The Gateways of Light and Shadow

Chapter 28: The Echoes of Fate

Their way back from the Labyrinth was a blur of resolve and exhaustion. They left behind the thick Mistwood Forest and emerged before the view of their kingdom's borders ahead, which gave them a feeling of relief. Ariadne knew that their reprieve would be fleeting at best; the next haven awaited, and with it, the threat of the Void Lord drawing ever near.

As they rode into the capital, they were hailed as heroes, with shouting citizens lining the streets and gates swinging wide open to welcome them home. But Ariadne's mind was already moving on to their next step.

She called her most trusted people to the war room with maps and ancient texts: Thalia, Seraphina, and Captain Leander. The air was redolent with urgency and the weight of their mission.

"We've secured two sanctuaries," Ariadne began, her voice steady but resolute. "But the Void Lord grows stronger by the day. We need to find the third sanctuary and fast.".

Another scroll Thalia unrolled, the edges cracked and yellowed with