Chapter 25

Chapter 25

UNKNOWN LOCATION

The dimly lit chamber smelled of earth and magic, the air thick with anticipation. Shadows flickered along the stone walls, cast by the faint, eerie glow of the black crystal scrying stone clutched tightly in the man's hand. He stood tall and imposing, his face obscured by the deep hood of his cloak, his every movement deliberate as if the weight of the ritual bore down on him.

The room was silent save for the faint hum emanating from the crystal, its dark surface shimmering like liquid ink in the sparse candlelight. The man's sharp eyes were fixed on it, as though he could already feel its latent power stirring. He paced slowly, the stone cool against his palm, until the sound of footsteps echoed faintly from the corridor outside.