Shadranes sat inside the church with her eyes closed and hands clasped in prayer, fervently imploring Kalosia for Ketla and Rakuza to succeed in halting the ritual.0

Suddenly, she opened her eyes, startled by an ominous surge of dark energy from afar. Panic gripped her as she turned her gaze in that direction, sensing a formidable and sinister presence.0

“N-no way…”0

Did they fail to stop the ritual? Is our sanctuary about to be consumed by darkness? she thought. A fleeting despair overtook her thoughts, but she realized her assumption was incorrect.0

Her face turned deathly pale as she understood what was going on. Another terrible catastrophe had begun unfolding—a scenario she had not even considered.0

“This… can’t be!” Her voice quivered in denial, but reality was already beyond her control. Great evil had descended upon the world.0

***0

The very fabric of space shattered like broken glass, and from within emerged the outline of a single figure. The being had pale skin like a vampire, a dark horn protruding from the center of his forehead, and extravagant attire befitting nobility.0

“How nostalgic, the scent of the mortal realm,” the man said.0

With a single breath, the air...0