THE ALTAR WE BURNED
she whispered.
The Ancients replied, "It is the Heart of the Realms. You must bind to it. Or they will collapse."
Isabella extended her hand, breath shallow. The moment her fingers brushed the crystal, a torrent of visions overwhelmed her. She saw the world fractured into realms: the Mortal Plane, the Spiritlands, the Abyss, the Heavens, and the Shadowlands—all hanging by threads of flame. Each thread burned with agony.
She screamed.
Arthur ran to her, but a force flung him back. The crystal clamped onto her aura, drawing in her energy. Symbols poured across her skin like liquid gold. Her eyes turned white. Her voice, when she spoke, was not hers alone.
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