Chapter 87

• The alliance council meeting was tense, the air heavy with unspoken doubts. Leaders from each faction sat around the long table, their expressions ranging from concern to outright suspicion. Reports of corrupted energy influencing their territories had grown more frequent, and the recent failed scouting mission only added to their unease.
• “This artifact you wield,” Lord Darius of the vampires began, his tone cold but measured, “is as much a liability as it is an asset. It reacts to the corruption, yes, but it also seems to amplify its spread. How do we know it’s not the source?”
• Amara straightened in her seat, her hand instinctively brushing against the artifact at her side. “The artifact is not the source,” she said firmly. “It’s our best chance at stopping the corruption and defeating Rita.”