The treasury hall remained silent, yet the silence itself carried a weight that was difficult to ignore.
It was not an ordinary quiet, nor the peaceful stillness of an empty place. Instead, it was a layered silence—dense, watchful, and filled with unseen awareness. Every step taken within this vast chamber seemed to echo longer than it should, as if the very space was observing those who entered it.
Aether stood at the threshold of choice.
Before him stretched endless rows of artifacts, each one carefully preserved, each one radiating a presence that spoke of history, power, and consequence. These were not mere objects stored for display; they were remnants of countless battles, inheritances of powerful lineages, and fragments of forgotten eras.
