Chapter 47: Chapter 47: The Weight of Peace

The aftermath of the Abyssal Fortress's collapse left an eerie silence that felt almost unnatural. The oppressive darkness that had clung to the Forgotten Realms was gone, replaced by a muted calm. Yet, even as we walked through the crystalline expanse back to where the portal had once stood, I couldn't shake the feeling that this quiet was temporary—a fragile thread waiting to unravel. 

The Heartseed glowed faintly in my hands, its pulse steady but weaker than before. The toll it had taken to dissipate the Abyssal Guardian was evident. 

Silvermane walked beside me, her movements slow and deliberate. She'd been unshaken throughout our journey, but now her weariness was beginning to show. Ember padded on my other side, her flames dim and flickering, reflecting her exhaustion. 

"This balance you've restored," Silvermane said, breaking the silence, "do you believe it will last?"