Richard and Amelia stepped back into the ruined chamber, blinking against the harsh sunlight filtering through the cracks in the ceiling. The air crackled with a lingering energy, a faint echo of the battle they had just fought within the Heart of Shadows.
Evelyn lay unconscious amidst the debris, her face pale and drawn. Richard rushed to her side, relief flooding him when he found a faint pulse still beating.
"She'll be alright," Amelia said softly, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Exhausted, but alive."
Richard nodded, his gaze searching the chamber. The pulsating orb of darkness was gone, replaced by a single, glowing ember floating innocently in the center of the room. It hummed with a latent power, a stark contrast to the malevolent energy it had once possessed.
"What happened?"
