[Leif's POV—Holy Temple—After Leaving the Sanctum]
The doors of the inner sanctum closed behind us with a heavy, echoing thud.
It sounded like something irreversible had just begun.
The hallway outside was dim, lit only by the faint glow of divine runes embedded in the walls. Everyone walked ahead silently—Alvar, Caelum, the elves, the dwarfs, Zephhy and Priest Caldric—but their footsteps were heavy, weighed down by the truth we had just unearthed.
But I barely heard them.
Because inside my pocket… The ring pulsed.
Warm. Sharp. Alive.
Almost… impatient. I clenched my fist around the fabric of my robe, trying to steady my breathing.
We stepped into the outer chamber where the moonlight spilled through stained glass windows. Dust drifted in the beams like dying stars. The temple felt too quiet. Too still.
Like the world was holding its breath.
Caelum exhaled shakily. "We have… very little time."
