A Hero’s Call

Lady Maris gently pushed the door open and stepped into the chamber, her breath catching as she surveyed the scene before her. The recent spell seemed to have held—either that or the demon had decided to rest for a while.

The room was in disarray, just as Lisbeth had described. The once-pristine space now looked like a battleground, scattered with shards of broken items and fragments of shattered glass. 

In the far corner, Florian huddled against the cold floor, curled into himself like a fragile, broken thing. His body trembled from the chill, his skin pale from both exhaustion and neglect. He wasn't even wearing a proper coat, and the fireplace stood dark and cold.

Lady Maris's heart broke at the sight. She approached him cautiously. As she crouched beside him, she gently lifted his arm, her fingers trembling as they traced the deep, jagged marks on his skin. Some of the wounds were so severe, they could have easily claimed his life.