The wind carried a chill as Kaelen and the woman—Liora of the Water Realm—made their way down the jagged path toward the glowing shard. Around them, the fractured land hummed with restless energy, as if the very earth was alive and uneasy.
Liora's eyes never left the shard. "The Council fears the Shadow Realm's influence is growing. Their agents move unseen, twisting minds and sowing discord."
Kaelen's jaw tightened. The Shadow Realm was a place of secrets and lies, where light dared not linger. "Have you seen any signs yourself?"
She hesitated, then nodded. "Last night, near the Eastern Marshes, a village vanished without a trace. No fire, no struggle—just silence. The villagers' spirits are said to wander, trapped between worlds."
Kaelen's grip on his sword tightened again. "We must warn the other realms. If the Shadow spreads unchecked, the Convergence will consume us all."
As they reached the shard, its fiery core pulsed brighter, casting flickering shadows on their faces. Kaelen reached out, feeling the heat radiate like a living thing. The power was intoxicating—and dangerous.
Suddenly, a sharp crack echoed through the air. The ground trembled beneath their feet.
Liora gasped. "The shard—it's reacting!"
From the swirling mists emerged a figure cloaked in darkness, eyes glowing with an eerie light. The Shadow had come.
Kaelen stepped forward, sword raised. "This ends now."
The battle for the fractured realms had truly begun.