Emily closed her eyes, feeling the last echoes of energy from the relic fade. The forest had grown darker around them, the shadows lengthening into strange, distorted shapes. But something was different—this wasn't just the usual dimming of dusk. It felt as though the woods were watching them, holding its breath, as if something ancient and unseen were stirring.
She looked at Mara and Calem, noticing that they, too, seemed uneasy. It wasn't just the looming battle with Kieran; there was a new weight in the air, a feeling that left her uneasy. The relic in her hand, which had once seemed simply a powerful artifact, now pulsed faintly, as if echoing the heartbeat of some hidden presence deep in the earth.