Chapter 1482: Chapter 1482: The Unraveling

Elara's eyes snapped open as the last words of the Guardian echoed through her mind. The chamber came back into focus, the vastness of the room pressing in on her from all sides. Her heart was racing, her pulse quickening in response to the immense power she had just felt—felt, and barely survived. She still held the Codex in her hands, though it had shifted in weight, as if the knowledge contained within had grown heavier, more complex.

She stood on the altar's edge, her body trembling, her breath coming in short, sharp bursts. The light from the sphere was no longer blinding, but its glow remained constant, casting long shadows that seemed to dance and twist with a life of their own.

"Elara?" Seren's voice broke through the haze of her mind, pulling her from the depths of the strange vision. She turned to find her companion standing near the entrance of the chamber, her face pale with worry. "What just happened? You were… gone for a moment."