One hour before the moon reached its peak, the sound of the heavy door creaking open echoed through the cold chamber. The air grew thick with an ominous energy as two shadowy figures approached. Without warning, rough hands grabbed Lara, yanking her from the cold stone floor. Her heart raced as she was dragged out of the chamber, the clinking of chains around her wrists growing louder with each step. She could feel the biting cold of the iron shackles against her skin, already bruised from earlier struggles.
Outside, the chilling night air hit her face, carrying with it a scent of damp earth and decaying leaves. The open space of Thana’s dwelling stretched out before her—an ancient, desolate clearing surrounded by towering black trees, their twisted branches clawing at the sky. In the center stood a large, stone altar—a wide rectangular table carved with dark runes that pulsed with malevolent energy.
Lara was thrown onto the table with brutal force, her back hitting the cold stone as
