The air in Kelros changed.
One second, it was heavy but still, the next, it moved, rippling through the ruins like breath exhaled from something ancient and sleeping. Dust lifted from the ground in slow spirals, and the faint hum of mana deepened into a low, almost sentient rumble.
Merlin sprinted through the shattered streets, lightning crackling faintly along his boots with each stride. The world blurred past, hollow windows, collapsed arches, the blackened remains of what used to be market stalls. His comm-crystal pulsed in his hand, unresponsive.
"Damn it," he muttered under his breath, pushing more energy into his speed.
He could feel it now. The corruption wasn't just concentrated underground, it was rising.
Nathan's group had made it halfway to the western plaza when the ground buckled beneath them.
"Move!" Nathan shouted, grabbing Elara by the arm just as the cobblestones split open. A black mist burst out like a geyser, swallowing the air in rot and pressure.
