The hills of Ardath rose like jagged teeth against the morning sky, marking the end of the endless desert and the beginning of the fertile plains that surrounded the Sanctuary of Lumina. The land ahead was calm, the cool breeze a welcome reprieve from the desert's relentless heat. But despite the peaceful surroundings, tension coiled tightly in the air, thickening with every step Elara, Kirin, and Seraphina took.
"We're close now," Kirin murmured, wiping the sweat from his brow as he glanced toward the distant spires of the Sanctuary. "But so are the Weavers. I can feel their presence, faint but growing."
Seraphina's eyes scanned the horizon, her senses sharp. "They'll try to stop us before we get there. They know the ritual is our only chance to restore the Veil."
