Morning light barely filtered through the clouds, leaving Praise's mansion in a muted glow. Inside, an uneasy quiet hung in the air, broken only by the soft hum of enchanted wards and the faint creak of shifting floorboards. Prince, Lammy, and Jed moved through the halls cautiously, senses alert. Something felt… off.
"Did you feel that?" Lammy whispered, pointing at a row of candles that flickered violently without wind.
Prince frowned, glancing at Praise. She stood near a tall bookshelf, eyes sharp, scanning the room. She notices everything, he thought, heart skipping slightly at the sight of her calm determination. He felt a pull toward her, a mix of admiration and something warmer he hadn't felt before.
Praise's voice cut through the tension. "The mansion is alive, and someone is probing it. I've felt faint disturbances… shadows moving where they shouldn't. You need to stay alert. The Revenants are testing our defenses."
Jed's ears twitched. "So they're watching us. Probably scouting for weak points."
Prince clenched his fists. "Then we can't let them find any. Not here. Not anywhere near her." His thoughts briefly lingered on Praise—her calm demeanor, her confidence, her mysterious aura. He wasn't sure why, but he wanted to protect her, not just himself.
Suddenly, a low humming sound echoed from a hidden corridor. Lammy's eyes widened. "That's not the mansion. Someone—or something—is inside."
Without warning, a figure emerged from the shadows—a Revenant scout, sleek and unnerving, with glowing eyes and a presence that made the air chill.
Prince reacted instinctively, stepping forward. He focused, sending a mental ripple, confusing the intruder's senses. The Revenant stumbled, unsure where Prince's thoughts ended and the illusion began.
Lammy raised his hands, chanting quietly. A spark of blue magic shot forward, forming a protective barrier that slowed the Revenant. "Not so fast!" he shouted, eyes narrowing.
Jed growled, his form shifting as his muscles bulged and his vision sharpened. He lunged at the scout, striking with enough force to send it sprawling, though his transformation only lasted briefly before he returned to human form, panting.
Praise stepped forward calmly, raising an ornate staff from the library wall. A protective sigil glowed under her feet, and a wave of energy repelled the Revenant completely. Prince couldn't help but steal a glance at her—mesmerized by the way she controlled the mansion itself with effortless precision.
The scout vanished, leaving behind a dark glyph etched into the floor, pulsing faintly. Lammy knelt to examine it. "This… this isn't just a scout. It's a warning. They're building something bigger. Something coming for us."
Prince's gaze found Praise again, and he felt a spark of determination ignite within him. Whatever comes next… I'll stand beside her. I have to.
Outside, the clouds churned as if the city itself knew the storm approaching. Within the mansion's protective walls, the team regrouped, tending to minor injuries and discussing strategy. But the faint hum of the wards and the lingering glyph reminded them all—safety was temporary, and shadows were always waiting to encroach.
Prince lingered near Praise once more, careful not to stare but unable to hide his thoughts. Even amid danger, he realized that the spark he felt for her might be the most dangerous thing of all—a distraction, and yet a source of strength.
For now, the mansion was intact. But beyond its walls, the Revenants were planning, watching, and calling. The shadows were encroaching.