High above the Elf Palace, the sky that once consumed by the ominous swirling vortex began to change. The dark clouds that had blotted out the sun for so long seemed to hesitate in their relentless churning. The once deafening roar of the vortex softened, the storm's rage slowly beginning to abate.
The Elves who had been watching in helpless despair, now stared up in awe and confusion. The impossible seemed to be happening—the vortex was slowing down.
Aurdis stood by the grand window, her heart hammering in her chest as she watched the scene. Her sapphire eyes were filled with fear, hope, and an overwhelming sense of dread. Her hands, trembling slightly, were clasped tightly in front of her chest as if in prayer.
She knew what was happening above. She knew that somewhere within that dark maelstrom Erend and Eccar were fighting with everything they had, pushing back against the very force of destruction itself.
Her bond with Erend allowed her to feel his presence, distant yet familiar, a beacon of warmth amidst the cold chaos. But she could also feel the immense struggle he was enduring.
A tear slipped down her cheek, followed by another, her fears manifesting in silent sobs. She pressed a hand to her lips trying to stifle the sound but the tears continued to flow. She had seen Erend face impossible odds before, but this... this was different. The Great Calamity was unlike anything they had ever encountered.
What if he...?
Aurdis couldn't bear to finish the thought.
As she stood there with her vision blurred by tears, she felt a gentle hand on her shoulder. She turned her head slightly to see Aerchon standing beside her. His face was set in a grim expression, but his eyes held a reassuring warmth. An expression that Aerchon rarely showed to her, or anyone else.
He gently squeezed her shoulder, offering her the comfort that only a sibling could provide.
With a powerful surge of energy, Eccar called upon the Earth once more. Massive stone spikes erupted from the ground below, spearing upward and crashing into the tendrils, shattering them like brittle glass. The ground beneath them trembled.
Yet the mass of energy was relentless. The tendrils kept coming, faster and more furious, their movements almost frenzied as they fought to keep Eccar away from their source. The black and red energy crackled and hissed.
He cast a glance back at Erend, who was still locked in battle with the remaining tendrils to keep him safe. Erend's body was a blur of fire and lightning, his movements a symphony of destruction as he tore through the dark energy with unrelenting fury. His presence driving Eccar to push even harder.
With a loud cry Eccar pushed himself forward. His entire being radiating with the energy of the Earth. He streaked toward the core like a comet.
The tendrils that tried to intercept him were incinerated on contact, disintegrating in the face of his overwhelming power. And then, with one final lunge, Eccar reached the core.
The mass of energy seemed to convulse as he made contact, the vortex shuddering violently. Eccar's hand, glowing with the force of the Earth, slammed into the core with all the strength he could muster.
BOOM!
The impact sent a shockwave rippling outward, the ground beneath them buckling as the energy recoiled from the blow.
For a moment, everything went still.
The swirling energy around the core froze in place, the tendrils that had been so aggressive moments before now hanging limply in the air. The red and black energy dimmed, its once vibrant glow fading as if drained of its power.
Eccar pressed his hand deeper into the core. He could feel the resistance, the dark force pushing back against him but he didn't relent. He knew that this is not over yet.