Chapter 168: Chapter 168: Unsettling atmosphere

Elara's breaths came in ragged gasps as she knelt on the cold stone floor, the remnants of shattered crystal glittering around her like fallen stars. The oppressive weight that had filled the chamber was gone, but the silence that followed was just as heavy, laden with the echoes of what they had just faced.

Kara's hand on her shoulder was a small comfort, a grounding touch in the wake of their victory. But it was a hollow victory, and they all knew it. The crystal was destroyed, the figure vanquished, but the Keep still held its secrets, and the darkness that had called to them from its depths had not been fully vanquished.

"Is it over?" Ethan asked, his voice rough with fatigue. He stood with his sword still in hand, its blade glowing faintly with the residual magic of the battle. His eyes scanned the chamber warily, as if expecting another threat to emerge from the shadows.