The Dawn of a New Era
The silence that followed Elias Thorne's unmaking was not a void, but a profound, resonant hum. It was the sound of the world breathing a sigh of relief, of essence returning to its natural flow. In the hidden cavern behind the Whispering Cascades, Kieran collapsed beside Lyra, his body utterly drained, his mind a hollow echo of the immense power he had just channeled. His heart, however, was full. The crushing weight of Elias's presence, the constant pressure of his psychic assault, was gone.
He pulled Lyra into his arms, their forms collapsing together on the smooth, cool stone. The obsidian orb, now a quiet, inert stone once more, fell from her hand and rolled to a stop nearby. The golden glow that had surrounded Lyra faded, and she finally, truly, rested. The fa
