A glowing crack had split through the crystal ball.
Not a simple shimmer. Not the faint flicker of average magic. No... the orb radiated with intense, blinding light before a jagged line tore across its surface, snaking from base to top. A thin, sharp crack followed, then another... until the entire sphere shattered into glittering fragments that rained over the counter like falling stars.
Gasps filled the guild hall.
Every adventurer in the vicinity turned in unison. Conversations died, laughter halted, and even the clatter of tankards and boots came to a stop. All eyes locked on the small figure standing in front of the shattered testing orb.
Celina.
Or rather, Nightmare.
The receptionist stood frozen, mouth open, the nail file still in her hand. Shards of the broken orb clinked against the wooden floor, rolling away as if in slow motion.
"What the actual hell...?" she muttered.
Celina pulled her hand back, confused.
"That wasn't supposed to happen, was it?'
