THE STORY OF LIVES

CHAPTER-10

The ground beneath Toby's feet buckled and split, sending shockwaves through the fortress as the ancient magic unraveled the fabric of the other realm. The demon's screams echoed through the chamber, its once-mighty form shrinking, collapsing in on itself as the runes drained its power. The fortress walls crumbled, and the sky above split open, revealing a swirling vortex of dark energy—the heart of the Veil itself.

Toby could barely stand, the energy of the runes nearly consuming him. His body felt like it was being torn apart, every muscle screaming in agony as he channeled the magic through his sword. But he couldn't stop now. The demon was weakened, its power broken, but it was not yet destroyed.

Summoning the last of his strength, Toby stepped toward the demon, which now lay writhing on the ground, a shadow of its former self. Its eyes, once blazing with fury, now flickered weakly, its form barely holding together. "This is for my family," Toby whispered, his voice hoarse. "For all the lives you took."

With a swift motion, Toby drove his sword into the demon's heart. The blade pierced through its chest, and for a moment, everything was still. Then, with a blinding flash of light, the demon let out one final, agonized scream before its body disintegrated into ash, scattering into the wind.

The fortress collapsed around Toby as the magic of the runes consumed the last remnants of the demon's power. The ground beneath him gave way, and Toby felt himself falling into the darkness, the energy of the Veil swirling around him. He had done it. The demon was dead, and the realm was collapsing. But as the darkness closed in, Toby knew he wouldn't be returning home.

The collapse of the Veil was both terrifying and beautiful. The swirling vortex of energy consumed everything in its path, unraveling the very fabric of the other realm. As Toby fell, he could feel the magic pulling at him, tearing at his body and soul. He had destroyed the demon, but in doing so, he had doomed himself to the same fate. There was no escape from the collapse of the Veil.

But Toby wasn't afraid. As he tumbled through the darkness, a strange sense of peace washed over him. He had avenged his family, destroyed the creature that had taken everything from him. His mission was complete. Whatever happened next, he was ready.

The darkness closed in around him, and for a moment, Toby felt as though he was floating, weightless in the void. The pain in his body faded, the noise of the collapsing realm growing distant. And then, with a final flash of light, everything went silent.

Toby drifted...into the quiet unknown, weightless and free from the burden of his past. The darkness that had surrounded him, thick and all-consuming, began to give way. Instead of endless void, there was light—soft, warm, and inviting. It was nothing like the cold, harsh energy of the Veil. This light felt pure, untouched by the darkness that had consumed so much of his life.

Toby opened his eyes—or at least, it felt like he did. He wasn't entirely sure if he still had a body or if he was just a consciousness floating in this strange new space. Wherever he was, it felt different from anything he had known. There was no pain, no fear, no anger. Only peace.

A voice—soft, gentle—called to him from the light. "You have done well, Toby. Your journey is over."

He wanted to respond, but found that he didn't need to. The voice seemed to understand him without words. It was as if all the pain, all the weight he had carried, had been lifted from his soul. In this place, he was whole again.

Toby drifted toward the light, leaving behind the horrors of the Veil, the demon, and the shattered world he had fought so hard to protect. There was no going back, but that was okay. He had finally found peace.

The battle was over.

The darkness was gone.

And Toby was free.