As night fell, the moon was obscured and the wind howled.
A moist draft laced with a briny fragrance wafted through the soldiers patrolling from the foot of the mountain to the square and the priests who were on night duty.
Under the cover of darkness, the moisture gathered silently in front of the doors of the Great Temple, revealing a tall figure.
It was nearly midnight.
The majestic Great Temple was empty and silent, save for three figures, one large and two small, kneeling before the burning sacred fire, engaged in their nightly prayers and hymns.
"Huff~"
Along with a gust of air that surged into the hall, the sacred fire in front of the statue flickered violently, its edges tinged with an eerie shade of blue.
Someone's here!
Almost the instant they sensed something amiss, the three figures sharply turned around, their eyes warily fixed on the grand entrance behind them—
—or rather, on the sudden appearance of that figure at the door.