The air was thick with the scent of blood and burning sage. The cavern, hidden deep beneath the city of Eldoria, pulsed with an unnatural energy. Shadows coiled along the walls, whispering secrets only the dead could understand.
In the center of the chamber, a figure knelt—her dark robes soaked in crimson. The runes carved into the stone floor glowed an eerie blue, pulsating in time with her racing heartbeat. Her trembling hands hovered over an ancient tome, its pages inscribed with a prophecy long feared.
"The hybrid will rise when the veil shatters," she whispered. "A child of both Light and Shadow, bound by fate, torn by destiny."
A gust of wind howled through the cavern, snuffing out the candles in one violent breath. Footsteps echoed from the darkness, slow and deliberate. She didn't need to turn to know who it was.
"Tell me what I wish to know," the voice commanded, smooth as silk yet laced with danger.
She swallowed hard. "The prophecy is in motion. The girl has awakened."
Silence stretched between them, thick with unseen tension. Then, a low chuckle—rich, amused, and predatory.
"Excellent," he murmured. "It's time."
And with a flick of his wrist, the shadows consumed her.