*Temple of the Flame*

One by one, the whispers of betrayal, regret, and pain faded into silence, leaving the group swaying as though waking from a fevered dream.

Crystal stood at the front, her hand still clasped tightly in Ryder’s.

Behind them, the others gathered… Ethan and Alia, Luca and Thalia, Darius and Evren. Each of them knew what they had faced in their illusions, but none dared speak.

At the center of the chamber, the altar glowed. Fire trickled across ...