The heavy doors of the archives sealed shut behind them with a resonant thud, and Kaelith collapsed to one knee, her exhaustion evident. Her face was pale, and beads of sweat clung to her brow as her staff dimmed, the barrier holding the shades at bay.
"We don't have much time," she murmured, her voice trembling slightly. "The barrier will only hold for so long."
Ryu scanned the large chamber. Long rows of ancient tomes went into the dark, their spines glimmering softly with runes of preservation. It seemed that each book hummed with latent energy, the weight of their knowledge pressing on the room like some kind of material force.
Aris lit a lantern from her pack, its warm glow cutting through the dimness. "We need to split up. Start searching for anything mentioning the Abyss, Zenith, or these shards."
Draven grunted, his massive frame already moving toward a nearby shelf. "Fine. But keep your weapons ready. This place doesn't feel right."