The shadows were thick inside the castle, the air heavy, carrying endless ash, as if the walls themselves were bleeding shadows, stretching across the ground like a black liquid, swallowing the light coming from Leylin's fire and Eren's winds.
The four of them advanced cautiously, Eren in the lead, the wind swirling around him in a small circle, repelling the ash. Leylin trailed behind, her flames illuminating their faces with a red glow. Rhaen and Sera trailed behind, maintaining a protective barrier against the spells and winds.
At the heart of the castle, the Great Hall appeared, its high ceiling dangling from it, black roots slowly pulsating. In the center of the hall stood a dark throne, from which billowing ash columns rose. On the throne sat the Lord of Ashes.
He was tall, his body a thick shadow swirling in black ash. His face was featureless except for two red eyes that glowed like blood. His voice was deep, as if the winds carried the sound of thousands of screams:
Finally... the Heir of the Winds and the Heir of the Fire have reached my throne.
Eren extended his hand, and the winds gathered around it. He said in a steady voice:
This is your end... We will free this world from you.
The Ash Lord laughed, the pillars of the castle shaking with his laughter, and thick ash fell from the ceiling. He said:
You cannot free what you do not understand, Heir of the Winds... Fire and Wind were never allies, but fuel for destruction... as they always have been.
Leylin advanced, firing a concentrated flame toward the throne, but it disappeared into the shadows before it could touch it. Then the Ash Lord appeared behind her, raising his hand, and the shadows grabbed her foot to pull her back.
Eren shouted, unleashing a powerful blast of wind that tore through the shadows and swiftly swept Leylin away. She fell to the ground, flames dancing around her as she gasped.
The Ash Lord looked at them, saying, "Do you know the truth? The first fire was created from my shadow, and the first wind was my breath... You two are nothing but a part of me."
Rain shouted from behind, "Don't listen to him, he's lying!"
But the Ash Lord waved his hand, and shadows rushed forward, separating Rain and Sera from Eren and Leylin, leaving the two alone before the Shadow Lord.
Eren whispered, "Leylin... together."
Leylin nodded, slowly standing up, her flame burning brightly despite her wounds, and raised her hand towards Eren. The wind and fire combined in their hands, forming a vortex of red and white light, enveloping them both.
The Ash Lord advanced, and shadows began to swirl around him, transforming into long black arms. They tried to strike them, but the whirlpool repelled them, and the hot winds burned them.
The Ash Lord shouted, "You don't understand... Fire will consume the wind, and the wind will suffocate the fire... These have been the laws since time immemorial!"
Eren replied, his eyes gleaming, "But we are the ones who will change this law."
The two of them rushed forward together, the whirlpool propelling them forward, the wind clearing the way, and the fire scorching the approaching shadows. They penetrated successive layers of darkness until they reached the Ash Lord.
Eren reached out and struck the Ash Lord's chest. The shadows cracked, revealing a dark, slowly pulsing heart. Inside were black flames swirling like a tornado.
Lylin screamed, firing a concentrated flame toward the dark heart, but the flames began to fade as they drew near, engulfed by darkness.
Eren took Leylin's hand and said, "Together... fire doesn't suffocate the wind, and the wind doesn't extinguish the fire... they protect each other."
The flame merged with the wind, unleashing a blast of light in the darkness. It struck directly at the Ash Lord's heart, causing the shadows to crack, and the hall was filled with the screams of the shadows burning.
The Ash Lord screamed. The entire castle shook, as ash fell heavily, and red and white flames danced amidst the shadows, opening cracks of light in the walls.
Eren said, his voice trembling, "The winds will cleanse this world..."
Leylin continued, her voice steady, "And the fire will light it again."
The Ash Lord sank to his knees, ash dripping from his body, his red eyes gradually fading, and the swirling fire and wind swirled around him, slowly burning the shadows away.
At that moment, Eren and Leylin felt that the fire and wind within them were no longer mere forces, but rather an extension of their souls, united for the first time without conflict.
With a final scream, the Ash Lord exploded into a cloud of shimmering ash, which spread throughout the hall and then slowly began to disappear, leaving behind a profound silence.
Eren held Leylin's hand as the wind swirled peacefully around them, the fire illuminating their faces. They gazed up at the torn ceiling, where light had first entered the Castle of Shadows.
The end of the Shadows had begun, and the reign of Fire and Wind had begun anew.