The morning sun rose over Portside, casting long golden shadows across the cobblestone streets. Ethan stood on the wall, his eyes fixed on the horizon, his mind churning with thoughts that refused to settle. Viktor was gone, bound to the Temple of the Primordial Shadow, his spirit the new guardian of the barriers. The shadow was contained, its power diminished. The world was at peace.
But peace, Ethan had learned, was never permanent.
Three days had passed since Viktor's sacrifice, and Ethan had spent every waking moment trying to find a way to free his friend. He had scoured the ancient texts, consulted with the Archivist, and reached out with his consciousness to touch the edges of the Temple. But every path led to the same conclusion: Viktor was bound to the shadow, and there was no w
