Nothing in the world changed; no earthquake shook the land, and no sudden catastrophe appeared.
Instead, there was a heavy, suffocating stillness. It settled over the continents at the exact moment the three Avatars reached their peak and the shadow cocoon in the chamber began to harden.
It was not a sound, but a change in the world energy. It felt like the energy had suddenly become twice as thick.
Most people didn't notice. The farmers in the fields felt a brief chill and looked at the sun, wondering why the light seemed thinner. The beast in the forest paused for a heartbeat, confused by a sudden sense of dread that vanished before they could name it.
But for those who had spent their lives climbing the ranks of power, the sensation was violent. To them. It was a scream in the dark.
----
In the heart of the Silver Forest, a woman sat in the royal garden.
