Chapter 45: Whispers in the Dark
Weeks bled into months, the initial surge of purpose in the Lumina Council slowly morphing into an unnerving quietude. Days turned into a monotonous routine of research, experimentation, and soul-crushing uncertainty. The unseen realm remained silent, an unyielding wall of darkness against which their efforts seemed to batter in vain.
Alex, once a beacon of unwavering conviction, now carried the weight of their collective hope on his weary shoulders. Each passing day etched a new line of worry onto his forehead, the youthful vibrancy of his eyes replaced by a well of swirling emotions. Doubt, a serpent slowly coiling around his heart, began to squeeze tighter with every passing hour.
