~BOOOOOOOOOMMMM!!!~
A deafening explosion of dark energy ruptured the stillness of the garden, a surge of malevolent power so intense it seemed to warp the very air around it.
The vibrant flowers in the pavilion immediately shriveled, their petals wilting under the oppressive aura that poured from Lucius as he emerged from the void.
His dark cloak billowed around him, his eyes glowing with an ominous light that matched the overwhelming presence of his power.
It was as if the earth itself recoiled at his arrival.
The very ground trembled beneath him, and the tranquil serenity of the garden shattered in an instant.
"Lady Hildegard!" Lucius's voice rang out, low and commanding, yet tinged with a strange urgency.
He didn't know her face, but he knew she was here. The woman whose power could see the future, the woman who had long been his greatest obstacle.
He had to find her—before the situation slipped further beyond his control.
