The dust settles around Elorin and Rhylen as the echoes of their battle with Varkos fade into the silence of the ancient ruins. The air is still thick with the residual energy from the relic's power, and Elorin can feel the weight of its magic pressing down on her, lingering like a warning. They may have forced Varkos to retreat, but they both know he'll return—stronger, more determined than ever.

"We don't have much time," Rhylen mutters, his voice low as he moves deeper into the central chamber of Lorithas's tower. "Varkos won't stay away for long. We need to find something—anything—that can tell us how to stop him."

Elorin nods, though her heart is still racing from the confrontation. The relic's pulse has slowed in her hand, its light dimming after the burst of energy she had unleashed. But even as it quiets, she can feel a faint hum of magic within it, as if it's waiting for the next command—waiting for her to use it again.

They move swiftly through the chamber, their footsteps echoing off the stone walls. The room is vast, filled with crumbling shelves and piles of old books and scrolls, each covered in a thick layer of dust. The scholars of Lorithas had stored their most ancient knowledge here, locked away from the world for centuries. Somewhere in this forgotten place, the answers they seek are hidden.

Rhylen pulls a scroll from one of the shelves, carefully unrolling it. His brow furrows as he scans the faded script. "This speaks of old magic—rituals that could control time and space. But nothing about the relic."

Elorin moves to another shelf, her fingers brushing over the spines of the old books. "We need something about the door. Something that can tell us how to close it once it's been opened."

Her hands tremble slightly as she pulls a heavy tome from the shelf and flips it open. The pages are yellowed with age, but the text is clear, written in the flowing script of ancient scholars. As she reads, her heart sinks. It's a treatise on old magic, the kind used to bind the relic's power, but there's no mention of the door between worlds. No mention of how to stop what's coming.

"Keep looking," Rhylen urges, his voice tense. "There has to be something here."

Elorin flips through the book faster, her eyes scanning the pages, desperate for any clue. But the more she reads, the more hopeless it feels. The door is opening, the crack in the valley growing wider with every passing moment, and they're running out of time.

Just as despair starts to creep in, her eyes land on a passage near the end of the tome. Her breath catches as she reads the words, her pulse quickening.

"Rhylen," she says, her voice barely above a whisper. "I found something."

He's at her side in an instant, his eyes narrowing as he looks over her shoulder at the text. "What is it?"

Elorin's hands tremble as she reads aloud. "'The door between worlds, forged by ancient hands, can only be sealed by the one who holds the relic. The keys unlock its power, but the final key… the final key is the key of blood.'"

Rhylen stiffens, his jaw tightening. "The key of blood?"

Elorin nods, her heart pounding. "It says here that the final key isn't just an object. It's a sacrifice. The one who wields the relic must offer a part of themselves to seal the door forever."

Rhylen's eyes darken as the weight of the words settles over them. "A blood sacrifice."

Elorin's throat tightens as she rereads the passage. She knew the relic held great power, but the idea that she might have to sacrifice something—maybe even her own life—to stop the door from opening fully is almost too much to bear.

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"Are you sure?" Rhylen asks, his voice strained.

Elorin nods slowly. "It's right here. The relic can seal the door, but it requires a blood offering. My blood."

Rhylen clenches his fists, anger and frustration simmering beneath his calm exterior. "There has to be another way. This can't be the only option."

But even as he says the words, they both know the truth. The door is already opening, and the final key is needed to close it. If they don't act soon, the power beyond the door will pour into their world, unstoppable.

"Elorin, no," Rhylen says, his voice firm. "We'll find another way."

She looks up at him, her chest tightening. "There might not be another way. If I don't do this… if we don't stop the door from opening… everything will be lost."

Rhylen's jaw tightens, and for a moment, he says nothing. The silence between them is heavy, filled with unspoken fear. Elorin knows what he's thinking—what he doesn't want to say. He doesn't want to lose her. Not now. Not after everything they've been through.

But Elorin also knows that this is bigger than both of them. Bigger than any one person. If the relic's power is the only thing that can seal the door, then she has to do what's necessary. No matter the cost.

"I won't let you die for this," Rhylen says, his voice hard with determination.

Elorin swallows hard, her throat dry. "It might be the only way."

Before Rhylen can respond, the ground trembles again, more violently this time. The walls of the tower groan under the pressure, and dust falls from the ceiling. Outside, the crack in the valley is widening, the dark energy swirling faster and more chaotically.

"Varkos is making his move," Rhylen mutters, his eyes flashing with urgency. "He's trying to open the door completely."

Elorin's pulse races. They're running out of time.

"We need to get to the door," she says, her voice steady despite the fear gnawing at her. "If I can use the relic to seal it, we can stop Varkos before he unleashes whatever lies beyond."

Rhylen hesitates, his eyes searching hers. "And if you're wrong? What if sealing the door kills you?"

Elorin holds his gaze, her heart heavy. "Then it's a risk I have to take."

The tension between them is thick, but Rhylen doesn't argue. He knows there's no time for debate. They have to act, and they have to act now.

"Fine," he says, his voice low. "But I'm not leaving your side. Whatever happens, we face it together."

Elorin nods, grateful for his unwavering loyalty. "Together."

With renewed determination, they turn and leave the tower, their footsteps echoing through the ancient halls as they make their way back to the valley. The wind howls through the ruins, carrying with it the scent of magic and impending doom. The crack in the earth looms ahead, the dark energy pouring from it like a living thing, writhing and twisting as it climbs toward the sky.

And there, at the center of the crack, stands Varkos.

His dark cloak billows in the wind, and his eyes gleam with malevolent delight as he watches the fissure grow. The shadows swirl around him, alive with power, and the air crackles with the weight of ancient magic.

"You're too late," Varkos says, his voice filled with triumph. "The door is opening, and soon, the power beyond will be mine."

Elorin steps forward, holding the relic high. Its symbols pulse with a faint golden light, and she can feel its power stirring, waiting to be unleashed.

"We're not too late," she says, her voice steady despite the fear coursing through her veins. "I can still stop you."

Varkos's smile widens. "You think the relic can stop me? You don't even understand what it truly is."

Elorin's heart pounds in her chest, but she doesn't back down. She knows what she has to do. The final key is her. The relic's power is hers to control, and if it means stopping Varkos, she's ready to pay the price.

As the ground trembles beneath them and the dark energy swirls faster, Elorin takes a deep breath and steps closer to the crack. The relic pulses in her hand, the warmth growing stronger, more intense. She can feel its power building, waiting for her command.

"Varkos," she says, her voice filled with resolve. "This ends now."

With a surge of will, she channels the relic's power, and the golden light bursts forth, flooding the valley with brilliance. The shadows recoil, hissing and writhing as the light drives them back.

Varkos's eyes widen in shock, his expression twisting with fury. "No!"

Elorin steps closer to the crack, the relic's light growing brighter with each step. She can feel the pull of the door, the power it holds, but she doesn't waver.

"I won't let you win," she whispers, her voice filled with quiet determination.

And with that, she plunges the relic into the heart of the fissure, releasing its full power.

The light explodes outward, blinding and all-consuming, as the door between worlds begins to close.