The morning sun struggled to pierce the thick clouds outside, casting pale light through Praise's grand windows. Inside the mansion, silence ruled once more, broken only by the soft rustle of pages and distant footsteps. Prince, Lammy, and Jed moved carefully through the halls, still wary of lurking danger, though the mansion felt safer than the tunnels.
Praise led them into a hidden study, walls lined with old books and artifacts. "This place holds knowledge most wouldn't dare touch," she explained. "Some of it is dangerous, some of it… useful. You need to understand it if you hope to survive."
Prince's eyes flicked to Praise again. Even in the quiet study, her presence seemed to command attention. He tried to focus on the bookshelves, but his thoughts kept drifting—how her fingers traced the spines, how her voice carried authority and warmth at the same time.
Lammy, meanwhile, inspected a set of ancient scrolls. "These symbols… they're like nothing I've seen before. Some kind of protective magic, maybe?" he said, squinting at a faded script. Jed's ears twitched, picking up subtle creaks and shifts in the mansion's structure. "The place itself feels alive," he muttered, "like it's watching us."
Praise nodded. "It is. This mansion has safeguards. Rooms shift, passages hide, and traps protect against intruders. The Revenants would never expect anyone to navigate it safely without guidance."
Prince lingered near a tall window, stealing glances at Praise as she walked among the artifacts. His heart raced—not with fear, but something else, something unfamiliar. Every now and then, their eyes met, and he felt a flicker of connection that made him both nervous and bold.
The quiet was shattered when a faint humming sound echoed from the lower floors. Lammy stiffened. "That's not the mansion," he said. "Something's… moving." Jed's eyes narrowed, muscles tensing. "Revenants?" he asked quietly. Praise shook her head. "Not yet. But you're not as safe as you think. Whoever—or whatever—is coming… will test all of us."
Curiosity got the better of Prince. He stepped closer to a peculiar mirror leaning against the wall, its surface rippling as though it were liquid. Praise noticed him. "Careful," she warned. "Some objects here aren't what they seem. Curiosity can be dangerous, especially now."
Prince swallowed. "I… I'll be careful," he replied, heart still pounding—but not entirely from caution. Praise's eyes held his for a moment, sharp and assessing, and something unspoken passed between them.
Lammy opened another scroll, and suddenly, a faint glyph glowed on the floor. "It's a ward," Lammy whispered. "Something's trapped—or protected. We need to understand it before touching anything else."
The team moved cautiously, realizing that Praise's mansion was more than a safe house—it was a labyrinth of secrets, magic, and unseen power. Even within its protective walls, danger lurked, and every step required thought, courage, and trust.
Prince glanced at Praise again, catching her looking back. He felt a spark of determination—not just to survive, but to stand beside her, whatever came next. Outside, the storm clouds churned, and somewhere in the city, the Revenants were moving, building, calling… waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
For now, the mansion offered sanctuary. But the walls themselves whispered that this peace was fragile, and the shadows of the outside world were closer than they seemed.