Klein remained frozen. The hooded woman slowly removed her hood. A cascade of chestnut hair with orange reflections fell onto her shoulders. Her skin was of an alabaster pallor. Her eyes, pearly iridescent orbs, stared at him with intensity. Klein widened his eyes, his heart skipped a beat.
"Ariana?" he exclaimed in a hoarse voice filled with surprise.
Klein clenched his fist. He couldn't believe it: the legendary Pandora, the immortal alchemist, was in reality Ariana, his ex-fiancée.
---
[Back in the Alexandrian Empire]
At that time, the war between the Pendragon faction and the other factions was raging, plunging the empire into chaos never seen before. The fighting took place on multiple fronts across the empire. The capital was nothing more than a huge blaze under a sky blackened by ashes and sulfurous smoke.
In the center of the market square, the chaos was total. Warriors from the Pendragon faction fought against the alliance of the factions.
