The lightning bolt struck with deafening silence.
The moment it hit the ground, time seemed to stand still. A blinding flash engulfed the hall, and in that instant, the entire citadel trembled violently.
The protective runes lining the citadel's walls ignited, their symbols glowing with a brilliant golden light as they struggled to contain the force of the attack.
Cracks formed along the walls of the citadel, and the ground beneath the hall rippled like water.
Outside, the city felt the impact.
Buildings shook violently, windows shattered, and the earth quaked as though the very foundations of the city were being torn apart.
The earthquake radiated outward, reaching even the farthest corners of the metropolis, sending people scrambling for safety. The scale of the destruction was immense—like nothing the city had ever experienced.
