A chill hung in the air.
Ellie walked briskly through the empty hallway, her instincts prickling with unease. It was late—too late for anyone else to be here. The overhead lights flickered, casting long shadows against the tiled floor.
She wasn't alone.
Her breath hitched as she caught movement from the corner of her eye. A figure stepped out from the darkness—Raphael.
Ellie's hands curled into fists. "What do you want?"
Raphael's silver-blue eyes glowed faintly in the dim light. "I told you, Ellie. I've been sent to assess you. And now?" He took a slow step forward. "You're coming with me."
Ellie's body tensed. "Like hell I am."
She moved to back away, but the second she did, the lights above them shattered. Darkness swallowed the hallway, and in that instant, she felt it—an overwhelming pressure slamming into her body like an unseen force.
She couldn't move.
Raphael sighed. "You're strong, Ellie. But you're not ready."
