Page 68 of Shattered Crown

“The ritual wasn't meant to defeat the Shadowblight,” Silas explained, his voice weak but steady. “It was designed to weaken it, to make it vulnerable for what comes next.”

Nathaniel looked at him in surprise. “How did you know? We deliberately kept the true purpose from you both.”

“I've studied enough ancient texts,” Silas said, a faint smile touching his lips. “When I began the ritual, I could hear its true essence whispering to me. The words had a double meaning—one for binding, one for weakening. I felt what it was truly meant to do.”

Elandor nodded, impressed. “The true ritual requires preparation we didn't have time for. This was necessary to create an opening.”

The Shadowblight recovered quickly, surging back toward them with renewed fury. Sebastian rose as well, his body now completely consumed by the entity, flesh rippling with darkness as he moved with inhuman speed.

“You think your little trick changes anything?” Sebastian's voice layered with the entity's ancient malice. “I am evolution itself. The natural progression of power over weakness.”

Their battle resumed with even greater intensity. Sebastian fought with the Shadowblight's full strength, reality warping around his strikes. Thorne countered desperately, but this fusion of human ambition and ancient corruption proved devastatingly powerful.

Thorne felt Silas's determination despite his exhaustion. The ritual had taken much of his strength, but it had accomplished its purpose. The Shadowblight, though still powerful, now bore a vulnerability that hadn't existed before.

“Thorne!” Silas called out, gathering his remaining strength. “We can't destroy it yet. We need to contain it until we're ready!”

The Shadowblight laughed through Sebastian's throat. “Contain me? I am in everything now. Every shadow, every doubt, every whispered fear.”

Thorne managed to break away from Sebastian, reaching Silas's side. Together they raised their hands, channeling their combined power. Their energies merged, creating a barrier of pure light and forest magic that pushed back against the Shadowblight's influence, creating a bubble of clarity in the chaos.

“You cannot win,” it declared through Sebastian. “I am the consequence of your failures, the price of broken trust. As long as betrayal exists, I exist.”

In that moment, the Shadowblight made a tactical decision. Rather than risk everything in direct confrontation, it began to withdraw, pulling its essence from the battlefield while maintaining its hold on Sebastian.

“This isn't over,” it promised as Sebastian's form began to blur and shift. “I'll return when your alliance fractures, when your love falters, when doubt creeps back into your hearts.”

Sebastian's body dissolved into living shadow, racing away from the valley faster than anyone could pursue. The corrupted forces, suddenly leaderless, began to scatter or surrender.

Thorne and Silas stood together in the aftermath, the Sword of Balance still humming between them. They had survived, had protected the valley, but the true enemy had escaped.

When the dust settled, the valley had changed, but not in the dramatic way they'd hoped. The Shadowblight's influence had retreated but not vanished. Dark patches remained in the soil, and some of the corrupted guardians still struggled against lingering shadow magic.

At the circle's center, Thorne wavered on his feet, his form flickering dangerously between solid and incorporeal. The battle had drained him beyond anything he'd experienced, and maintaining physical cohesion required constant effort.

“You need rest,” Silas said, supporting most of Thorne's weight. “Real rest, not just a few minutes of meditation.”

“Can't,” Thorne managed through gritted teeth. “The valley needs cleansing. The corrupted guardians...”

“Will be handled by others,” Nathaniel interrupted firmly, approaching with a pronounced limp. The elder Ashworth had been injured in the battle but remained standing, his eyes sharp despite obvious pain. “You've done enough, guardian. More than enough.”

Nathaniel studied Thorne's flickering form with concern. “The Shadowblight's attacks were designed specifically to destabilize guardian essences. You took the brunt of that assault protecting Silas. If you don't allow yourself to recover properly, you risk permanent dissolution.”

“Listen to him,” Silas urged. “Please.”

Their allies gathered slowly, victory feeling hollow. Queen Mab's expression showed cold calculation as she reassessed the situation. The frost fey had upheld their bargain, but the incomplete resolution complicated matters.

“The agreement stands,” Mab declared, though her tone carried threat. “But know this—if the Shadowblight returns to these lands, the Winter Court will take measures to protect itself, regardless of your alliances.”

She swept away with her retinue, leaving frost patterns in her wake.

“Charming as always,” Kai muttered, appearing at Silas's other side. “So, what's the plan? Because our guardian here looks like he's about to discorporate, and that's generally bad for morale.”

Nathaniel gestured toward an ancient heart tree at the valley's center, its massive trunk hollowed by centuries of guardian magic. “The Heart Sanctum. It's the only place strong enough to shield us while we recover our strength. Ancient guardians used it during the First Convergence.”

The journey to the Heart Sanctum proved arduous. Thorne's form continued to destabilize, requiring frequent stops as Silas helped him maintain cohesion. Each time Thorne flickered, Silas felt echoes of pain through their bond.

“Talk to me,” Silas urged during one particularly bad episode. “Stay focused on my voice.”

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