The air was thick with dust and smoke as we stumbled out of the collapsing ruins. My lungs burned, each breath heavy with the remnants of the ancient stones crumbling behind us. I could still feel the tremor beneath my feet, the ground threatening to swallow us whole. We had failed. The ritual had failed. The crystal, still pulsing faintly in my pack, was more unstable than ever, and we were no closer to understanding its power—or how to control it.
My heart pounded as we pushed through the dense forest, branches whipping at my face, my legs protesting with every step. Behind me, I could hear Leif's strained breathing, Raven's footsteps quiet but persistent, and Zara muttering under her breath as she struggled to keep up. No one spoke, the weight of our collective failure pressing down on us, smothering any attempt at conversation.
But the silence didn't last long.
