The celebration in Portside lasted for seven days.
Fires blazed in the square, casting long shadows across the cobblestones. People danced and sang, their voices rising in joy and relief. The darkness was gone, the shadow destroyed. The world was at peace.
Ethan stood apart from the crowd, his eyes fixed on the horizon. The Heart of Light had done its work, shattering the Primordial Shadow and freeing the world from its ancient threat. But something was wrong. He could feel it in his bones, a cold presence that lingered at the edges of his awareness.
"You're not celebrating," Ava said, appearing beside him. "Why aren't you celebrating?"
Ethan was silent for a long moment. Then he said: "Because I don't think it's over. I think the shadow left something behind."
Ava's face grew pale. "
