The valley seemed to stretch endlessly, its jagged cliffs towering over the group as if threatening to collapse. Shadows clung to the rocky outcrops, shifting unnaturally in the dim light. Kaelron tightened his grip on his staff, the relic at his side pulsing erratically. The sensation wasn't just a hum anymore—it felt like a discordant heartbeat, each pulse accompanied by faint whispers that no one else seemed to hear.
"Kael, you alright?" Nyx asked, her sharp gaze flicking to him as she walked beside Umbra, her black panther.
Kaelron nodded, though his movements were stiff. "It's the relic. It's... reacting to something. Strongly."
Zerin, who was ahead of the group scouting, paused and glanced over his shoulder. "Reacting to what, exactly? Because whatever it is, I don't like the look of this place."
