CHAPTER 31:. ECHOES OF THE UNKNOWN

Scene 1: The Calm Before the Storm

The air was still, the world bathed in the golden hues of dawn. Mira stood atop a ridge, gazing at the horizon. The Cipher, now dull and cool in her hands, seemed to have fulfilled its purpose. But deep inside, a whisper of unease gnawed at her.

Ethan joined her, rubbing his arms against the morning chill. “You’re not celebrating,” he said.

Mira sighed. “It doesn’t feel over. The Cipher was a weapon, a key, and a map… but it was also a warning.”

Kael came forward, his expression grim. “I just went through the texts we recovered from the Forgotten City,” he said. “And I found something troubling.”

Mira turned to him. “What is it?”

Kael spread out an aged parchment, the ink barely legible. “The Cipher wasn’t the only one of its kind.”

Ethan frowned. “You mean there’s another?”

Kael nodded. “Or more.”

A heavy silence settled between them. The battle they had fought was only one piece of something far larger than they had imagined.