Aria's POV
The wilderness engulfs us completely. Thorny branches tear at my sacred robes, clinging to the fabric as if the very earth demands I return to the temple, yet Victor pushes forward relentlessly. His fingers are iron around mine, pulling me through the dense undergrowth until fire spreads through my chest and my muscles scream in protest.
We collapse into a small clearing surrounded by towering pines. Only now do I comprehend the distance we've covered. The city's glow has vanished entirely, the temple bells nothing more than echoes carried on the wind. My breathing comes in desperate gasps, my whole body shaking from more than just exhaustion.
What have we done? What destruction did we leave in our wake?
Tim lies dead.
