Right after the battle, the ground shuddered as if exhaling its last breath. A second portal cracked open in the air, spilling pale light across the ruins. Mirellith and Kalidor emerged from its glow, weapons still drawn, hoping they weren’t too late. But the Stranger was already gone — only drifting dust and fading footprints remained. They moved quickly, searching the scattered gear he had left behind. Kalidor pushed aside torn fabric and broken vials until his hand brushed cold metal... The talisman. Mirellith let out a slow breath, relief softening the tension in her shoulders. At least that part of their mission hadn’t been for nothing. With a final glance at the empty horizon, they gathered what they could and prepared to leave. Before they set off, the nameless one spoke. "I have already fought against the stranger." Suddenly, there was a tense silence. The voice of the nameless one cut through the silence like a sharp sword. "I have recognized him..... He is....---.... the Shadowmaster."
