The stronghold burned behind Kade Shen and Lila Mei as they stumbled from the tunnel’s mouth, the night air sharp with smoke and the tang of blood. Flames roared, stone groaned, and the cavern’s collapse swallowed Red Talon’s screams—Vane’s fortress crumbling, but not his will. Kade gripped the saber, its Starfall steel slick with gore, both orbs—pure and dark—pulsing in his pack, their hums a discordant storm in his chest. Lila limped beside him, knife clutched, her duster torn and bloodied from her side, her face set grim despite the pain. The Crow’s sacrifice—the star falls, but you rise—burned in Kade’s mind, a torch lighting the path to this end.

The canyon stretched before them, a scarred sprawl of dust and rock, Red Talon remnants scattering—some fleeing, some rallying, rifles glinting in the torchlight. Above, the sky churned—clouds parting, the moon swelling full, its edge bitten by shadow. An eclipse, rare and sudden, crept across its face, a dark crescent swallowing light. The air thickened, the orbs’ hums syncing with the celestial shift—a pulse that rattled Kade’s bones, Starfall’s power waking fully.

A roar cut the chaos—Vane, striding from the tunnel’s ruin, black coat singed but unbowed, his jagged blade dripping red. His scarred face twisted into a snarl, eyes blazing with mad greed, the dark orb gone but its taint clinging to him—shadows flickering at his heels. “Shen!” he bellowed, voice a whipcrack over the canyon. “You don’t run from me!”

Kade stopped, saber raised, the eclipse’s shadow pooling at his feet. “Never did,” he growled, stepping forward—Lila’s hand brushed his arm, a silent stay, but he shook it off. “This ends now.”

Vane laughed, harsh and wild, advancing—blade twirling, a predator’s dance. “Jian thought that—bled out slow. You’ll join him.”

Lila darted left—knife flashing, aiming to flank—but Vane swung, shadows lashing, knocking her back. She rolled, cursing, and Red Talon stragglers closed—five, rifles up, cutting her off. “Kade!” she yelled, slashing a guard’s throat, blood spraying. “He’s yours—go!”

Kade charged—saber arcing, Wei’s flow alive in his blood—as Vane met him, jagged blade crashing down. Steel screamed—sparks flared, the eclipse’s dark swallowing them—and Kade twisted, parrying low, slashing high. Vane blocked, brutal strength shaking Kade’s grip, then swung—a vicious cut grazing his shoulder, hot and sharp. Kade ducked, rolling, saber slicing Vane’s thigh—blood welled, matching the gash from before, slowing him.

“You’re nothing,” Vane snarled, shadows coiling—tendrils snapping, one catching Kade’s leg, yanking him down. He hit dust, hard—saber skidding—and Vane loomed, blade plunging. Kade rolled, grabbing the hilt, and swung—steel bit Vane’s wrist, shadows faltering, the warlord roaring as blood dripped.

The eclipse deepened—moon half-gone, light dying—and the orbs flared, pure and dark clashing in Kade’s pack. Visions slammed him—Jian’s stand, saber flashing, Vane’s laugh as the ranch burned—fueling his rise. He surged, saber flowing—cut, thrust, parry—a dance of steel and hate. Vane swung wild—jagged blade carving air—and Kade sidestepped, slashing his chest—deep, red blooming, shadows shrinking.

Lila fought through—knife gone, fist breaking a guard’s nose, then snatching his rifle—two shots, two down, but a third tackled her, pinning her in the dust. She thrashed, spitting blood, as Kade pressed—saber arcing, Vane’s blade blocking—a deadlock, steel grinding, breath ragged.

“You took everything,” Kade hissed, pushing—muscle burning, the orbs’ hum a roar. “Pa, Ma, Mara—gone. This is for them.”

Vane grinned, teeth red, leaning close—breath sour, eyes mad. “Took ‘em ‘cause they were weak—Jian’s Starfall broke under me. You’ll break too.”

Kade roared—saber twisting, breaking the lock—and swung, a leaping strike—steel bit Vane’s blade, shattering it, jagged shards flying. The warlord staggered—shadows gone, blood pooling—and Kade lunged—saber piercing his shoulder, driving him back. Vane fell to a knee, gasping—defiant, but cracked.

The eclipse peaked—moon black, stars blazing—and the orbs pulsed, pure overtaking dark. Kade ripped the pack open, clutching both—light flared, searing, and Vane screamed—tendrils dissolving, his power unraveling. Kade swung—saber slashing Vane’s chest—deep, final—blood gushed, the warlord collapsing, eyes dimming, grin fading to stillness.

Silence fell—eclipse holding, Red Talon fleeing, Lila kicking her guard off, rifle butt smashing his skull. She stumbled to Kade, panting, as he stood over Vane—saber dripping, orbs glowing—the ranch’s ashes avenged, Jian’s vow fulfilled.

“Done,” she rasped, clutching her side, blood streaking her grin. “You got him.”

Kade nodded, breath heavy—saber trembling, the orbs a weight he’d won. The eclipse lingered, a dark crown to his victory, but the canyon lay scarred—Vane dead, yet the cost steep.