The battlefield trembled beneath Kael's feet.
Half of his aura burned with brilliant white light.
The other half radiated an endless black.
The two energies didn't fight each other.
They moved together.
For the first time, Kael wasn't suppressing one side of himself.
He was controlling both.
Eclipse watched silently.
Then he smiled.
"So you've finally accepted it."
Kael raised his eyes.
"I accepted myself."
Eclipse's smile widened.
"Then let's see how long that lasts."
He lifted one hand.
The darkness behind him exploded.
A wave of black energy swept across the battlefield.
The Architects immediately formed a massive barrier.
The Devourer fleets retreated.
Even the Harbinger raised every shield it possessed.
The attack struck.
BOOM!
The barrier shattered.
Thousands of Architects were thrown from the sky.
The First World shook violently.
Kael stepped forward.
White and black energy gathered around his fists.
He punched the air.
A shockwave tore through Eclipse's darkness.
The two forces collided above the battlefield.
For the first time...
Eclipse moved backward.
Kael's eyes narrowed.
"You're not invincible."
Eclipse laughed.
"Neither are you."
He disappeared.
Kael's instincts screamed.
He turned.
Eclipse appeared directly behind him.
A black blade formed in his hand.
It struck Kael across the chest.
Kael flew through the air and crashed into a mountain.
"Kael!" Lyra shouted.
Dust covered the battlefield.
Eclipse turned toward the Guardians.
"Your hero isn't ready."
A massive shadow gathered above them.
Before he could attack—
The Harbinger appeared.
Arion stood inside its Core chamber.
"You're going to have to go through me first."
The Harbinger's blue eyes ignited.
It raised its enormous fist.
Eclipse caught it with one hand.
The ground beneath them cracked.
Arion gritted his teeth.
"You're stronger than before."
Eclipse smiled.
"So are you."
He threw the Harbinger backward.
It crashed into the ground.
Then—
A white-and-black explosion erupted from the mountain.
Kael emerged.
Blood covered his face.
But he was smiling.
Eclipse looked at him.
"Why are you smiling?"
Kael wiped the blood from his mouth.
"Because I finally understand."
"Understand what?"
Kael's aura intensified.
"You've been trying to make me choose."
"Light or darkness."
"Creation or destruction."
"But that's the mistake."
Eclipse's expression changed.
Kael raised both hands.
White energy gathered in one.
Black energy gathered in the other.
"I don't have to choose."
He brought both hands together.
The energies merged.
A completely new power erupted across the sky.
Not white.
Not black.
Something beyond both.
Aetherion stared in disbelief.
"The balance..."
Nox appeared above the battlefield.
For the first time, even the First Devourer looked stunned.
"He found it."
Eclipse's smile disappeared.
Kael looked directly at him.
"You wanted to know if I was still the monster I used to be."
He stepped forward.
"I'm not."
"I decide what my power means."
The new energy surged outward.
Eclipse raised both hands to defend himself.
The impact shook the universe.
Stars flickered back into existence.
The darkness around the First World began to retreat.
But deep inside Eclipse...
Something else awakened.
His body cracked.
A second voice escaped from within him.
"Enough."
Eclipse froze.
Kael's eyes widened.
That voice wasn't Eclipse's.
It was older.
And much more terrifying.
The creature inside Eclipse slowly opened its eyes.
And whispered—
"My turn."