The Ancient Prophecy Unfolds

Thalor remained unconscious, his breathing shallow but steady. Lyra sat beside him, her heart heavy with the weight of their situation. She had pulled him back from the brink of the Void’s full control, but the battle had left her exhausted, her powers strained. The healer, who now sat across from them, seemed lost in thought, her gaze fixed on the dying embers in the hearth.

“What are we supposed to do now?” Lyra finally asked, her voice hoarse from fatigue and worry.

The healer looked up, her eyes hardening with a grim resolve. "The artifact is still out there, and without it, Alekos’s followers can’t fully restore him. That is our only advantage. You need to act fast."

Lyra nodded. She knew time was not on their side. The longer the artifact was in the enemy's hands, the closer they were to Alekos’s return. And with Thalor still weakened from his encounter with the Void, they couldn't afford to wait.

Suddenly, a sharp knock on the door echoed through the small cottage, making both women freeze. Lyra instinctively reached for the dagger strapped to her waist, her body tensing in readiness. The healer exchanged a look with her before rising slowly to answer.

As the door creaked open, a familiar face stepped inside—Vala, one of their most trusted allies and a skilled warrior. Her usually calm demeanor was marred with urgency, and Lyra could sense the weight of bad news even before she spoke.

"We have a problem," Vala said, her voice low but laced with tension. "Alekos’s followers have regrouped. They’ve managed to activate part of the artifact."

Lyra shot to her feet. "What? How?"

Vala shook her head. "I don’t know the details yet, but it’s worse than we anticipated. They’re planning to use the artifact to summon something—something powerful from the Void."

The words sent a chill down Lyra’s spine. The Void’s power was already dangerous enough, but if Alekos’s followers were trying to summon an entity from its depths, it could mean disaster for their world.

"We need to move quickly," Lyra said, glancing back at Thalor. He still hadn’t woken up, and she could feel the pull of the Void lingering around him like a dark cloud. But they didn’t have time to wait for him to fully recover.

The healer stepped forward, her expression serious. "He can’t go with you in this state. If he tries to fight now, the Void will claim him again."

Lyra clenched her fists, frustration gnawing at her. "Then what can I do? I can’t leave him here, and I can’t fight this alone."

The healer hesitated for a moment before speaking again. "There is a way to strengthen his connection to the mortal realm, but it’s dangerous. It involves binding your life force to his, creating a shared tether that could stabilize him… at least temporarily."

Lyra’s eyes widened. A life-force bond was not something to take lightly. It would tie her fate to Thalor’s in a way that could not be undone. If one of them died, the other would soon follow. But if it meant keeping him alive and giving them a chance to stop Alekos’s followers, she knew she had to do it.

"How do we begin?" she asked, determination in her voice.

The healer gathered a set of ancient runes and a small blade, gesturing for Lyra to kneel beside Thalor. "This will require both of your consent. Once I begin the ritual, he will be drawn into it. You must be ready."

Lyra nodded, her heart racing. She took Thalor’s hand in hers, squeezing it gently. "I know you can hear me," she whispered. "We’ve come too far to lose now. I need you with me, Thalor. We’re going to do this together."

The healer murmured an incantation, and the air in the room grew thick with ancient magic. The runes glowed faintly as the healer began to trace them along Lyra and Thalor’s arms. As the magic took hold, Lyra felt a strange pull deep within her chest, like a thread connecting her soul to his. It was faint at first, but it quickly grew stronger, and soon she could feel his presence more clearly than ever before.

Thalor’s eyes fluttered open, his breath catching as the bond formed between them. His gaze found hers, and for a brief moment, all the fear and uncertainty faded away. He was with her, truly with her, and together they would face whatever came next.

“I’m sorry I kept the truth from you,” Thalor whispered, his voice weak but filled with emotion. “I never wanted you to get pulled into this.”

Lyra shook her head, tears stinging her eyes. “You don’t have to apologize. We’re in this together, remember?”

The bond solidified, and Lyra felt a surge of strength flow between them. Thalor’s breathing steadied, and the dark sheen that had coated his skin began to fade. He was still connected to the Void, but the bond had anchored him to the mortal realm, giving them both the power they needed to continue.

Vala cleared her throat, breaking the moment of quiet between them. “We have to move. The enemy won’t wait.”

Lyra stood, her resolve hardening. "Then we won’t wait either. Let’s end this."

With Thalor now stable, the three of them left the cottage and ventured back into the war-torn city. Smoke still rose from the buildings that had been destroyed in the earlier battle, and the streets were eerily quiet, the usual bustle of life replaced by the looming threat of war.

As they approached the outskirts, Vala stopped and pointed to the horizon. "They’re gathering near the ancient temple ruins. That’s where they plan to complete the ritual."

Lyra’s heart sank. The temple was a place of immense power, and if Alekos’s followers managed to summon a Void entity there, it could spell disaster for everyone.

Thalor stepped forward, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. "We’ll need to stop them before they can finish the ritual. Once they’ve summoned the entity, it will be too late."

Lyra nodded, her eyes narrowing with determination. They had faced impossible odds before, and they had survived. This would be no different.

But as they neared the temple, a strange energy filled the air, and Lyra felt a familiar, ominous presence. Her heart raced as she realized what it was.

The Void wasn’t just lingering—it was watching.

And it was waiting for them.

As they approached the temple ruins, the ground trembled beneath their feet, and a towering figure emerged from the shadows. It wasn’t Alekos. It was something much worse—a creature from the depths of the Void, summoned to unleash chaos.

Lyra and Thalor exchanged a glance, their bond pulsing with shared determination.