The plateau’s wind roared like a living thing, whipping ash and fragments of corrupted stone into the air. Sadi’s boots crunched against fractured rock as he advanced, Surtr blazing in his hand. The corrupted beast shrieked, thrashing violently, yet Sadi ignored it, keeping his eyes fixed on the glowing heart of the Forbidden Seal ahead.The runes pulsed violently, green and gold intertwining, each beat like a pulse of the mountain itself. Shadows crawled along the edges of his vision, writhing, whispering in forgotten tongues. “Turn back… you cannot succeed…” they hissed.Sadi’s jaw tightened. “I don’t turn back,” he muttered. His voice barely reached beyond his teeth, but Surtr responded, flames rippling along its blade as if affirming his resolve.Mason and Nikita flanked him, their magic and steel clearing paths as the corrupted tendrils lashed out. Mason swung with precision, each strike sending waves of force, while Nikita’s water barriers absorbed the energy of the shadows, glo

The winds over the Sky Temple whispered uneasily, as though carrying secrets across the valleys. Sadi stood on the highest terrace, his fingers gripping the hilt of the Sword of Surtr. The fire sword’s faint glow pulsed in rhythm with the distant tremors that only he could feel. Something was off. A subtle shift in the balance of energy, like a shadow stretching across the edges of light.Nikita approached, her brow furrowed. “Sadi, do you feel it too?” she asked, voice tense.Sadi’s gaze didn’t leave the horizon. “Yes,” he murmured. “Something is stirring… but it’s different. Stronger than the last time.”Benjamin and Avil arrived, breathless from climbing the stairs, their eyes scanning the sky. “There’s a strange energy flowing from the southern borders,” Benjamin said. “The forests are… alive in a way they shouldn’t be. The beasts are restless, even the tame ones.”Avil’s hand clenched into a fist. “I’ve seen the runes glowing again. Ancient ones… the same as before, during the Ce

The mist thickened as Sadi and his companions pressed deeper into the Eastern Marshes. Every step squelched in the blackened mud, and the faint glow of corrupted energy pulsed beneath the surface. Shadows slithered unnaturally across the water, and the air was heavy, almost suffocating.“This place…” Avil whispered, her voice tight with unease, “it feels alive… and angry.”Benjamin gripped his sword, scanning the darkness. “Stay alert. Damon’s influence is strong here. These aren’t just beasts—this marsh itself has been corrupted.”Sadi’s hand tightened around the hilt of Surtr. The fire sword hummed softly, as if aware of the approaching danger. He closed his eyes briefly, focusing on the faint pulse of the next corrupted node. Its presence was subtle, hidden beneath layers of dark magic, but the sword whispered guidance, leading him through the treacherous terrain.Suddenly, the marsh erupted. From the mist, three massive beasts charged—hybrids, their bodies twisted with shadow and

The sky over the Sky Temple had turned an unnatural shade of crimson, as if the heavens themselves were bleeding. Clouds twisted unnaturally, illuminated from within by an eerie green glow that pulsed like a heartbeat. The usual hum of magic that surrounded the temple was fractured, unstable, and Sadi could feel it gnawing at him the moment he stepped onto the temple’s highest terrace.He tightened his grip on the Sword of Surtr, feeling the weapon vibrate faintly in response to the corruption that had begun to seep through the cracks in the seal. His eyes narrowed as he surveyed the expanse: several of the outer wards had flickered and failed, and strange, distorted shadows moved across the ancient stones. Beasts once tamed and loyal were now restless, their eyes glowing with unnatural fire. Somewhere in the depths of the temple, he could hear the faint roar of a creature he had once believed secure—a Leviathan, now twisting in rage.“This is worse than I thought,” Sadi muttered, his

The Sky Temple’s lower sanctum hummed with residual power. Even after Sadi had stabilized the Leviathan and channeled its energy into the fractured runes, a faint glow lingered in the walls. The carvings, etched long before the first sages walked the realms, pulsed with a soft, golden light—like a heartbeat echoing through stone and magic.Sadi knelt before the Leviathan, still catching his breath. The sword’s flames had dimmed to a steady glow, but Surtr vibrated faintly in his hand, as if aware of something beyond the temple walls.“The sword senses it… the corruption lingers elsewhere,” Surtr’s voice whispered in his mind. “Damon moves in shadows. He seeks the lost seals, and his reach grows with every realm he touches.”Sadi’s eyes narrowed. Damon’s manipulation had already begun; the corrupted beasts weren’t isolated incidents. Each attack, each anomaly was a calculated probe to test the strength and defenses of the temple.Avil adjusted her wind barrier around them, her voice st