The moment Lady Seraphine and her team vanished into the teleportation circle, the upper floors of the Capital Mage Tower erupted.
At first—silence.
The kind that rang in the ears.
Then—A roar. Powerful Mana surged through the tower like a living tide, the ancient runes blazing white-gold as the massive hearthstone burned with power at the circle's heart. Even after the teleportation completed, its presence lingered—heavy, undeniable, terrifyingly real.
Mages staggered back, clutching staffs and robes.
"No backlash…"
"The mana flow stabilized…"
"By the gods—did it really—?"
No one dared to ask the question hanging in the air: How did Lady Seraphine acquire something like that?
Two hearthstones. Of that size. Of that purity. Of that age.
