บท 345: Maris's Self-Illusion of Hope

Amberine stormed out of her spot near the orb, her eyes blazing with frustration. "What the hell happened to you, Elara?" she blurted, voice sharp as she whipped around to face her friend. There was no mistaking the fire in her tone, or the unease lingering beneath it. After what she had witnessed, Amberine's usual confidence was shaken—if only slightly.

Elara, as usual, remained calm. Her pale face, still slightly flushed from the ordeal, betrayed nothing more than a cool indifference. She raised an eyebrow at Amberine's outburst and answered in her typical monotone. "This orb... it's interesting," Elara began, her voice steady. "But also terrifying. It feels like it reaches deep into you. It touched something... almost personal. Like it challenged my control over my emotions. I wasn't expecting that."