In a dimly lit room, shadows danced across the walls, their eerie forms distorted by the flickering light of a few torches. The room was filled with tension, the air thick with anger and frustration.
Several figures, their forms twisted and grotesque, sat around a stone table, while others paced restlessly, their movements punctuated by sharp outbursts.
"I told you he was useless!" a rough, screeching voice echoed, filled with venom.
Another voice chimed in, equally irritated but with a deeper, guttural tone. "I agree. He couldn't even get close to Aria Catherine, much less capture her. Pathetic."
A third figure, more composed yet exuding an aura of authority, raised his clawed hand, silencing the room momentarily. "It's not entirely his fault," he began, his voice calm but edged with warning. "We underestimated the top students of the academy. They're stronger than we anticipated."
