for the greater good. And you saved us all. That’s more than any of us could have hoped for.”

Aaron didn’t have the strength to reply. Instead, he leaned back against a rock, looking out at the horizon. The multiverse, though scarred by the conflict, was still intact. The chaos had been quelled, and the Hollow was no more. For the first time in what felt like forever, Aaron felt as if he could rest.

And in that moment, as he looked at his friends—the people he had fought beside, the people he had sacrificed everything for—he realized that they were the ones who had truly won. It wasn’t just his sacrifice that had saved the multiverse. It was theirs. They had each given something of themselves, and in doing so, they had forged a bond stronger than any power or ability. They had defeated the Hollow not with strength alone, but with the strength of their unity, their love, and their will.

“I guess,” Aaron said quietly, his voice barely a whisper, “this is the end of the journey. For me, at least.”

Mara looked at him with a soft smile. “It’s not the end, Aaron. It’s just the beginning.”

And for the first time, Aaron believed her. He didn’t know what the future held, or where his place in it would be. But in this moment, with the multiverse safe, with his team at his side, he felt peace. He had done his part, and now it was time for the rest of them to carry the torch forward.

With the Hollow gone, the balance had been restored. The multiverse would continue, and so would their journey.