The battlefield had quieted into a tense, oppressive silence. The clamor of combat had subsided into the low murmur of wounded men and the heavy breathing of survivors. Amid the scattered debris of fallen foes and shattered stone, an eerie calm had settled over Adrian's stronghold. The battle had been ferocious, but now the real power struggle was about to begin.
From the far end of a crumbling corridor, a sound like slow, deliberate clapping echoed. At first, it was almost lost in the dying echoes of conflict. But as the sound grew louder and more rhythmic, both Caleb and Adrian turned their attention to the source. A single figure emerged from the shadows—a presence so commanding that the surrounding darkness seemed to recoil in its wake.
