The final blow echoed like a thunderclap.
Elira's silver flame pierced the Warden's mirrored mask, shattering it into a thousand shards that dissolved before they touched the ground. Kael drove his blade through the Warden's chest at the same time, anchoring the dying soul in place.
For a moment, silence.
Then the name "Liorak" echoed from the crumbling walls—as if the fortress itself whispered it in death.
The Warden was gone.
And with him, a curse broke.
The floating names in the air—millions of forgotten souls—burned briefly with silver light, then vanished like stars at dawn.
Elira fell to her knees.
Kael caught her before she touched the floor.
"I'm okay," she whispered. "Just tired."
Riven stared at the crumbling throne behind them. "That… was not just a warden. That was a judge."
Kael narrowed his eyes. "Then who was the executioner?"
---
Escape Isn't Freedom
The door behind the throne opened fully now—no longer guarded by black fire or illusion.
A narrow stone bridge stretched across a vast chasm.
On the other side: light. Real, warm daylight. Trees, wind, and the sound of birds.
Kael stared at it in disbelief.
He had been in Black Hollow for so long… he had forgotten the world outside.
Riven muttered, "It's a trick."
Elira stood beside them. "No. It's freedom."
Kael helped her walk across the bridge. Step by step.
Riven hesitated before following. "What if this was their plan all along?"
Kael didn't answer.
He had no energy for paranoia.
But he kept his sword drawn anyway.
---
Beyond the Hollow
When they reached the other side, they collapsed in the grass.
Real dirt.
Real sky.
Elira cried softly—joy and grief tangled together.
Kael lay beside her, one hand brushing hers.
They didn't speak for a long time.
Eventually, Riven returned from scouting ahead.
"There's a village nearby," he said. "Unmarked. Hidden. Maybe survivors live there. Maybe not."
Kael sat up. "We'll go. Elira needs rest. And I need information."
Riven hesitated. "There's something else."
He handed Kael a torn page—old parchment, ink still drying.
At the top, it read:
> "Decree of the Red Creed."
And at the bottom, a name Kael hadn't heard in years:
> "Lord Commander Rath Veylor."
Kael's heart turned cold.
"He's alive?"
Riven nodded. "He never died. He faked it. And he runs the Creed now."
Kael stood slowly.
His voice calm. Icy.
> "Then the list isn't done yet."
---
The Red Road Begins
That night, around a campfire outside the Hollow, Kael made a new list.
One name burned in red at the top.
Rath Veylor.
Elira watched him write it. "You're not done with revenge."
"I'll never be done," he said softly. "Not until the last name dies."
To be continue...