The pale golden runes sealed Lysander. He stood frozen like a puppet, his face locked in an expression of shock and stubborn defiance.

The scene tore through Elysium Celestial Palace like an arctic gale, seizing the unease that had begun building after Talmor's defeat and freezing it into bone-chilling silence.

The men and women, who had been indulging in lust and pleasure, had long since collapsed to the ground. Even their trembling had stopped. Only the violent pounding of their terrified he