===Elsewhere===
The night was shrouded in thick darkness, with only the faintest glow of moonlight filtering through the dense canopy of leaves overhead.
The persistent chirping of night insects echoed throughout the forest, their endless chorus weaving together into an eerie melody that made the entire atmosphere feel unsettling and chilling.
Hidden deep within the forest stood an ancient mansion, its towering silhouette almost completely swallowed by the darkness.
The grand structure appeared lifeless from the outside, but inside, a single aged oil lamp burned quietly, casting a dim golden glow that barely managed to push back the shadows gathering in every corner of the vast hall.
Seated upon a throne-like chair at the center of the room was a man completely enveloped in darkness.
Strange runes slowly emerged beneath his feet, spreading across the stone floor like creeping algae as mystical energy pulsed through them.
