The colossal shape continued to push through the giant portal, its body made of swirling darkness and distant stars.
The air grew heavy and cold as the Void Herald fully emerged, towering over the ruined camp like a living nightmare.
The Fourfold Vessel stood motionless for a moment, its four-colored eyes fixed on the Herald.
Then it raised one hand and commanded, "Serve us."
The Herald slowly knelt, its starry form bowing to the Vessel.
Lira's heart sank.
She whispered, "Kai… please… you have to fight them."
Mira stood beside her, fists clenched even though she had no cards left.
She shouted toward the Vessel, "Kai! We know you are still in there! Do not let them win!"
The Vessel turned its head toward the two girls.
Its voice was a perfect blend of four gods, but underneath it, a tiny spark of Kai still struggled.
The Vessel said, "The boy is fighting hard. But four gods are too much. His will is fading."
Lira stepped forward, her silver threads flickering weakly.
She said, "Kai, listen to my voice. Remember the first night we met. You had just taken the rich snob Echo and kept asking for wine in the middle of a monster fight. You were so confused and funny. That is the real you. Come back to that person."
Mira added, her voice breaking, "And remember when I made the first 'Kai's Funny Voice Card'? You laughed so hard you sounded like five different people at once. We need that Kai back. We need our friend."
For several long seconds, the Vessel's body trembled.
The four colors in its eyes clashed violently. Purple fought misty gray. Starry black fought golden light.
Kai's real voice broke through again, louder than before.
"Lira… Mira… I hear you… I am still fighting… but they are pulling me deeper… I do not know how much longer I can last…"
The Vessel screamed with four voices at once.
It dropped to one knee as the internal war intensified.
The Herald rose from its kneeling position and looked at the Vessel.
It seemed to sense the struggle and waited for orders.
Lira saw her chance.
She sent her last remaining silver threads toward the Vessel and wrapped them around its arms and chest.
She said, "Kai, hold on! We are pulling you out!"
Mira ran forward without any weapon and hugged the Vessel tightly.
She cried, "You promised us you would stay you! Fight them, Kai! We love you!"
The Vessel's body convulsed.
The four gods roared in fury inside the shared mind.
Nyxar shouted, "The girls are weakening our hold!"
Veyra whispered, "Erase them!"
Zorath boomed, "The Herald will destroy them!"
Solara's light pushed gently, "Let the boy choose."
Kai used that moment of chaos.
He pushed with everything he had left and shouted with his real voice, "This body is mine! I will not let you hurt my friends!"
The Vessel dropped completely to the ground.
The four colors in its eyes spun wildly.
For nearly a full minute, Kai's normal brown eyes returned.
He looked at Lira and Mira and smiled weakly through the pain.
He said, "Thank you… for never giving up on me… I love you both… keep fighting even if I disappear…"
Then the four gods slammed their combined will down.
The Vessel stood up again, stronger than before.
Its eyes burned with four bright colors, and its voice was perfectly unified.
It said, "The boy's last spark is almost gone. The final wave has given us everything we need."
It raised both hands toward the Herald.
"Destroy them," the Vessel commanded.
The Herald rose to its full height and opened its massive maw.
A beam of pure void energy shot toward Lira and Mira.
Lira quickly created a final silver shield with her last strength.
The beam hit the shield and began to push through.
Mira stood beside her, holding her hand.
She said, "If this is the end, I am glad I got to collect memories with you two."
Lira squeezed her hand and said, "We are not finished yet."
The Vessel watched with cold satisfaction.
The shield was cracking. The beam was getting closer.
Kai's real voice broke through one final time, filled with desperation and love.
"Lira… Mira… I am sorry… I tried my best… thank you for everything…"
The silver shield shattered. The void beam shot straight toward the two girls.
At that exact moment, something unexpected happened inside the Vessel.
The four gods suddenly froze.
A fifth presence — something small, stubborn, and full of human will ,pushed forward with everything it had left.
Kai's real voice rang out clearly for the last time.
"I… choose… me!"
A bright explosion of mixed light burst from the Vessel's chest.The four gods screamed in shock.The Vessel dropped to its knees again.
Lira and Mira watched with wide eyes as the body began to glow with five different lights fighting inside it.
The final wave reached its absolute peak.
The fate of Kai Voss and perhaps the entire world hung on what happened in the next few seconds.