Chapter 287 Beneath The Ruins

• The Ruins of Oren loomed before them, an ancient city lost to time and war. Towering columns of stone jutted from the earth, some half-sunk into the sand, others cracked and eroded by centuries of neglect. The silence here was unnerving, the kind of quiet that seemed to swallow sound whole, leaving only the echo of one's thoughts. Ariella could feel the weight of the place, the history embedded in its very bones. It was as if the ruins were holding their breath, waiting for something—or someone.
• Varon led the way with practiced ease, his eyes flickering to every shadow as though expecting an ambush. Despite his earlier assurances, there was an edge to his demeanor now, a hint of something darker lurking beneath the surface. Kaelen’s wariness was palpable, and Ariella couldn’t help but share it. Varon had promised to lead them to the Heartstone, but Ariella wasn’t entirely convinced that his motives were as pure as he claimed.
• As they ventured deeper into the ruins, the air grew cooler, and the ground beneath their feet turned from dust to something more solid, though still uneven. Ariella kept her senses sharp, the shard’s pulse under her tunic reminding her of its constant presence. It had become a part of her now, its energy both a guide and a burden.