The ruins of Crowmere trembled under the weight of silence. Ash drifted like dying snow, settling on broken altars and collapsed pews. Blood pooled in the cracks of the stone, steaming faintly in the cold night. The once-proud cathedral was now nothing more than a grave of shattered idols and crushed faith.
I stood at the center of it all, gauntlet pulsing with rainbow-black light, Noa's whisper curling through my mind. Around me, my demons formed a ragged circle, their eyes wide, their breathing heavy. But none of them dared to step closer. They understood. This battle was mine alone.
Across the rubble stood Kravius. His silver eyes locked onto mine—steady, merciless, unyielding. Slowly, he drew his sword. The sound it made was not steel against steel, but something stranger—like moonlight itself being torn apart. The blade's glow carved the darkness, its silver fire pushing against my shadow. Even Selena's breath hitched when that glow spilled across her face.
