Back at the House Griffin estate, the sealed chamber beneath the central tower had been prepared for three days.
Thick wards layered the walls—runes of containment, suppression, and purification etched in silver and obsidian.
The air inside tasted metallic, heavy with mana so dense it pressed against the skin like damp silk.
A single raised platform occupied the center of the room; Luna lay upon it, unconscious, pale skin almost luminous against the dark velvet cloth beneath her.
Three Rank-10 experts stood in a loose triangle around her.
Kaelan Griffin—Grandmaster Swordsman—held position at the head, his longsword planted point-down in the stone floor, both hands resting on the hilt. The blade thrummed faintly, resonating with the ambient power.
To his right stood Nyssa, Luna's master—the Grand Sorceress of Blossom Tower. Her silver hair floated slightly, stirred by the invisible currents of mana she channeled. Violet light coiled around her fingers like living smoke.
