The shadows moved at dawn.
Clek stood in the garden, the bronze coin in his hand, his eyes fixed on the horizon. The rising sun painted the sky in shades of amber and rose, but the warmth didn't reach him. A chill hung in the air, a cold that seemed to seep into his bones.
He had sealed the connection. He had driven back the First Darkness. But the victory felt hollow, like a wound that had healed over but still ached beneath the surface.
Aria's presence flickered in his mind, soft and concerned. "Clek. Something is wrong."
"I know." His voice was flat, hard. "I can feel it. The darkness is still there. It's just... waiting."
"Waiting for what?"
Clek was silent for a long moment, his eyes fixed on the coin. Then he spoke, his voice barely a whisper. "I don't know. But I'm going to fi
