The world around them had gone still, and yet everything felt like it was vibrating, as though reality itself were on the verge of collapse. The chasm beneath Elara seemed to pulse with an almost living energy, its darkness expanding and contracting like the slow, steady breath of some ancient beast. In the midst of it all stood Elara, her figure now a part of the Void, her eyes glowing with an intensity that was both terrifying and awe-inspiring.
Aiden stood frozen, unable to tear his gaze away from her. The girl he had known—the girl he had loved—was gone. In her place was something else, something far more powerful, and infinitely more dangerous. Her body seemed to hum with energy, a force that resonated from her very core, a sound that echoed in the air and reverberated in his chest. He could feel the pull of it, the weight of it pressing against him, as though the Void was drawing him in, threatening to consume him as well.