The corruption had spread.
What had been a contained breach just hours ago now pulsed across the entire bay like an infected wound. The Kala Drah's twisted form still crouched beside Saguna's childhood home, but it was no longer alone. The four Reapers — those elite shadow entities with obsidian masks — stood guard around the perimeter, their forms more solid and menacing than before.
"It's gotten worse," Radji observed grimly, his earth-sense picking up the chaotic vibrations beneath the water. "Much worse."
The partial ritual they'd attempted — the triangle that had held with only two anchor points — was failing. Dark fissures spread outward from where the eastern shrine's anchor had collapsed, letting more shadows seep through with each passing hour.
Administrator Thane had brought only two marines with him, while Councilor Nightbloom traveled with a single ranger. The small group clustered around the boat's edge, watching the nightmare landscape with growing unease.
