The carriage gradually slowed as the terrain began to change, the once stable path giving way to a more uneven trail, surrounded by twisted trees and vegetation that seemed to have been drained of any natural vitality. The air had also changed—colder, heavier, as if each breath required a little more effort, albeit almost imperceptibly. Outside, the horses began to show a slight discomfort, their movements becoming more cautious, as if instinctively recognizing that they were approaching something… wrong.
Kael opened his eyes slowly, as if he had sensed the change even before seeing it.
He leaned forward slightly, pushing back the window curtain with two fingers, allowing his gaze to reach the horizon ahead. And it was at that moment that he saw.
It wasn't a wall.
It wasn't a physical structure.
It was something much larger.
A dome.
