As the silhouette of the Holy Temple of Ascalon grew to blot out the horizon, the air became heavy with the scent of incense and impending static.
Adonis stood on the prow of the Dragon Palace, his eyes fixed on the golden dome that pulsed with a desperate, rhythmic light. Vexa stood at his shoulder, her holographic form flickering with a warning red tint.
"Master, the atmospheric density is off the charts," Vexa reported. "The scanners are detecting a massive accumulation of divine ether within the temple's inner sanctum. It isn't a defensive wall. It's an invitation. They have opened every gate, dropped every ward. It's a vacuum designed to pull you in."
Adonis didn't look surprised. He didn't even look concerned. "They think they've found the one thing I can't overwrite. They think they can trap the Architect in his own imagination."
