The fire didn't burn like normal fire.
It wasn't hot, it didn't scorch, it ate sound. Everything went quiet, like the world itself was holding its breath.
Lorenzo woke first. His vision was blurry, filled with floating ash. His hands shook as he pushed himself up, coughing. The basement was gone, or maybe, changed. The walls were gone, replaced with endless dark stone that pulsed faintly, like a heartbeat.
Elias lay a few feet away, half-conscious, muttering something under his breath.
And in the center of it all stood Aria.
Her body floated slightly above the ground, hair waving like smoke. The crown of shadow still burned above her head, smaller now, but brighter, as if it was feeding on something invisible.
Lorenzo staggered to his feet. "Aria!"
She turned slowly, eyes glowing gold and black at the same time. Her voice was soft, but it echoed, like there were others speaking through her. "You shouldn't have stayed."
