Valeshroud stood untouched by corruption, a final bastion of light on the Western Continent. Its white stone walls gleamed beneath the late afternoon sun, reflecting golden rays across the lush fields and crystalline rivers that surrounded it.
Birds sang overhead, and the scent of lavender drifted from the wind-kissed gardens near the southern gates. Despite the looming dread of Tristan's shadow creeping across the continent, here, hope remained rooted like an ancient tree.
Shin and his party passed through the gate in silence, the weight of the last battle still lingering in their bones. Tessara walked slightly behind the others, her golden hair fluttering in the wind, and her eyes, though still clouded with remnants of blindness, held a quiet determination.
They were met by a familiar presence. Guild Master Davis stood tall in his gold and silver armor, his presence as commanding as ever. Beside him, the Fourth Talon. Yuri folded her arms, her cloak rippling gently in the breeze.
"Well, would ye look who finally made it back," Davis said, his voice thick with a warm Highland brogue. His gaze passed over each of them, settling longest on Shin. "Ye look... different. Stronger. Like ye've walked through fire an' dragged a storm behind ye."
Shin nodded. "We've been through fire. And we're not done yet."
Yuri's eyes narrowed as she looked at Laverna and then at Tessara. She approached with deliberate steps, heels clicking against the stone path.
"Laverna," she said gently. "Can we talk?"
Laverna blinked, surprised by the sudden seriousness in Yuri's tone. She nodded and stepped aside with her.
Yuri's voice lowered. "You've always been one of the strongest among us. Focused. Sharp. I thought you're going to break yourself from him? So why are you still following Shin?"
Laverna's expression didn't waver. "Because he earned it. Every bit of it. He's not perfect, but he never asked us to follow blindly. He carries the weight of leadership like it's a curse. But he still keeps going."
Yuri tilted her head slightly, her tone softening. "And the others? The girl with the fox mask and the knight princess?"
Laverna smiled faintly. "They're with him because they've seen what I've seen. Not because of what he promises, but because of what he fights for. We trust him. And that's not something I give easily."
Yuri studied her for a long moment before nodding slowly. "Alright. I believe you. But if he ever falters..."
"He won't," Laverna said firmly. "Not with us here."
Back with the others, Tessara approached the altar nestled beneath the oldest tree in Valeshroud. It was there that another relic had been hidden—a relic tied to the Kagetsu no Men. Though feared for its history, it had once been a symbol of harmony and strength, a crescent moon comb.
Tessara held it gently in her hands. The comb was chipped, blackened at the edges from residual corruption. Her ears twitched slightly as she focused, crest pulsing beneath her skin. Lunar glyphs spiraled outward from her form, curling through the grass like moonlight over water.
"You don't have to do this alone," Zera said, standing behind her. "Let me help."
Tessara shook her head. "This is something only I can purify. It was my ancestors who fell to the darkness. I will be the one to cleanse it."
She sat down, preparing herself to do the ritual. She pressed the comb to her forehead. Her form shimmered—tails unfurling behind her in full lunar bloom. The moment her magic touched the relic, the air cracked with pressure.
Silver flames erupted around her, foxfire dancing through the trees and coiling up into the sky. The ground beneath her feet glowed with a pale luminescence, and the ancient tree's bark began to absorb the magic, pulsing in rhythm with her heartbeat.
Cracks appeared on the surface of the mask, but instead of shattering, the blackness flaked away like soot, revealing the white porcelain beneath. The runes on its surface reappeared in full glory, not as warnings, but blessings.
Tessara gasped as light flooded her vision. For a brief moment, she saw the world clearly again. She saw Zera, fierce and proud, standing beside her. Laverna and Shin are in the background, both watching with unwavering faith. And she saw herself, no longer burdened by the mistakes of the past, but a beacon moving forward.
She stumbled, and Zera caught her gently.
"You did it," Zera whispered.
Tessara nodded slowly, blinking back tears. "It's not perfect. My sight's not fully back... but the darkness is gone. The bloodline is clean."
Zera helped her to her feet. "You're stronger than I thought."
Tessara smiled. "You always saw the weak girl. I just had to find the fox in me."
Shin stepped forward, crest glowing faintly on his hand. The mask trembled in his presence, drawn to his light.
Shin felt the pull of the mask. He walked towards Tessara. She closed her eyes and raised her head.
As he touched the mask, the magic stabilized, no longer volatile or reactive. The strain that had been leeching at his core lessened, and for the first time in days, he breathed without feeling the weight of collapse just behind his lungs.
Guild Master Davis approached, watching the scene with quiet reverence.
"That mask... It's part of our oldest legends. I thought it was a myth, a bedtime tale to scare the wee ones."
"It's real," Tessara said. "And it's ours now."
Shin turned to his party. "We've done what we can here. But the fight isn't over. Kharzad is waiting. Tristan is gathering power. If we delay, more lives will fall into the shadow."
Yuri narrowed her eyes. "Kharzad's terrain is deadly. The highlands are filled with mines, canyons, and monsters we've never catalogued. You'll need more than resolve."
"We have unity," Shin said. "And we have each other."
Davis offered a tight nod. "Then we'll lend ye what we can. Supplies. Information. A safehouse on the border. It's not much, but... It's somethin'."
As the sun dipped lower on the horizon, painting the sky in hues of crimson and gold, the group gathered one final time in the courtyard of the Valeshroud guildhall. Tessara, still holding the restored mask, now wore it on her hip like a ceremonial emblem. Zera adjusted her blade, and Laverna sat sharpening her jamadhars, flames flickering subtly around her fingers.
Shin stood at the center, eyes closed, letting the hum of his companions' crests wash over him. They resonated like tuning forks, echoing through his core and forming a harmony that dulled the ache of strain.
They weren't just followers. They were warriors. Family.
And together, they would march into the jaws of the storm.
As the night settled over Valeshroud, the stars above seemed brighter than before, as though the heavens themselves were watching the gathering of the defiant.
The final battle had not yet begun.
But they were ready.
And they carried the light.
Even into the deepest dark.