Chapter 63 - The Obsidian Order

The fire popped and cracked, a brittle sound that echoed too loudly in the stillness of the cave. Tiny sparks leapt from the logs, spiraling upward in arcs of brief, golden light before fading into the cavern's high shadows. But the warmth no longer reached Kai's skin. The heat that once offered comfort had receded, leaving behind only the illusion of safety. An invisible weight seemed to press inward from the cold stone walls, settling into his bones. Kai stepped back from the woman's lifeless form, his eyes locked on the object clenched in her stiffening hand—a relic, once radiant, now dark and silent. Its once-intricate surface was dulled with grime and dried blood, the energy it held drained or stolen. A tremor passed through him, unbidden, as if the cave itself exhaled something ancient and watching.