The Gods and the Greed (2).

The chamber beneath the Sacred Roots council was still heavy with remnants of dark energy. Astrid leaned against Avon, her breathing uneven but steady. 

"We need to move," Phoenix said, her voice cutting through the silence. "If Jonathan is merging with this curse, every second we waste brings him closer to becoming unstoppable."

Cyrus nodded, his expression unreadable but his eyes sharp with focus. "He'll be seeking a place of power to complete the ritual. Somewhere ancient, where the veil between realms is thin."

Astrid straightened, her voice still shaky but determined. "The Black Spire. It's an old ruin deep in the Wailing Woods of the Lunar Kingdom. The texts say it was once a gateway to the evil realm. If he's trying to merge with the curse fully, that's where he'll go. My vision showed me that place."