Cassie stood in the middle of Oziel's castle hall, her eyes filled with fear mixed with anger. The sound of Lucca's footsteps echoed from behind her, each step piercing her heart like needles. The man she once trusted now approached, his face shadowed with darkness. Oziel's whispers had taken him, turning him into someone unrecognizable.
"Lucca..." Cassie whispered, almost like a final prayer.
But Lucca did not respond. His eyes were vacant, as though his soul had been entirely consumed by the dark force controlling him. Oziel stood before them, smiling triumphantly. "Do you see, Cassie? You can't escape fate. Even the one you love has become my tool."
Cassie shivered, a coldness penetrating her bones, not just from the castle's chill, but from the betrayal unfolding right in front of her.
"Attack her, Lucca," Oziel commanded, his voice low yet filled with power. "Prove your loyalty to me."
