Chapter 36

• The Nexus map shimmered faintly, its threads steady yet fragile. Kael stood before it, his hand hovering over the faintly glowing lines. His connection to the Nexus felt stronger than ever, but the price of wielding the Shard of Eternity was becoming clearer with every passing moment.
• Angelica entered the war room, her violet eyes sharp and her flames subdued. She studied Kael's posture—the sag in his shoulders, the faint tremble in his hand as he traced the map's threads. "You're wearing yourself out," she said, stepping beside him. "The Shard isn't just taking from you—it's changing you."
• Kael sighed, his gaze fixed on the map. "I can feel it. Every time I use the Shard, it takes a little more. But without it, the Nexus would already be in chaos."