Thirty-Two

The mountain run lingered within the distance, spiked crests covered in dull clouds that twirled forebodingly. Clara, Ethan, and Selene rode hard toward the sanctuary where they had once sealed the Heart and the orb. The closer they got, the more harsh the air got to be, as in case the mountains themselves were pushing back against their approach.

“There's something wrong,” Clara said, her voice tight with tension as she guided her horse up the limit way. “It’s like the entire area is... rejecting us.”

“Or it’s a warning,” Selene replied, her eyes scanning the horizon. “Whatever is causing the seal to break might already be here.”

Ethan, ever the pragmatist, gripped the hilt of his sword. “Then we deal with it. We’ve faced worse before, and we’re still here.”

As they rose the final incline, they saw the sanctuary. The once peaceful and sacrosanct space was presently corrupted with a ghostly shine, the brilliant runes that had once sparkled on the surface of the stone presently flashin