A deafening roar split the air as the Abyss surged to life. The shadows writhed, stretching like monstrous tendrils, coiling around Lucian and Selene with terrifying speed. The very walls trembled, the dark energy rippling through the air like a silent scream.
Lucian barely had time to react before Alistair flicked his wrist, sending a spear of black energy hurtling toward him. Instinct took over—he twisted to the side, feeling the searing heat of the dark magic as it grazed past him, shattering the stone wall behind him.
"Stay close to me!" he shouted to Selene, his sword igniting in a brilliant blaze of crimson fire.
But Selene had already moved, her instincts sharper than ever. With a fluid motion, she raised her hands, summoning a burst of frost-laced energy that shot toward Alistair. The ice crackled as it surged forward, but before it could strike, Alistair extended his hand, and the ice shattered midair, as if an unseen force had crushed it.
"Futile," Alistair murmured, shaking his head. "You still don't understand, do you?"
The Abyss around them pulsed violently, the shadows deepening. Lucian's grip tightened on his blade. He could feel the Abyss now—not just around him, but inside him, whispering to him, luring him with promises of strength. It wanted to break him. To consume him.
But he would not bow.
With a roar, he lunged at Alistair, his sword cutting through the darkness like a beacon of defiance. Alistair parried with effortless grace, the clash of their blades sending sparks flying. Their movements were a blur—Lucian striking with relentless fury, Alistair countering with precise, measured skill.
Selene moved like a ghost between them, dodging the tendrils of shadow that lashed out at her. She knew they couldn't keep this up. The Abyss was feeding Alistair, making him stronger with every passing second.
And then it happened.
The ground beneath them cracked open. A monstrous force erupted from the depths—a vortex of pure darkness, spiraling upward with an ear-piercing shriek. It wasn't just an attack. It was the Abyss itself, rising to devour them.
Lucian and Selene barely had time to leap aside before the shadows consumed the spot where they had stood.
Alistair laughed, stepping forward as if the battle had already been won. "The Abyss has chosen me, Lucian. It doesn't resist me. It embraces me."
Lucian wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his eyes blazing with determination. "Then you're a fool," he spat. "Because you don't control the Abyss—it controls you."
For the first time, something flickered in Alistair's gaze. Uncertainty. Doubt. But it was gone as quickly as it had come.
Selene took her chance.
She lifted both hands, summoning the full force of her power. Ice and fire surged together in an unnatural harmony, a whirlwind of destruction aimed directly at Alistair. The sheer force of it made the Abyss recoil, the shadows pulling away as if in fear.
Alistair barely had time to raise a shield before the attack struck. The explosion sent him skidding backward, his cloak torn, his expression twisting with rage.
Lucian saw the opening. He didn't hesitate.
He moved like lightning, his blade cutting through the thick air as he closed the distance. Alistair raised his sword to counter, but this time, Lucian was faster. Their blades met, but Lucian twisted at the last second, driving his knee into Alistair's ribs.
A sharp grunt of pain escaped Alistair's lips as he staggered back.
For the first time, he looked vulnerable.
For the first time, he looked afraid.
Selene landed beside Lucian, her eyes gleaming with cold fire. "This ends now."
The Abyss howled in protest, the darkness lashing out wildly, but Lucian and Selene stood their ground. They weren't just fighting Alistair anymore. They were fighting the Abyss itself.
But together, they would win.
Because together, they were unstoppable.