The hall settled into a silence that felt ancient, older than the crystalline pillars and older even than the drifting dimension itself. The beast's words lingered in the air like a fading echo, their weight settling on the trio's shoulders.
Neither Lilian or Elara fully understood what the Ancient Beast had said, but they could definitely comprehend the gravity of what was said.
Albedo took a slow breath, grounding himself again in the present, in the chamber, in the warmth of Ember pressed lightly against his side.
The beast, this withered soul, this sentinel who had seen the rise and fall of a golden age, turned once more toward the massive doors deep within the chamber. When it moved, the crystalline floor dimmed beneath its paws, rippling like water with every step.
"Come," it said, its voice softer now, weary in a way that reverberated through the bones. "Your journey here ends in the next room."
They followed without hesitation.
