## Chapter 53: A Fractured Symphony
The Council chamber buzzed with a nervous energy as Anya finished playing her hopeful melody. Silence descended, broken only by the soft hum of the temporal scanners. Moments stretched into an eternity, hope battling against the gnawing fear of failure.
Then, a faint tremor echoed through the bridge, a distorted version of Anya's melody. It was Elara, her notes frantic, laced with a desperate plea for help. The unseen realm ambassador, his voice resonating with a tremor of relief, amplified the signal, pulling Elara's voice from the distorted timestream.
"Anya… help me," Elara's voice crackled with desperation. "I'm trapped… this endless loop… it's driving me mad."
