Keystones of the Abyss

The trio emerged from the ruins, the keystone now securely in their possession, but the lingering unease of what had just transpired was heavy on their minds. The figure in black armor, the one who had so confidently warned them of the inevitable, haunted their thoughts.

"The harbinger of the end," Kian muttered, his gaze flicking back toward the darkened chamber. "What the hell does that even mean?"

Erynn's eyes were fixed ahead, her expression unreadable. "It means we've stirred something much bigger than we realized."

Alaric was silent, his thoughts racing as he absently traced the glyphs on the keystone. The glow from the orb cast faint shadows across his face, but his mind was far from the present. There was a deeper magic at play here, something tied to the ruin, to the map, and perhaps even to the power within him.

"We'll need answers," Alaric said finally, breaking the silence. "I can feel it—whatever's coming, it's tied to something ancient. The keystone was just the beginning."

"You're not wrong," Erynn said, her voice grim. "But we're not exactly in a position to be hunting down ancient artifacts. We're dealing with something that doesn't just want power—it wants destruction."

Kian adjusted his dagger belt, the weight of the situation pressing down on him. "And we're supposed to stop it, right? Just us three?"

Erynn looked at him, a slight smirk tugging at her lips. "Of course. Who else would?"

The light from the keystone dimmed as they continued their journey, but the unease in the air only grew thicker with each passing step. There was no denying the battle they'd won was just a small part of a far larger war. The question now was whether they were ready for the horrors that still lay ahead.

The forest around them was quiet—too quiet—but the shadows felt heavier now. They all knew it was only a matter of time before the true enemy revealed itself, and with it, the full extent of the darkness they were destined to face.

As they moved forward, the path ahead seemed even more uncertain, but one thing was clear: they had crossed a line from which there was no return.