"You carry the Heartseed," the Keeper said. "Its power is vast, but its burden is great. Use it wisely, for the balance you seek to restore is delicate."
The Keeper's form dissolved into light, its essence absorbed by the Heartseed. The threads in the cathedral glowed steadily, their energy flowing outward to the rest of the city.
The city behind us was eerily quiet as we stepped beyond its borders, the echoes of the Keeper's trial still fresh in our minds. The Heartseed pulsed softly in my hands, its light dimmed but resolute, guiding us toward the next fragment of our journey.
"I don't like this," Dren said, breaking the silence as his boots crunched against the rocky terrain. "First the Guardian, now the Keeper. Feels like we're being tested at every turn."
"Because we are," Silvermane replied, her wolves walking silently at her side. "Every step forward demands more from us. And the stakes only grow higher."
