Location: Crimson Veil Monastery – Underground Catacombs, Tavara
The cold stone beneath Damien's back pressed into his skin, jolting him into semi-consciousness. The gas had taken effect fast, but his enhanced tolerance—built from years of exposure during military operations—fought it back in waves. His vision was still a blur, but his instincts screamed that something wasn't right.
Above him, the low hum of machinery and a faint chant echoed through the cavern. Shadows danced along the curved, moss-laced ceiling of the catacombs. A solitary torch flickered on the far wall, revealing ancient engravings—symbols he recognized from The Order's encoded scrolls. They had been etched here long before any of them were born.
He tried to rise, but metal shackles clamped his wrists to the stone table beneath him. He turned his head. Nora lay on a similar slab a few feet away, unconscious but unharmed.
Then came the sound of silk brushing stone. He didn't need to look to know who it was.
Selena.
She stepped from the shadows, face still hidden behind the crimson veil. But her presence was tangible—commanding, enigmatic, and laced with danger.
"You're stronger than they said," she murmured, circling him. "I underestimated you, Damien Kane."
He kept his voice low and steady. "Let her go."
Selena paused, tilting her head. "You don't even know what you're asking for. That woman—Nora—is the key to all of this. You were never supposed to find her. And she… was never supposed to live."
His breath stilled. "What do you mean?"
She took a seat across from him, cross-legged like a serpent about to strike. "You've seen what The Order is capable of. But you haven't seen why they fear her. Nora's bloodline traces back to the first founders—those who once led the balance between wealth, power, and protection. When her mother defected, she was marked. Nora was born under the hidden moon, with genetic markers the Order needed—but couldn't control."
Damien's jaw clenched. "You mean to use her."
"No," Selena said softly. "I mean to awaken her."
As if on cue, Nora stirred, her fingers twitching. Her lashes fluttered open, and she looked around in confusion.
"Nora!" Damien called, his voice laced with urgency.
Selena moved toward her, pressing two fingers to Nora's forehead. A pulse of red light shot through the room, vibrating the very walls.
Nora gasped as images rushed into her mind—fragments of hidden rooms, burning scrolls, whispers in an ancient tongue. She saw her mother running through the woods, cradling a glowing pendant, chased by hooded figures. She saw herself, as a baby, surrounded by a circle of fire.
And then… she saw Selena.
"You… you were there," Nora whispered, sitting up, horror dawning in her eyes. "You saved me?"
Selena gave a solemn nod. "And now, you must remember everything. Or they'll never stop hunting you."
Damien pulled at his restraints. "If she remembers, will she survive it?"
Selena turned to him. "Only if you're there to anchor her."
With a sharp gesture, the shackles released from Damien's wrists. He lunged forward, catching Nora as she swayed.
"I'm here," he whispered, gripping her face. "No matter what happens, I've got you."
A single tear slipped from her eye. "I'm scared."
"You don't have to be."
Selena stepped back into the shadows, her voice echoing one last time. "She has seven days before the final convergence. If you fail, the world as you know it will fall… starting with Tavara."
The torch extinguished, plunging them into darkness.
But even in that darkness, Damien felt the warmth of Nora's hand in his—and that was all he needed to fight.