Isatis City:
Clyde's bedroom remained tidy, almost untouched, despite the nightmares that had tormented him through the night. The sheets were pulled tight, the curtains drawn halfway, and the faint smell of sandalwood clung to the air. Yet none of that calmness reflected the storm inside him.
He sat at the edge of the bed, gaze locked on the window. Outside, the sky had turned gloomy while dark clouds had gathered. The sun was gone, swallowed whole by the clouds, leaving behind only a muted glow that made everything look cold.
A crow landed on the railing outside. It let out a sharp rasping caw, eerie and ominous.
Clyde's hands clenched, veins bulging, his arm muscles rigid as though he were restraining himself from tearing something apart. His pale eyes had turned dark, a bottomless pit that reflected no light. The air around him felt unnatural, thick, suffocating like the silence before the thunderstorm.
Then a chuckle escaped his lips. Bitter and hollow.
