Raika stood in the desolate fields, the horizon stretching endlessly around her. The sky was a somber shade of gray, a prelude to an impending storm. The wind whistled through the ground with ash, rustling softly, as if nature itself was holding its breath. She took a deep inhale, the crisp, cool air filling her lungs, as her eyes scanned the barren expanse before her. There was something haunting about the stillness, the quiet that settled into the bones.
"Stand back, my guards," Raika instructed, her voice steady yet carrying an air of authority. Her crimson eyes glowed faintly in the light.
Sebastian, the lone familiar face among the new guards, furrowed his brow, his curiosity piqued. "What are you doing, Princess?" he asked, his voice low but laden with concern. His gaze never wavered from her, his hands tightening on the leather straps of his belt.
