The glow in the chest didn't brighten.
It simply kept breathing through the carved lines, steady and patient, as if the box had never been an object at all - only a boundary made of wood and precious metals.
Raizen stood a little closer than he meant to. Not close enough to touch it, but close enough that he could see the way the light ran through the grooves.
The room was quiet in a different way now. Not like hesitation, but the silence of people holding their breath because they don't know the danger they're facing.
The Ruler's hand remained on the lid. His eyes were fixed on the chest, and for a moment Raizen caught the strangest look on his face.
Not fear or hatred, like he expected.
Something sadder than both.
Like grief, or something that looked like regret.
Then the Ruler's fingers shifted.
The clasps released, soft and smooth. The lid separated from the base by a hair's width.
Raizen felt a cold shiver down his spine.
