Chapter 452 - Return and The Arrest

The aftermath of the battle was a stillness that rang louder than any chaos. The chamber, once a haven of arcane grandeur, now lay in shambles. Shelves that had stood like ancient sentinels were broken and splintered, their contents scattered and burnt. The ley line conduits, once shimmering with vibrant energy, sputtered weakly, their fractured surfaces oozing faint traces of mana. The air was thick with the scent of ash, mingling with the faint metallic tang of spilled blood.