The stillness after the battle hung in the air like a weight none of them could shake off. Emily, Mira, and Alaric stood in the now-quiet chamber, the dust of the shattered stone creatures settling on the ground. The Heart of the Ancients, which had blazed with power moments before, now glowed softly, its warmth no longer filling Emily with overwhelming energy but with a steady hum, as though it had returned to a resting state.
"**We need to move,**" Alaric said, his voice low but urgent. "**This place won't stay quiet for long. There could be more, or worse.**"
Mira wiped sweat and grime from her brow, her breathing still labored from the fight. "**Agreed. The power you unleashed won't go unnoticed, Emily. Whoever sent those things is going to know we're here.**"