Eryndor, Aria, and Lyra were gathered around a large map of the kingdom, discussing their plan of attack against Malakai. They knew that they would need to be careful, as Malakai's powers were growing stronger by the day.

  Just as they were about to finalize their plan, a loud knock at the door interrupted them. It was a soft, hesitant knock, and Eryndor's instincts told him that something was off.

  "Who could that be?" Aria wondered, her brow furrowed in concern.

  Lyra shrugged. "I'll go check."

  Lyra got up and made her way to the door, her hand on the hilt of her sword. She opened the door slowly, revealing a hooded figure standing in the shadows.

  "Can I help you?" Lyra asked, her voice firm but cautious.

  The hooded figure hesitated, then slowly stepped forward, revealing a shocking sight. It was Kael, Malakai's former apprentice.

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  "I've come to warn you," Kael said, his voice trembling. "Malakai's powers are growing out of control. He's using dark magic to fuel his Shadow Weaving, and it's corrupting him."

  Eryndor's eyes widened in shock. "Why are you telling us this?" he asked, his voice skeptical.

  Kael took a deep breath. "Because I realize now that I was wrong to follow Malakai. He's not the master I thought he was. He's a monster, and I want to help you stop him."

  Aria's eyes narrowed. "How do we know we can trust you?" she asked, her voice firm.

  Kael hesitated, then slowly pulled back his hood, revealing a shocking sight. His eyes had turned a milky white, and his skin was deathly pale.

  "I've been cursed by Malakai's dark magic," Kael explained, his voice barely above a whisper. "I don't have much time left. But I want to use what little time I have to help you defeat Malakai."

  Eryndor's eyes locked onto Kael's, and he saw the sincerity there. He knew that they had to trust Kael, no matter how unlikely it seemed.

  "Welcome to the team, Kael," Eryndor said, his voice firm.

  Kael smiled, a hint of relief in his eyes. "Thank you," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I won't let you down."

  But as they welcomed Kael into their fold, Eryndor couldn't shake the feeling that they were walking into a trap. Was Kael truly on their side, or was he just playing a clever game?

  Only time would tell.