The air in the Pillars' sanctuary was heavy with tension. Samy staggered back into the mortal world, blinking against the lingering glow of the divine plane. His hand throbbed faintly with the golden seal, and his mind raced with fragments of memories, faces, and voices that did not entirely belong to him.
Laura was the first to react. She rushed forward, placing her hands on his shoulders to steady him.
> "Samy, are you okay? Your aura… it was unlike anything I've ever felt!"
Selene's gaze was analytical, sharp, her brows furrowed as she examined the light emanating from the seal.
> "He's been touched… by something beyond mortal comprehension. Whatever he just experienced left a mark."
Mira held her hand over Samy's arm, her eyes wide with a mixture of fear and awe.
> "I… I could feel it. Not just you, Samy, but something else — something alive."
Lyra, slightly apart with her arms crossed, remained calm but watchful.
> "The energy of the seal has changed. It resonates with a force I cannot define. Whatever the gods did… they transformed you."
Samy breathed deeply, placing his hand over the still-glowing seal. He felt the vibrations travel deep into his bones.
> "It's no longer just a seal," he muttered. "It's… like a signal. Or a message. Something is waiting for me to understand."
Laura frowned, searching his eyes.
> "A message from… them? The gods?"
Samy shook his head, seeking clarity.
> "Yes… but it's not just Nymera, nor Khaelos, nor even Siana. There's… someone else. A goddess. Flora. She spoke to me… directly, through the seal. And she warned me. She said I had to seek a truth they fear to reveal."
Selene rested her hand lightly on her chin.
> "A mortal being tasked with discovering truths the gods themselves avoid? That's… unprecedented. You're walking a path no one has ever survived intact."
Mira's voice trembled, but her determination was clear.
> "Whatever it is, Samy, you're not alone. We'll face it together — the Pillars will never let you stand alone."
Lyra's eyes flickered with a pale green light, reflecting the seal's pulse.
> "The divine has marked you as a Hero. You are no longer simply a strategist. You are… something more. But with this power comes a responsibility none of us can yet comprehend."
Samy clenched his fist, feeling both the weight and the energy coursing through him. He knew the gods had chosen him — or perhaps the universe itself — to act as a bridge between realms. Fragments of his vision in the divine hall replayed in his mind: the golden table, Nymera's worried gaze, Khaelos' subtle amusement, Siana's silent command, and Flora's unwavering presence.
> "I must understand the seal," Samy said finally, his voice firm, carrying the conviction of one who has glimpsed eternity.
"I need to know why I was brought here — why a mortal like me was pulled into a game orchestrated by the gods."
Laura's eyes softened.
> "Then we start by exploring every lead, every fragment of energy. Whatever this seal holds, whatever Flora tried to tell you… we'll uncover it."
Samy nodded, feeling the weight of responsibility settle comfortably on his shoulders. He turned to the Pillars, sweeping his gaze over each of them.
> "You've all been with me from the start. Laura, Selene, Mira, Lyra — we've faced ruin and rebuilt hope. Now… we face a world where even the gods themselves are obstacles. And I will not fail, because together… we are unstoppable."
A soft vibration ran along the floor, almost imperceptible, but Samy felt it in his chest. The seal pulsed in response, as if approving. Then, like a whisper carried on the wind, a voice brushed the edges of his consciousness:
> "Seek what is hidden. Fear will not guide you. Only understanding will show the way."
Samy drew a deep breath, centering himself.
> "Then let it begin. We follow the seal. And whatever the gods are hiding, we will uncover it. Starting with Elyndra."
The Pillars nodded, determination shining in their eyes. The room, once heavy with the uncertainty of divine intervention, now crackled with a renewed energy and sense of purpose.
And somewhere beyond the mortal plane, the echoes of the gods stirred, sensing the mortal's resolve. Nymera watched, pride tinged with worry; Khaelos smirked, intrigued by the challenge; Siana remained inscrutable, while Flora's green light pulsed across dimensions, guiding, observing, and waiting.
The first steps of what would reshape Elyndra and challenge the authority of the gods had begun.