Talon and Lyra emerged from the depths of the Abyssal Trench, breaking the surface of the water as the sun’s rays reflected off the calm ocean. For a moment, they simply floated there, catching their breath and letting the peace of the sea wash over them. The battle with the Leviathan had been their most difficult yet, but they had emerged victorious, unlocking the power of the water element.

Talon could feel the strength of the ocean coursing through him. It was a different kind of power—fluid, adaptable, and patient. Water wasn’t about immediate strength, but about wearing down obstacles, reshaping the world bit by bit. He understood now why the trials had been so focused on balance and endurance. Mastering water required more than just brute force.

Lyra floated beside him, her wings barely touching the surface of the water as she gazed out at the horizon. The tension from the battle had eased, but there was still a quiet intensity in her eyes. "That was… something else," she said, her voice soft. "I’ve never seen anything like the Leviathan before."

Talon nodded, still processing everything they had faced. "Neither have I. It was ancient, part of the ocean itself. But we proved ourselves. We unlocked the power of water."

Lyra smiled, though it was faint. "You did it, Talon. You really connected with the water element back there. I saw it. The way you calmed the currents, the way the ocean responded to you—that’s incredible."

Talon felt a surge of pride at her words, but he also knew there was more to learn. Each element he had unlocked had its own strengths and mysteries, and mastering them all was still a long way off. But they were getting closer. With fire, air, earth, and now water under his control, the next step was clear—unlocking the final element: light.

"The water element was a major step forward," Talon said, glancing at Lyra. "But we’re not done yet. The corruption is still out there, spreading. And we need the power of light if we’re going to stop it."

Lyra nodded, though her expression turned thoughtful. "Light… I wonder where we’ll find it. The other elements have been tied to places—fire in the volcanic regions, air in the skies, and water in the ocean. But light… light is everywhere. How do we even begin to look for it?"

Talon’s gaze shifted to the sky, where the sun was beginning its descent toward the horizon, casting a golden glow over the ocean. "Light represents hope, life, and purity. It’s the opposite of the corruption we’ve been fighting. Wherever the corruption is strongest, that’s where we’ll find the source of light."

Lyra’s eyes widened as understanding dawned. "You think we have to go to the heart of the corruption? That’s where we’ll find the final element?"

Talon nodded. "It makes sense. Light thrives where darkness tries to consume it. The more the corruption spreads, the stronger the need for light becomes. If we’re going to stop the darkness, we need to confront it head-on."

Lyra’s face set with determination. "Then that’s where we’ll go."

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After a moment of rest, they took to the skies again, leaving the shimmering waters of the Sea of Shifting Tides behind. The wind was cool and steady, carrying them north toward the central continent where the corruption had first begun to spread. As they flew, Talon couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of anticipation. They were heading toward the heart of the enemy, where the final battle would likely take place. But with each element they unlocked, Talon felt more prepared—more in control of his power.

The journey took several days, and as they flew over the lands of the Southern Continent, the signs of the corruption became more evident. The once-lush forests were slowly turning black, the trees withering, and the rivers darkened with an unnatural, oily sheen. The air grew heavier, thick with a sense of decay and malevolence.

"This is worse than I thought," Lyra muttered, her eyes scanning the corrupted landscape below. "It’s spreading fast."

Talon felt a knot of dread form in his stomach. The corruption wasn’t just a distant threat anymore—it was actively consuming the land. Whatever darkness was behind this, it was growing stronger.

"We need to move quickly," Talon said, his voice grim. "The longer we wait, the more this spreads. We have to find the heart of the corruption and stop it before it’s too late."

They pressed on, flying over the desolate landscape, their minds focused on the task ahead. The central continent was vast, covered in dense forests, towering mountains, and sprawling plains. But as they drew closer, Talon could feel something pulling at him, a faint sense of light hidden deep within the shadows.

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

"It’s close," Talon said, his eyes narrowing as they flew toward the heart of the corrupted forest. "The light element. I can feel it."

Lyra’s gaze followed his, her wings tilting slightly as they descended toward a large clearing in the center of the forest. But as they neared the ground, a strange mist began to rise from the earth, swirling around them like tendrils of darkness. The trees here were blackened and twisted, their branches reaching out like skeletal hands. The corruption was thick, almost suffocating.

