Elsewhere – Ancestral Safehouse, Eastern Romania
Rain fell outside.
Hard. Unforgiving.
The old chapel sat at the edge of a dead forest, its roof long caved in, windows shattered, and vines crawling up its stone walls like silent fingers. But beneath it—far below—was something untouched by age.
A hidden chamber.
Still. Cold. Protected by ancient blood wards.
Inside, Vladimir stood motionless before an obsidian shrine, the only light coming from the red glyphs floating across the air like drifting ash. His coat hung loosely from his shoulders, and his long black hair clung to his cheeks.
He had been standing there for hours.
Waiting.
Then the message came.
A faint ping.
The crystal embedded in his wrist lit up—a secured relay. He turned slowly, eyes narrowing as he touched the rune to activate it.
The voice on the other end was tight. Nervous.
"Sir… he lost it."
Silence.
"…The Grimoire. It's gone."
Vladimir said nothing.
