The four leaders stepped into the pillar together. Light swallowed them whole, the world around them dissolving into a blur of gold.
When their vision cleared, they stood on a vast stretch of flat land, hemmed in by towering canyon walls.
Wind swept through the canyon, carrying with it a hollow, almost metallic echo. No trees, no rivers, no trace of life. Only rock and endless silence.
Xara's veil waved as she lifted her head.
"This place… carries a restriction. I can feel it eating away at my power."
The others tested their strength in silence. Solmir's golden aura dimmed when he tried to summon more of it.
Veron clenched his fists, the heat of his body guttering like a dying flame.
Even Thaloren's calm expression hardened as the flow of energy in his veins slowed to a crawl.
One by one, they gave short nods, confirming her words.
Such restriction on beings of their caliber only proved how powerful the owner of this place must have been.
