The following hours changed the entire world's understanding of the crisis. Messages went to Draco, Seragus, the Human rulers, beastmen, dwarves, and the wood Elves.
Every kingdom received the same warning.
The corruption wasn't natural.
The Blood Ocean wasn't simply contaminated.
The disappearing villages weren't random.
An ancient cult had spent years, perhaps centuries, weakening the remnants of the World Tree seal.
Illegal enhancement potions had been part of it.
Missing people had been part of it.
Death Cores had been part of it.
The Protector had been part of it.
Klaith had been part of it.
Perhaps even political conflicts that once seemed ordinary had been encouraged because instability made the cult easier to hide.
Atheline stood before the enormous map late that night. For years, his life had seemed divided into separate problems… but they weren't.
Atheline drew a line across the map, then another, and another. Every line eventually returned to the same point.
