The temple was falling apart. Massive stone slabs crashed to the ground as the ancient structure succumbed to the energy released by the Shard's destruction. The once-glowing blue runes flickered and died, leaving the chamber shrouded in darkness except for the faint glimmer of the Shard's broken fragments scattered across the floor.
Kael forced himself to his feet, his legs shaky but steady enough to move. The echoes of the Shard's whispers had finally gone silent, leaving a strange void in his mind.
"Kael!" Mira's voice cut through the chaos. She appeared from the shadows, her face pale but determined. "We have to get out of here!"
He nodded, stumbling toward her. Together, they sprinted through the crumbling temple, dodging falling debris and leaping over widening cracks in the floor. The air was thick with dust, making it hard to breathe, but Mira led the way with practiced precision, her movements quick and deliberate.
"Faster!" she shouted as a massive stone column crashed behind them, shaking the ground.
The entrance was in sight, the faint glow of moonlight streaming through the collapsing archway. Kael pushed himself harder, his muscles screaming in protest, until they burst out into the open air.