The night was eerily silent as Selene and her team fled the burning fortress. Smoke billowed into the sky, blotting out the stars. The distant shouts of Saren's remaining soldiers echoed behind them, but they didn't stop.
Not until they were deep within the forest.
Selene leaned against a tree, pressing a hand to her ribs. Every breath sent a sharp pain through her chest, but she ignored it. Cassius crouched beside her, scanning the darkness for any sign of pursuit.
Orion wiped blood from his blade. "He got away."
Selene exhaled sharply. "I know."
Riven crossed their arms. "We burned his fortress to the ground. That has to count for something."
Selene met their gaze. "Not if he rebuilds."
Orion frowned. "You think he'll retreat?"
"No." Selene straightened. "Saren doesn't run. He's regrouping. And when he comes back, he'll be stronger."
Cassius ran a hand through his hair. "Then we hit him first."
Orion sighed. "With what army?"
Silence fell over them. The truth was, they were running out of time—and options.
As dawn broke, they reached a secluded glade where they could rest. The golden light filtered through the trees, casting long shadows on the ground.
Selene sat apart from the others, staring at the horizon.
The fight with Saren had shaken her. He was faster than she'd expected, stronger. If she had been just a second slower, she would have been dead.
Was she strong enough to stop him?
Cassius sat beside her, his usual smirk absent. "You're thinking too much again."
She huffed a small laugh. "Hard not to."
"You did everything right back there."
Selene sighed. "Did I? He still escaped."
Cassius nudged her shoulder. "Yeah, but you made him bleed. That's more than anyone else has done."
She turned to him, searching his face for doubt. There was none.
"He's afraid of you, Selene." Cassius smirked. "And that means we have a chance."
By midday, they had regrouped. Orion spread out a map on the ground.
"We need allies." His voice was firm. "Saren's forces are growing. We can't take him alone."
Selene traced a path along the map. "There's one place we haven't tried."
Cassius frowned. "You can't be serious."
Selene met his gaze. "The Shadowborn."
Riven whistled. "That's bold."
Orion rubbed his temples. "The Shadowborn are mercenaries. They don't fight for free."
Selene's jaw tightened. "Then we give them something they can't refuse."
Cassius exhaled. "This is a bad idea."
Selene stood. "It's our only one."
As the sun dipped below the horizon, they set off.
Saren was still out there. And this time, she wouldn't let him escape.
The final battle was coming.
And Selene intended to win.