Chapter 104

The upcoming gala was more than a social event, and in the heart of it all, Gerald and Denera reveled in the knowledge that they were the architects of the chaos to come.

***

The room was a crypt of shadows, lit only by the flickering flames of a solitary fireplace. Dark, heavy curtains draped over the tall windows, blocking out the sunlight and creating an atmosphere thick with foreboding.

The walls were lined with ancient books, their spines cracked and worn, holding within them tales of dark knowledge and forbidden secrets.

A mahogany desk dominated the center of the room, its surface cluttered with old maps, cryptic notes, and ominous artifacts.

Seated behind the desk was a figure cloaked in darkness, the mysterious man who had just arrived in the City. His eyes, sharp and calculating, glinted in the firelight as he studied a parchment covered in arcane symbols.

The silence was punctuated by the rhythmic ticking of an old grandfather clock in the corner.

A soft knock on the doo