The following morning, a gray mist blanketed the northern outpost, swirling between the jagged cliffs and casting long shadows over the ruins. Elara stood at the edge of the crumbling battlements, staring out over the vast expanse of forest below. The weight of the battle against the Abyss lingered in her bones, her mind a tangle of unease.
"We can't stay here," Kael said, walking up beside her. His voice was low, tense. "The mages have done what they can, but this place is tainted now. We need to move."
Elara nodded, not taking her eyes off the horizon. "I know. But wherever we go next, it'll follow. The Abyss is more than a threat—it's tied to us, to the ley lines. I'm beginning to think it always has been."
Kael shifted uncomfortably. "Do you think it's part of the ley lines themselves? That all this time, the magic we've been using, the ley lines we've been tapping into, were connected to... it?"
