The shadows screamed one last time, a sound that vibrated through the bones. They lashed outward, trying to tear through the bond, to reach me, to take the Eclipse itself. But the circle held, unbroken. I felt the pulse of power in my chest reach a climax, the energy surging outward in a massive wave.
The clearing exploded in light. White, gold, silver…blinding, pure. The shadows writhed, shrieked, and finally, one by one, they dissolved into nothing. Smoke, mist, and shadow energy evaporated into the night sky, leaving only the soft rustle of leaves in the wind.
I collapsed to my knees, gasping, sweat and tears mixing on my face. My body trembled from the sheer force of energy I had held, the strain burning every muscle. The relics spun gently around the edges of the clearing, their glo
