As dawn broke, Sareena stood at the edge of the Whispering Caverns, the grimoire clutched tightly in her hands. The obsidian shard—a fragment of a dying star—glinted faintly in the dim light, its surface etched with ancient runes that pulsed with a faint, otherworldly glow. It was within reach, but so were the dangers that guarded it. The caverns were warded with layers of protective magic, each more deadly than the last.
Sareena’s lips moved in a silent incantation as she summoned a sliver of Viona magic—a recent and dangerous addition to her repertoire. The wards shimmered faintly, their defenses momentarily weakened as she slipped through unnoticed. Her heart pounded as she approached the shard, her fingers trembling as she reached for it.
She couldn’t take it outright; its absence
