The night was thick with the scent of rain and ozone. The air within the Sanctum of Aetherveil shimmered faintly, walls of translucent stone that pulsed with the rhythm of the ley lines running deep beneath them.
Seraphine sat cross-legged in the center of the chamber, her white hair spilling across her shoulders like silver smoke. The faint hum of energy surrounded her, calm, measured, perfect balance.
Then, all at once, it wasn’t.
The ley lines screamed.
The world convulsed beneath her senses, a wave of corrupted magic rippling through the threads of life and spirit that connected every living thing. It was as if something vast and ancient had reached out and touched the living world.
Her breath caught, eyes flashing open. The crystal orbs surrounding her shattered, each one explodi