"We’re in the heart of it now," Lyra said, her voice low as she landed beside Talon in the clearing.

The moment they touched down, Talon felt a powerful surge of energy beneath the surface. It was a mix of light and darkness, two opposing forces locked in a battle for control. The ground beneath their claws trembled slightly, and the air around them crackled with energy.

"This place..." Talon muttered, his eyes scanning the clearing. "It’s where the corruption is strongest. But I can feel the light here too, hidden beneath it all."

Before he could say more, the ground suddenly split open with a violent crack, and from the earth emerged a massive figure, cloaked in shadow. Its body was twisted and deformed, its eyes glowing with an unnatural, sickly green light. The creature stood tall, towering over Talon and Lyra, its voice echoing through the clearing like a dark whisper.

"You have come far, young dragons," the creature hissed, its voice dripping with malice. "But this is where your journey ends. The corruption cannot be stopped. It will consume you, just as it has consumed this land."

Talon’s heart pounded in his chest. The creature before them was the embodiment of the corruption, a twisted manifestation of the darkness that had been spreading across the world. This was the enemy they had been searching for.

"We won’t let you destroy this world," Talon growled, his eyes blazing with determination as he stepped forward. "We’ve unlocked the power of the elements, and we’ll use them to stop you."

The creature’s eyes gleamed with amusement. "The elements? Do you think fire, air, earth, and water can stand against the darkness? They are nothing compared to the power of the void."

Lyra’s claws flexed, her wings twitching with anticipation. "The light is here, Talon. We have to find it."

Talon nodded, his mind racing. He could feel the presence of the light element, but it was buried deep beneath the corruption, hidden in the heart of the darkness. If they were going to unlock it, they would have to confront the darkness head-on.

"We have to force it out," Talon said, his voice steady. "The light is being suppressed by the corruption. We need to weaken the darkness and let the light shine through."

The creature let out a low, menacing laugh. "You are fools. The light will never rise again. The world will belong to the darkness."

Talon’s eyes hardened. "Not if we have anything to say about it."

With a fierce roar, Talon and Lyra charged at the creature, their bodies surging with the power of the elements. Fire, air, earth, and water swirled around them, creating a vortex of elemental energy as they unleashed their combined strength against the embodiment of the corruption.

The creature let out a furious howl as the elemental forces struck it, but the darkness surrounding it seemed to absorb the attack, growing stronger with each passing moment.

"It’s feeding on the elements!" Lyra shouted, her eyes wide with alarm. "We’re making it stronger!"

Talon gritted his teeth, his mind racing. The corruption was using their own power against them, growing stronger with every attack. But there had to be a way to fight it—there had to be a way to break through the darkness and reach the light.

And then, in the midst of the chaos, Talon felt it.

A faint glimmer of hope, buried deep within the darkness.

The light element.

It was weak, barely flickering, but it was there. Waiting for him to reach it.

"I can feel it!" Talon shouted, his eyes blazing with determination. "The light is still there! We just need to push through the darkness!"

Lyra nodded, her face set with fierce determination. "Let’s do it!"

With renewed strength, Talon and Lyra focused their energy, not on attacking the creature, but on breaking through the corruption. They summoned the power of the elements, channeling it into a single point, driving it into the heart of the darkness that surrounded them.

The creature howled in fury as the light began to break through, piercing the veil of darkness that had consumed the land. The air around them shimmered with golden light, and for the first time, Talon could feel the power of the light element surging through him.

The final element had been unlocked.

As the light grew stronger, the creature’s form began to waver, its dark energy unraveling under the force of the light. It let out a final, furious scream before dissolving into nothingness, its twisted body consumed by the very light it had sought to extinguish.

The clearing was silent.

Talon stood panting, his body trembling from the effort. But the light was still there, filling him with warmth and strength. The corruption had been defeated—at least for now.

"We did it," Lyra said breathlessly, her eyes wide with awe. "You unlocked the light element."

Talon smiled faintly, though he was exhausted. "Yeah. We did it."

But even as the warmth of the light filled the air, Talon knew their journey wasn’t over. The corruption had been pushed back, but it wasn’t gone. The darkness would return, and they would need every bit of the power they had unlocked to face it.

As the light of the setting sun bathed the clearing in gold, Talon and Lyra stood side by side, their eyes fixed on the horizon.

The final battle was still to come.

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End of Chapter 20.