The stillness was unbearable.
It was like the entire realm leaned in—holding its breath—waiting for something wrong to start breathing again.
Aurora's chest rose and fell in short, sharp bursts. Her eyes darted across the lifeless horizon.
"Who was that?" Alice asked, barely above a whisper.
No one answered.
Aria gripped her staff tighter. "It knew us…"
Joshua stepped forward slightly, scanning the shifting shadows. "That voice… it wasn't hostile."
"It wasn't friendly either," Kaiden muttered, still recovering from the earlier pulse of identity drain. "Just… old."
Vael finally spoke, arms crossed tightly across his chest. "We should go. I don't care how ancient that thing is—anything that talks like that has no business knowing our names."
Aurora turned her head toward Kaiden.
But then—
CRACK—
A golden blur split the space in front of them.
A hand.
A grip.
Fingers wrapped tight around Kaiden's throat.
Lifted.
Crushed.
"—GAH?!"
Kaiden's eyes bulged.
Everyone froze.
