The heavy front doors of Mourning Manor groaned as they were kicked open, revealing a sight that made the remaining guards freeze in their tracks. Gillian stumbled across the threshold, his breathing ragged and shallow. He was a man who embodied untouchable power, yet tonight, his presence was reduced to that of a wounded animal. His signature coat was shredded, stained with a dark, viscous substance that smelled of metallic copper and ancient rot. As he leaned against the cold stone wall, his strength finally abandoned him, and he collapsed toward the floor.
"Get the medicine," a guard shouted, his voice cracking with panic. "Do not let him die here!"
Ghea, who had been lingering in the shadows of the mezzanine, watched the chaos unfold with a mixture of dread and morbid curiosity. Sh
