Chapter 141: Chapter 141: Shadows Rising

Chapter 145: Shadows Rising**

The dawn that had broken over the sanctuary was short-lived. As the first rays of sunlight filtered through the ancient trees surrounding the fortress, the guardians had barely begun to catch their breath when the air turned cold again—unnaturally so, as if the warmth of the sun was being drained away.

Ethan's heart skipped a beat. He had felt something like this before—a chill that signaled the presence of something dark, something that shouldn't exist in the light of day. He exchanged a wary glance with Elara, who had gone pale, her eyes scanning the treetops for any sign of movement.

"Elara," Ethan said, his voice barely above a whisper, "do you feel that?"

She nodded, her hand instinctively tightening around the hilt of her sword. "The darkness… it's not gone, Ethan. It's… spreading."