The temple lay in ruins, its sacred halls now silent witnesses to the clash of divine forces. Moonlight filtered through the shattered roof, casting ethereal patterns on the debris-strewn floor. Serelith stood amidst the remnants, the Codex's glow subdued, as if mourning the sanctum's desecration.
Faelan approached, his steps measured, the weight of recent events evident in his gaze.
"The gods have retreated, but their presence lingers, " he murmured.
Serelith nodded, her thoughts a whirlwind of revelations and uncertainties.
"The Codex revealed truths I wasn't prepared for, " she admitted. "Visions of a world before the gods, of a unity that was shattered. "
Faelan's expression hardened. "The Hollow Queen's rise was not just a power grab; it was a response to a deeper fracture. "
They moved through the temple's remnants, each step uncovering fragments of history long buried. In a secluded chamber, they discovered a mural, faded but discernible—a depiction of a time when mortals and immortals coexisted in harmony, before ambition and fear sowed discord.
"This was the world the Codex remembers, " Serelith whispered.
Faelan traced the mural's lines. "And perhaps, the world it seeks to restore. "
A sudden tremor shook the ground, a reminder that their actions had set forces into motion.
"We must go to Vaerethryn, " Serelith declared. "The answers we seek lie there. "
Faelan nodded, resolve firming in his stance. "Then we journey east, into the heart of forgotten truths. "
---
As they prepared to leave, the temple's shadows seemed to watch, the echoes of the past whispering promises and warnings. Serelith and Faelan stepped into the night, their path uncertain, but their purpose clear—to uncover the veiled history and confront the destiny that awaited them.