The Nexuses pulsed faintly in the distance, their rhythmic glow a testament to everything we’d fought for. The threads of the barrier were stable, their harmony restored after countless battles and sacrifices. The void had been pushed back, its presence diminished to a faint whisper at the edges of my thoughts.

For the first time in weeks, maybe months, the world felt quiet.

And yet, I couldn’t shake the weight pressing against me. The threads of the barrier were stable, but not unbreakable. The crystal in my hand, once a beacon of power, now felt fragile, its energy a faint echo of what it had been.

The fight wasn’t over.

I stood on the edge of a cliff overlooking the plains, the morning sun casting long shadows over the cracked earth. Behind me, the others were resting, their laughter faint but genuine—a sound I hadn’t heard in far too long.

Ryla had teased Farron for tripping over a root, and Orin had offered his usual calm humor to diffuse the tension. Even Jessa had cracked a smile. They deserved this moment, this reprieve.

I turned the crystal over in my hands, its faint light reflecting in the morning sun. It was a symbol of everything we’d endured—and everything still left to do.

The void wasn’t gone. I could still feel it, a faint presence pressing against the threads of the barrier. It wasn’t an immediate threat, but it was patient. Watching. Waiting.

And Ecclesion? They wouldn’t stay scattered forever. The empire would rebuild, their leaders regrouping to plot their next move. The Nexuses were too powerful, the barrier too tempting a prize for them to give up.

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But this world was still standing.

And as long as it was, so was I.

Jessa approached from behind, her footsteps quiet but deliberate. She stood beside me, her gaze fixed on the horizon.

“You’ve got that look again,” she said, her tone light but edged with concern.

“What look?” I asked, smirking faintly.

“The one that says you’re about to do something reckless.”

I let out a soft laugh, though the weight in my chest didn’t lift. “Not reckless. Just... thinking about what comes next.”

She crossed her arms, her expression firm. “Whatever it is, you’re not doing it alone.”

I nodded, the faint hum of the crystal resonating in my hand. “I know. But the threads are still fragile, Jessa. The barrier’s holding for now, but the void’s still out there. And Ecclesion...”

“They’ll come back,” she said, finishing my thought.

I glanced at her, surprised by the steel in her voice.

“And when they do, we’ll stop them. Again.”

The others joined us soon after, their presence a comforting reminder that I wasn’t in this fight alone. Ryla leaned on her bow, her sharp eyes scanning the horizon. Farron gave me his usual grin, though it was softer this time. Orin stood steady as ever, his shield resting by his side.

“We’re not done, are we?” Ryla asked, though her tone suggested she already knew the answer.

“No,” I said. “But we’ve got time. The barrier’s stable for now. That gives us a chance to prepare—to figure out what’s next.”

As the sun rose higher in the sky, the group began to move again, heading toward the greener lands beyond the Deadlands.

For the first time, we weren’t running. We weren’t chasing Nexuses or fighting to survive.

We were walking toward something. Toward a future we’d fought to protect.

And as I tightened my grip on the crystal, its faint hum aligning with the steady rhythm of the barrier, I made a silent promise.

This world wasn’t perfect. The threads of the barrier were fragile, and the void was still watching.

But it was a world worth fighting for.

And we would be ready.

End of Book One.