The southern realms began to recover as the darkness that had plagued them receded. Elara, Kirin, and Seraphina worked tirelessly with local leaders to secure the area and rebuild what had been lost. The Shadow Keep's defeat had brought a measure of relief, but the remnants of dark energy still lingered, casting long shadows over their victory.
The trio had returned to their temporary base—a fortified outpost established to coordinate recovery efforts. As they reviewed reports and updated their plans, a new messenger arrived, bearing urgent news. The messenger was breathless, eyes wide with concern.
"Elara, Kirin, Seraphina," the messenger said, "there have been troubling reports from the eastern territories. Strange occurrences have been increasing—unexplained phenomena, unnatural weather patterns, and sightings of eerie creatures. It's as if a veil between worlds is weakening."
