Chapter 66 Whispers in the Dust

Days bled into weeks as Friesland, Elizabeth, and the Scholar delved deeper into the labyrinthine restricted archives. The air hung heavy with the weight of forgotten knowledge, the flickering torches casting long, eerie shadows that danced across the ancient scrolls. The sheer volume of information was overwhelming. Countless scrolls, written in a language that the Scholar painstakingly deciphered, detailed the City's history, its technological advancements, and its harnessing of the mysterious energy source depicted in the holographic image. They learned of a civilization at its zenith, a beacon of progress powered by a force they called Aethel. Aethel, according to the scrolls, was a raw and volatile energy found deep within the earth's core. Channeled correctly, it fueled their technology, illuminated their city, and propelled them to unimaginable heights. But the scrolls also spoke of a growing unease. Some believed Aethel was too powerful to control, a wild horse straining aga