Into the Abyss

The city of Verdonia lay beneath a cloak of shadows, its spires and domes barely visible under the fading twilight. From the rooftop of the old council building, Anastasia stood still, the cold air pressing against her skin, each breath sharp and deliberate. She glanced at Maximilian, who stood beside her, staring out at the skyline with a grim expression. They both felt it—the weight of the moment. This was more than a battle for Verdonia’s soul. It was a reckoning.

"This is it, isn’t it?" Anastasia’s voice was low, as if speaking any louder might cause the fragile moment to shatter.

Maximilian didn’t look at her. His gaze remained fixed on the horizon, his shoulders tense with the weight of decisions made long ago. "Yeah," he whispered, his voice laced with exhaustion. "This is where we find out if everything we’ve done has been enough."