Location: Tavara – Dominion's Inner Sanctum, Blackstone Cliffs
The Blackstone Cliffs were not on any map.
Carved deep into the bones of Tavara's forgotten lands, the Dominion's Inner Sanctum loomed like a void in the earth. It wasn't just hidden—it was erased.
Victor stood before the monolithic gate etched with languages no longer spoken. A dozen cloaked warriors—his most trusted—flanked him. Nora, silent but focused, studied the carvings, each symbol a remnant of ancient spells.
Damien ran his gloved fingers along the edge of the gate. "We breach this, and we're in the cradle of the Dominion's power."
"Then we burn the cradle," Victor said coldly.
He stepped forward and raised his hand. Embedded beneath his skin, the Dominion imprint glowed faintly—once a mark of ownership, now a key. The gate responded, groaning open with a scream of metal and magic.
Inside, shadows moved.
The Dominion Council sat in their darkened chamber—five silhouettes draped in silk and silver, their faces hidden by ceremonial masks. Behind them, ancient constructs of war and mind-control pulsed with life.
"Welcome," said the central figure. "The traitors return to the source."
Victor entered calmly. "No more riddles. No more control. This ends tonight."
Laughter echoed.
"You think cutting off one head topples us?" another Council member mocked. "We are the architects of legacy. Your bloodlines were designed, not born."
Nora's eyes narrowed. "Then we rewrite the design."
At her signal, the walls behind them crumbled. Explosions tore through the upper levels—planted by Damien's demolition team. Chaos spread like wildfire.
Victor rushed forward, engaging the central figure in combat. Blades of light and will collided, each strike a clash of power and principle.
Nora confronted the elder seer—once her mentor. "You chose submission over truth," she spat, her hands crackling with energy. "Now pay the price."
"I gave you everything!"
"You stole everything."
She unleashed a pulse of white flame, purging the darkness around them.
Damien took the flank, securing the exit and ensuring no Council member escaped alive.
The battle was swift but brutal.
By the end, the council chamber lay in ruins—its grand symbols shattered, its thrones burning. Victor approached the final body and removed its mask.
Underneath… was no face. Just a hollow shell.
"They've transferred their minds," Damien realized grimly. "They're not truly dead."
Victor nodded. "Then we find the cores. Wherever they fled to—we'll follow."
Nora turned to him, eyes fierce. "And we end this. Not just for Tavara… but for every soul they've broken."