The night was dark, with only the occasional flicker of lightning illuminating the distant horizon. The storm that had been brewing for days was finally beginning to break, its rumbling thunder rolling across the land like the footsteps of some great, unseen giant. In the fortress, the air was thick with tension, each member of the group on edge, anticipating the inevitable confrontation with the Abyss.
Elara stood on the battlements, her cloak billowing in the fierce wind. Below her, the forest stretched out into the blackness, its trees swaying violently in the storm. She could feel the weight of the crystal hidden deep within the fortress pressing on her mind like a heavy stone. They had taken every precaution, but the Abyss was relentless, and Elara knew it was only a matter of time before it struck.
