Moments later, as Jade was engulfed in her thoughts, the door creaked open, revealing the butler dressed in his uniform, carrying a silver platter with a single cross set upon it.
Jade reached for the cross, her movements deliberate. She bowed slightly, offering a genuine smile, "Thank you, sir."
The butler, maintaining his silence, returned the gesture with a slight bow. Without uttering a word, he stepped back, leaving Jade to her preparations. As the door closed behind him, a sudden warmth enveloped her body.
"V, make sure to hold on," she instructed, feeling the onset of the transport's effects.
"Yes, Lady Jade," V responded, placing its clawed hand on her shoulder, sending a chill that contrasted sharply with the warmth coursing through her.
The world shifted.
Darkness swallowed Jade's vision, then thinned into gray light.
Fog pressed around her legs and shoulders while dozens of trees rose on every side.
