KAEL POV
I watched Kaelith—ancient, noble, impossibly old—step into the Void.
The dragon's vast form dissolved into the emptiness, becoming part of the seal. Golden light blazed where it had been, the breach shrinking visibly.
But not fast enough.
Through my Reborn senses, I could calculate exactly what was needed. Could feel the mathematics of dimensional barriers and life force and sacrifice with crystal clarity.
Kaelith's essence had sealed approximately sixty percent of the breach. The remaining forty percent continued to spread, Void creatures still pouring through, still consuming reality.
One more Reborn sacrifice would seal it completely.
One more soul woven into the dimensional barrier, making it permanent.
I looked at Elara.
She was staring at where Kaelith had vanished, tears streaming down her face. Through our Merge, I felt her grief, her gratitude, her desperate hope that maybe—just maybe—the ancient dragon's sacrifice would be enough.
