Chapter 7 - The Battle of the Sun-Forge
Chaos erupted across the mountain sanctuary.
"Protect the hearth!" Kael roared, brandishing a massive war-hammer that glowed white-hot with forge-fire. He swept through the enemy lines, slamming his hammer into the earth and sending shockwaves of flame that blew back the shadow-knights.
Aria moved like a flash of silver and sun-gold. Her new armor moved effortlessly with her body. She parried dark blades with lethal precision, her training with Kael paying off as she struck down three assassins trying to flank their archery line.
"Find the Princess!" the commander of the Shadow Guard yelled, unleashing a dark, tendriled hex toward Aria.
Kael leaped between them, catching the dark spell with his war-hammer. The dark magic crackled against the holy steel, but the force of the blast sent Kael skidding across the stone floor.
A sinister shadow-assassin crept up behind Kael, drawing a jagged dagger coated in purple poison—Aethel-blade.
"Kael! Watch out!" Aria screamed.
She lunged forward, but she was too far. The assassin plunged the poisoned dagger deep into Kael's side.
Kael gasped, collapsing to his knees as dark, black veins instantly began spreading across his chest.
Across the battlefield, Aria felt a agonizing, ice-cold agony tear through her heart. The blood-bond flared violently. She fell to her hands and knees, black lines creeping up her own neck as Kael’s life force began to drain.
"Kael!" she shrieked.
Driven by pure desperation and love, Aria forced herself up. She sprinted toward the main Sun-Forge anvil, where the eternal holy hearth burned dim. Legend said only royal blood willingly sacrificed could awaken the dormant Sun-Flame to purge dark poison.
Aria drew her dagger and sliced her palm, slamming her bleeding hand onto the sacred hearth altar.
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"Hear me, ancient spirits!" Aria cried out, her voice resounding with absolute authority. "I offer my blood not to rule, but to save the man I love! Awaken!"
A blinding column of golden fire erupted from the forge, vaulting into the sky.
