The dark sphere surrounding the battlefield began to fracture.
At first, the cracks were small—thin silver lines spreading slowly across the surface of Shadowfen Coven's synchronized mental domain like stress marks across black glass. They flickered in and out of existence beneath the pressure radiating from inside, unstable and trembling, yet unmistakably real.
Then another crack appeared.
And another.
The audience, which had been forced into anxious silence ever since the domain swallowed the arena whole, suddenly erupted into confused shouts as flashes of movement became visible through the widening fractures.
Silver distortions.
Crimson flames.
Shadow beasts retreating through collapsing illusion fields.
Every glimpse lasted only an instant before darkness swallowed it again, but it was enough.
Enough for the spectators to realize something impossible was happening inside.
Enough for fear to begin shifting into disbelief.
