The Shattered Spire's entrance swallowed them whole, the glowing runes on its walls pulsing like a heartbeat, casting violet shadows that danced across the blackened stone. The air inside was thick, heavy with the scent of decay and something metallic, as if time itself had rusted. The whispers surged, a deafening roar that clawed at Liam's mind, each voice sharper than the last, promising despair. His Echo Bindings flickered erratically, their blue glow dimming under the Spire's oppressive energy, his Echo Sync still at 74%, the static in his mind a constant buzz.