The rift hummed, a deep, resonating vibration that shook Seren to her very core. Her body trembled as the Void wrapped itself around her, consuming her from within. It was like sinking into a bottomless abyss, a darkness so profound that it threatened to swallow every thought, every memory, every breath.

But Seren didn’t flinch. She had made her choice, and now, there was no turning back.

The silver light that had always burned within her was dimming, fading as the Void’s cold embrace grew tighter. She felt her consciousness slipping, as though her body was no longer her own. The world beyond the rift—Aethren, Thalira, Rhael—seemed distant, their voices muffled, like they were calling from the depths of a dream.

"Seren… hold on…!"

Aethren’s voice echoed faintly in her mind, but it seemed so far away, like a whisper in the wind. She wanted to respond, to reach out to him, to tell him that everything would be alright. But the words wouldn’t come. Her body felt like it was being pulled apart, torn between two forces, neither of which she could control.

And yet, somewhere deep within her, Seren found the strength to push back. The Void was vast, all-consuming, but it was not invincible. She knew now that it didn’t just destroy—it absorbed, it reshaped, it became part of whatever it touched. The Void could not exist alone. It needed balance, a keeper to maintain its place in the world.

And that keeper was her.

With every ounce of willpower she could muster, Seren reached deep into herself, drawing on the silver light that still flickered within her, now faint but still present. She anchored herself to it, using it as a tether to keep her grounded, to keep her from being lost in the endless darkness.

The rift trembled, as though it could feel her resistance, and for a moment, it fought back, surging with a power that threatened to overwhelm her. But Seren didn’t let go. She had come too far, and she would not falter now.

"Seren… please, no…!" Aethren’s voice grew more urgent, more desperate. But it was too late. The spell had already been cast. The Void had already claimed its price.

Seren’s body felt like it was breaking apart, but her soul was resolute. She spoke the words of the binding spell again, this time with more force, more clarity. The power surged through her, and the rift began to close, the swirling energy slowing, the darkness receding.

And then, with a final, deafening pulse, the rift sealed.

The chamber fell silent.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

For a long moment, Seren felt nothing but the weight of the Void within her, pressing against her consciousness. It was like an insatiable hunger, an emptiness that would never be filled. But it was contained, bound by the spell she had cast. The world was safe—at least, for now.

She could feel her body, her spirit, beginning to unravel. The price of the binding had been paid in full. Her connection to the Void was too deep, too strong. She couldn’t hold on much longer.

But before she could succumb to the darkness, she felt a presence—Aethren’s presence. His warmth, his strength, his unwavering determination. It reached out to her, cutting through the void that surrounded her, pulling her back from the edge.

"Seren…"

His voice was clear now, not a whisper in the dark but a lifeline, a tether to reality. She opened her eyes, but it felt like she was looking through water, as though everything around her was distant and unreachable. But Aethren was there, his face so close to hers, his eyes filled with worry and concern.

"Aethren… I…" She tried to speak, but her voice faltered, and the words didn’t come out as she intended. Her body felt weightless, fragile, as though it might collapse at any moment.

"You did it," Aethren said, his voice thick with emotion. "You stopped the Void. You saved us all."

Seren tried to smile, but it felt strained, like her face couldn’t remember how to form the expression. She wanted to reassure him, to tell him that it wasn’t over, that the price she had paid was just the beginning. But the words were caught in her throat, and her vision blurred again.

"Seren," Aethren said, his voice breaking through her haze, "don’t leave me. Please, don’t go."

She reached up, her hand trembling as she touched his cheek. The sensation was distant, like she was no longer fully present in her own body. But she could feel his warmth, the connection between them that had always been so strong.

"I…" Seren’s breath was shallow, her strength fading. "I… I’m still here. But I can’t hold on much longer, Aethren."

"No," he whispered urgently, his voice cracking with desperation. "You can’t. You can’t leave me, Seren. I… I can’t lose you."

She closed her eyes for a moment, gathering the last of her strength. Her fingers tightened around his wrist, and for a brief moment, she could feel the pulse of his life beneath her fingertips. A fleeting connection, but enough to anchor her, enough to remind her that she wasn’t alone.

"I’m sorry," she whispered, the words barely a breath. "I’ve done what I can. Now it’s your turn… You have to protect it. You have to protect everything."

And with that, Seren felt herself slipping away, the weight of the Void finally claiming her. The hunger, the emptiness, filled her completely, and she let it take her.

But as her vision faded, as the last remnants of her consciousness dimmed, she felt a flicker of something—a spark. A small, fragile light. It was the silver light she had once carried within her. It wasn’t gone. It couldn’t be gone.

Aethren’s voice echoed one final time in her mind.

"I will protect it. I will protect you."

Then, the world faded to black.

Seren was gone.

But her sacrifice had not been in vain. The Void was sealed. The balance, for now, was restored.

And as Aethren knelt beside her, holding the hand of the woman who had given everything to save them, a new resolve formed in his heart. The journey was far from over. There would be more battles to fight, more darkness to face. But as long as her light remained within him, he would never stop.

He would protect what she had saved.

He would protect everything.