The crack in the ground did not widen.
It deepened.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
Like something beneath the world was pushing upward—not with force, but with certainty.
Liora couldn't move.
Not because she was afraid.
But because something in her—
Recognized it.
Her chest tightened, her breathing shallow as the darkness below shifted, folding in on itself like it wasn't meant to be seen from this side. The air grew heavier with every passing second, pressing against her skin, her thoughts, her very existence.
"…Cairis."
Her voice was quieter now.
Not steady.
Not uncertain.
Just… aware.
"…It's looking at me."
Cairis stepped forward instantly, placing himself between her and the fracture below, his crimson energy rising instinctively, forming a barrier that cut through the oppressive atmosphere.
"…Don't engage it."
That alone was enough to confirm everything.
This wasn't something they could fight.
