His mana flared again, coating his skin like a protective barrier. And that's when he felt it—something.
A foreign energy.
He turned his eyes to the dark horizon, his golden hair fluttering in the breeze.
Whatever it was—it had come close. Too close.
And it had vanished just before he could catch it.
Turning back from the terrace, he stepped quietly into the room, his senses sharpened to their limits. The moonlight fell across the floor like silver ink, casting long shadows that danced with even the faintest movement of the breeze.
He scanned the room again. Nothing seemed out of place. No trace of energy. No movement.
But the moment he stepped further inside—
A wave of unnatural chill slammed into his body.
His breath hitched as an icy grip clutched at his chest, like phantom fingers trying to pierce into his very core.
"What—" he gasped, stumbling back instinctively.
Without hesitation, his instincts took over.
