The ground heaved like a living thing, throwing dust and stone into the air. The standing stones groaned, their ancient carvings flickering with jagged bursts of dark violet light, fighting against the silver glow of the moonstone in my hand. Deep beneath the sanctuary, something vast and ancient stirred—the very core of the twisted pact, the corruption that had festered here for centuries, feeding on lies and stolen power.
Kael caught my arm as the earth tilted violently. “It knows what you intend!” he shouted over the roar. “It will not let you seal it without a fight!”
“Let it come!” I cried, stepping closer to the pedestal. “I did not come here to hide from it!”
The air grew heavy, thick with the stench of rot and old blood. From the shadows between the stones, shadows rose—not beas
