The graveyard stood still, eerily silent after the desperate cry. A faint gust of wind carried the scent of aged stone and forgotten memories.
Alex lowered the controller slightly, his sharp eyes scanning the dimly lit tombstones as a shadow stirred within the cemetery's depths.
Then, emerging from the darkness, she appeared.
Purple hair, flowing as if caught in an eternal breeze, cascaded down her back. Her crimson eyes glowed with an undeniable authority, her presence demanding attention. Everything about her screamed intimidation, dominance, and ancient power.
...or at least, it should have.
She was clearly the one whose painting Alex had seen in one of the hallways in the palace, also the one whom Lilia had been chasing traces of, but what actually stepped out... was a chibi.