The woman stepped closer, her expression softening. "We'll figure it out. You've faced worse."
A bitter laugh escaped Echo's lips. "Maybe. But this… this is different. I don't think I can keep going like this. I don't think anyone can."
Before she could respond, a sudden roar tore through the air, a sound that shook the ground beneath their feet. Echo's heart raced, and instinctively, his hand went to his sword. The magic that flowed through him flared in response, humming in the back of his mind.
"What the hell was that?" The woman asked, eyes scanning the horizon.
Echo narrowed his gaze, the air around him thickening. The source of the roar was coming from the north, beyond the walls of the city. He could feel the energy rising—raw, untamed, and powerful. It was a force that didn't belong in this world, not the way the Rift did.
