The voice sent shivers through the crowd, and many of the worshipers instantly dropped to their knees in reverence. Even Nana's expression changed slightly, her earlier bravado replaced with something more solemn.
Auriel turned her gaze toward the altar.
The dark stone at its center pulsed, and a deep red mist began to rise from it. The torches around the chamber flickered violently, their light struggling against the sudden surge of dark energy.
And then, from the swirling mist, a figure began to take shape.
A woman.
Her form was indistinct, her body shifting like smoke, but her presence was undeniable. Crimson eyes gleamed from within the mist, filled with something ancient and unknowable.
Auriel took a step forward, her divine energy flaring in response to the presence before her.
"So, an envoy of the heavens has come to challenge me? Don't worry! I will kill you and send a message to those people up there."
