Chapter 17 Shadowy Pursuers

The air in the chamber grew thick with tension, the coldness of the ritual’s aftermath wrapping around them like a cloak. Lila’s hand still rested on the altar, the artifact pulsing with an otherworldly rhythm as though it were aware of the havoc it had just unleashed. Kai stood close by, his amber eyes scanning the room, muscles coiled in preparation for what they both knew was inevitable. The leader’s voice rang out again, its low, guttural tone reverberating through the walls. “It’s too late. The ritual is complete. You cannot stop it now.”