Shattered Promises of the Alpha
The third section erupted in golden light.
For one breathless moment, the entire chamber became silent. Then the seal closed. The twelve stone figures surrounding the opening raised their joined hands, and a wave of silver light swept across the floor. The black mist recoiled, dragged toward the opening by an invisible force. The First Silence screamed, its shifting faces twisting with rage. “You cannot imprison me again! I am the fear beneath every heart! I am the grief that survives every death! I am the voice that tells every child they are alone!” Lyra rose, standing beside Ethan and the two boys. “You are a voice,” she said. “You are not our choice.” The light intensified. The First Sil