The Temple shook as if a God had slammed its fist into the mountain. Stone screamed around us with earsplitting force. Runes flickered violently across the walls as though the ancient power inside the Temple could no longer contain what clawed toward us. Dust rained from the ceiling in thick gray curtains while the floor buckled beneath our feet. The girl clutched her head and cried out in agony as the sound reverberated through every inch of the structure.
Roots embedded in the carved walls ignited with silver fire. The flames crawled in spiraling patterns that mirrored the marks on my wrist. Each root pulsed with frantic rhythm. Each pulse responded to the approaching presence like a terrified heartbeat. The air filled with crackling energy that tasted like metal and burning frost. My m
