Chapter 45 – "Reckoning of Flames"
The air hung heavy with the acrid scent of scorched earth and lingering embers. The once-pristine royal gardens now lay in ruin—charred remnants of flora smoldering amidst deep fissures that marred the landscape. The grand banquet hall, which had moments ago been filled with merriment and the clinking of mugs, now stood eerily silent, its occupants either evacuated or frozen in shock.
Amidst the devastation, Luci stood tall, his form illuminated by the flickering glow of dying fires. His chains, symbols of restraint and power, emitted a faint luminescence, casting intricate patterns on the ground beneath him. The runes etched into his skin pulsed rhythmically, resonating with an ancient energy that seemed to hum in the stillness.
