The chamber trembled as the figure rose from the obsidian throne, darkness coiling around him like living shadows. His voice echoed through the cavern, both ancient and broken.
"You seek to sever the Veil, but you do not understand what it protects."
Kael stepped forward, magic surging at his fingertips. "We understand enough. Too many lives have been lost. Too many souls trapped."
The guardian's eyes flared. "Then face the weight of eternity!"
With a sweep of his hand, the crystals surrounding the chamber burst, releasing spectral warriors bound in anguish. Riven drew his blade, clashing with the first specter, the sound of steel ringing amidst the chorus of wails. Lysara called on the elixir, hurling radiant light that dissolved the shadows around them.
Kael engaged the guardian directly, spell against spell. Energy collided in blinding flashes.
"You were once a protector," Kael shouted. "Why become a warden of despair?"
The guardian staggered, for a moment humanity flickering in his eyes. "Because I failed them. I let the curse spread. Now I must contain it… even if it costs the world."
Riven cut down another specter, yelling, "Redemption isn't in isolation—it's in action!"
Lysara poured the elixir into the heart of the chamber. Light erupted upward, striking the throne and sending a shockwave through the room. The spirits cried out—not in pain, but release.
The guardian screamed, his form unraveling. "So… this is freedom…"
As his final breath faded, the darkness shattered.
Silence fell.
And the Veil began to dissolve.