The walls of the council chamber were still vibrating with the echoes of strategy and resolve as the sun dipped below the horizon. Kael and Morgana had barely stepped out when the first messengers arrived, their expressions grave and urgent. The early signs of the void's spread had reached beyond the western border—farther than they had anticipated.
"The time to prepare has passed," Kael muttered under his breath as he read the report. "It's already here."
Morgana glanced over his shoulder, her gaze narrowing as she took in the details. The pattern of the void's movements was too calculated, too precise. This wasn't just a mindless force; it was learning, adapting, evolving with every strike.
"We knew it would happen," she said quietly, her tone colder than it had been all day. "We just didn't know when it would be this soon."