The echoes of victory still lingered as Kael, Elara, and Lyra left the village of Veridia behind. The air was cooler now, the forest alive once more with the rustling of leaves and the distant calls of birds. Yet, the triumph felt like a fleeting breath—a pause before the storm's crescendo.
Elara clutched the Codex of Shadows tightly, her eyes scanning its ancient pages as they walked. "The rituals we performed… they only slowed the True Shadow," she murmured, her voice tinged with worry. "Its heart remains intact. We need to find the source."
Kael, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword, glanced at her. "And where does the Codex say we should go next?"
Elara hesitated, her fingers brushing over a section of runes glowing faintly. "It's vague, as always. But it speaks of a place beyond the Northern Peaks—a sanctuary known as the Ember Spire. The text claims it houses a power that can seal the True Shadow forever. But the journey…"