As the palace shook violently around them, Mira's control over the situation slipped further. Her eyes flashed with a mixture of fear and rage as she watched the ancient entity rise from the depths beneath Elarion. The air crackled with energy as the creature's gaze swept over the throne room, settling on Zephyr.
Suddenly, the chains binding him snapped, their golden light fading as if consumed by an unseen force. Zephyr stumbled forward, catching himself on a shattered pillar. He looked up to see Seraphina rushing towards him, her wings spread wide and her eyes blazing with determination.
"Zephyr!" she cried out, reaching for him just as a tendril of darkness lashed out from the awakened entity. It wrapped around her waist, lifting her off the ground and pulling her towards the gaping hole in the floor.
"No!" Zephyr shouted, lunging forward to grab her hand. Their fingers intertwined just as another tendril shot out, coiling around his leg and yanking him off balance.
