Chapter 1554: Shadows' Faint Whispers

The trek to the Eclipse Sanctuary was long and arduous, marked by a silence that weighed heavier than the darkness they had just escaped. Each of them was lost in their thoughts, the remnants of their battle against the node lingering in their minds like a haunting melody. The air grew colder with each step, as though the abyss's tendrils were reluctant to release them entirely.

Elara led the group, her hand on the relic hilt at her side. The artifact had grown dim, its light reduced to a faint pulse. Yet, even in its weakened state, it seemed to resonate with the distant whispers that now surrounded them, as if trying to shield them from their insidious touch.

"Elara," Kade called out, his voice cutting through the stillness. "We need to stop soon. Morgana's barely keeping herself upright, and the rest of us aren't far behind."