Wei Lin exchanged a glance with Selene. "What's inside?" she asked, voice firm.
Xian Yue exhaled, as if considering how much to reveal. "The past, the future, and everything in between. You came seeking strength, but the Heart offers far more than that."
Mara's grip on her staff tightened. "If it's so powerful, why hasn't anyone taken it before?"
Xian Yue's eyes darkened. "Because the Veil only permits those who understand sacrifice."
At that moment, the Veil surged. Spectral figures flickered into existence—warriors clad in armor, their expressions blank and lifeless. Shadows of the past, summoned to test them.
Xian Yue lifted their jade scepter. "You will not take another step forward."
The spectral warriors rushed forward like a storm.
Darian cursed and unsheathed his blade, barely parrying the first strike as a translucent sword met steel. The force sent him skidding back, boots scraping against the stone.
