Chapter Eighty

The chamber echoed with a silence broken only by their ragged breaths. Sarah and Alex stood transfixed before the pulsing artifact, its otherworldly glow casting an eerie light on their faces. It was a beautiful object, crafted from an unknown material that shimmered with an inner light. Intricate patterns swirled across its surface, seemingly defying logic and defying them to decipher their meaning.

"It's incredible," Alex whispered, his voice filled with awe. He reached out a tentative hand, but Sarah stopped him.

"Don't touch it," she warned, a flicker of fear crossing her eyes. "We don't know what it does."

The artifact pulsed in response to her words, bathing them in a brighter light for a fleeting moment. A shiver ran down Sarah's spine. It felt almost… alive.

Rith approached the artifact cautiously, his eyes narrowed in concentration. He traced his finger along one of the swirling patterns, muttering under his breath.

"What is it?" Sarah asked, her voice barely a whisper.