The shadows of the dungeon twisted around them as Zane followed Valerie deeper into the labyrinthine passages. Sera stayed close, her eyes sharp, every muscle tense.
Valerie's purple hair caught the faint glow of the torches, but her smile was tight—too calculated.
"Zane, over here," she whispered, leading him toward a narrow alcove.
Suddenly, the air shifted, thickening with danger. Valerie vanished into the darkness, and a cold voice echoed from the shadows.
"Well done, Valerie. You've delivered him right to me."
From the gloom stepped Lysara—her gaze icy and merciless, her aura radiating deadly intent.
Zane's system blared a warning.
> [ALERT: HOSTILE ENTITY — LYSARA]
Sera's breath caught. "Zane, be careful!"
Lysara's lips curled into a cruel smile. "The organization sees you as a threat—unpredictable, uncontrollable. My orders are clear: eliminate you before you cause any more chaos."
Valerie's conflicted eyes flickered under Lysara's influence, torn between loyalty and dark manipulation.
Zane tightened his grip on the Endblade. "I'm not going down without a fight."
The trap was set—and now, survival was the only option.