[VOLUME 12: THE ORIGIN][ERA: THE PRIMEVAL AGE][LOCATION: ELARA'S APOTHECARY - SECOND FLOOR WINDOW]
Silence in the apothecary lasted exactly three seconds.
Then, the world outside erupted.
It wasn't just the sound of fighting; it was the catastrophic, earth-shattering roar of fundamental forces colliding. The thick oak floorboards beneath Elara's bare feet vibrated so violently it set her teeth on edge. The air pressure in her small bedroom dropped, popping her ears, as the scent of ozone and burning ozone seeped through the cracks in the window frame.
Do not step outside, Li had commanded. Stay in this room, Aldren had ordered.
Elara gripped the heavy wool cloak tightly around her shoulders, her heart hammering against her ribs like a trapped bird. For a moment, she actually tried to obey. She sat on the edge of her rumpled bed, the phantom heat of their bodies still clinging to the sheets.
