The air grew even more suffocating as they ventured deeper into the valley. The oppressive weight of the shadow hung thick in the atmosphere, pulling at their senses, drowning out all sound except the eerie rustle of the wind against the barren earth. Every step they took seemed to echo louder, as though the land itself was alive and watching them. The relic in Elara's hand pulsed with an unfamiliar rhythm, as if it were attuned to the very heartbeat of the valley.
The sky, once a sickly twilight, had now darkened completely. Above them, a swirling mass of clouds churned like a storm that had never seen the light of day. The air crackled with a low hum, an unnatural energy that made the hairs on their arms stand on end. The farther they went, the stronger the pull became—each step forward felt like a struggle against an invisible tide trying to drag them back.
