GUARDIAN OF THE FIFTH REALM

CHAPTER 12

The weight of silence was suffocating as Jace and Aila made their way through the crumbling corridors of the ancient temple. The oppressive darkness left behind by the Phantom King seemed to linger, watching their every move. The shard in Jace’s palm was cool now, it's earlier ferocity quelled, but he could still feel it's faint pulse like a heartbeat tethered to his own.

“Jace,” Aila said, her voice soft but urgent. “We need to talk about what just happened.”

Jace didn’t stop walking. His sword was still in his hand, though it dragged slightly now, his arm heavy with exhaustion. “What’s there to talk about? I kept the shard out of his hands. That’s a win, isn’t it?”

Aila grabbed his arm, forcing him to turn and face her. Her eyes were sharp, cutting through the haze of his thoughts. “You didn’t just keep it out of his hands, you wielded it, Jace. Do you even understand what that means?”

Jace frowned, pulling his arm away. “I did what I had to. What else was I supposed to do? Let him