Chapter 17 - The Melting of the Citadel
With a deafening roar that shook the roots of the mountain, the ancient pressure valves shattered under Sunfall’s holy light.
A tidal wave of pressurized liquid magma erupted upward through the floorboards, sweeping through the support pillars of the Obsidian Citadel. The iron grates melted instantly into white-hot liquid.
Malakor screamed as the rushing wall of fire engulfed him, his dark blade Nightfall slipping from his grasp and plunging deep into the heart of the volcano, its dark magic permanently dissolved by the primordial flame.
Leo turned and sprinted up the collapsing stone staircases as the lower levels filled with molten rock. Rockfalls crashed around him, blocking his path, but the radiant energy of Sunfall carved a path through the debris.
Above ground, the entire valley was shaking violently.
Lyra, Captain Kael, and the remaining scouts watched in awe from the upper ridge as the massive Obsidian Citadel began to sink into a rising lake of lava. The invasion army below scattered in absolute panic, throwing down their weapons and fleeing into the eastern wastes as their fortress collapsed into dust and flame.
Suddenly, the volcanic grate at the base of the main tower exploded outward in a cloud of golden sparks.
A lone figure emerged from the smoke, vaulting over the falling stone pillars, and landed safely on the upper trail.
"Caelen!" Lyra yelled, rushing forward and throwing her arms around the soot-stained king.
Leo collapsed onto one knee, gasping for fresh air, his body covered in ash and minor burns, but his eyes were bright. Sunfall remained unblemished in his hand, shining with a pure, tranquil light.
The army of the Iron Sun was no more. Their fortress was destroyed, their leader gone, and their dark blade lost to the depths of the earth.
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"It's over," Kael whispered, looking at the burning ruins in the valley below.
"No," Leo said, standing up slowly and looking back toward the western horizon. "Now... we finally rebuild."
