Chapter 215: Keeper

The veil shimmered around them as they moved forward, each step taking them further into a realm of distorted shadows and half-formed landscapes. Emily, Mara, and Calem followed the Keeper, whose figure seemed to flicker in and out, as if he were both a part of this world and separate from it. The colors around them were muted, more like echoes of colors, and the ground beneath their feet was soft and shifting, as though they were treading on mist.

It was impossible to gauge the passage of time here; minutes and hours blended together in the surreal haze. Emily could feel the relic humming against her, a steady pulse that seemed to connect her to the fabric of this strange place. It filled her with a sense of purpose, yet also a deep, gnawing unease.