In the City of Darkness, the chaos of the recent inferno was beginning to ebb, yet the devastation left in its wake was palpable.
The monstrous horde that had overrun the city was finally diminishing, but the price had been steep—nearly half the city's population had perished.
The makeshift buildings lay in ruins, and the survivors had no time to mourn. Instead, they were forced to burn the bodies of fallen soldiers and loved ones before they could transform into grotesque husks.
Survival in this dark city had always been a struggle, and death was no different.
River stood amidst the smoldering wreckage, watching as the bodies were consumed by flames. She felt an unsettling numbness, overshadowed only by her concern for the manpower she would need to confront Kylie.
Yet, a flicker of hope remained. In the back of her mind, she clung to the belief that finding the white-haired boy could hold the key to escaping the city's grip.
