Chapter 988: Chapter 988: Shadows dance where the veil is thin.

The northern territories were enveloped in an uneasy calm as Elara and her team arrived to investigate the new disturbances caused by the evolving corruption. The landscape stretched before them, a stark contrast to the once-familiar terrain—now marred by ominous changes. The air was thick with an unnatural chill, and the sky above seemed perpetually overcast, casting a gloomy pall over the land.

#### A Fractured Reality

Elara, Elias, and their team, equipped with enhanced protective wards and magical instruments, set up a base camp near the epicenter of the disturbances. The ground beneath them was scarred with dark, swirling fissures that emanated a malevolent energy. Strange, iridescent fog clung to the landscape, obscuring visibility and making every step treacherous.