Far away, under the ruins of an ancient temple in another realm....
Alessia's fingers brushed across cold stone.
The chamber she stood in was silent, untouched by time. Dust floated like ghostly snowflakes in the shafts of blue light streaming through cracks in the wall.
Her lantern flickered, throwing trembling shadows on the runes carved into the walls.
And there it was.
"The Great Black Book".
It rested upon a pedestal of bone-white marble, its cover carved with intertwining serpents and a single crimson gem pulsing faintly in the center.
The air around it shimmered with a strange energy, making the tiny hairs on her arms stand on end.
Her heart thudded painfully. "So this is it," she whispered. "The book Donato Morano and Princess Elowen have been searching for…"
She stepped closer, unable to tear her gaze away.
The moment her fingertips brushed the book's edge, ancient letters began to shimmer on the pedestal, curling into existence in burning gold ink.
