The chamber trembled as Valen steadied himself, his Void Essence swirling around him in dark tendrils that cut through the shadows. The guardian before him—the hooded, imposing figure tasked with protecting the relic—seemed to draw strength from the artifact itself, their form radiating with an ancient, consuming energy. Aylara stood behind him, her mana shield flickering as she warded off the fragments of dark energy ricocheting across the chamber.
Complex patterns of mana are coming to life they have formed all around—only to be destroyed and continue the process again, it was mesmerizing and mysterious, evoking the feeling of awe and fear.
Although amazed Valen kept his expression in check which betrayed nothing of his internal state.
Valen's gaze shifted to the relic on the pedestal: a small, obsidian orb, pulsating with a deep, alluring glow that called to him, whispering promises of untold power.