A Glimpse Beyond the Veil

"The Sovereign Catalyst must awaken," the voice repeated, as if urging him, commanding him.

He squinted, trying to see if the robed figure had a face beneath that hood, but everything was shadowed. The chanting rose to a fever pitch, and the lines on the floor started to glow, swirling in a complicated pattern that spread outward from the center. Each thread of light reminded him of the runes in the catacombs, but larger, more alive.

He tried to focus, to memorize details—anything that might help him understand—but the scene flickered, like a candle in the wind. He could feel the vision tearing at the edges of his consciousness, slipping through his fingers. Panic welled in his chest. He reached out a hand toward the robed figure, hoping for clarity.

Then it all went dark.