SECRETS AND DREWS

The air in Umbravell crackled with unnatural energy, a haunting melody rippling through the twilight sky. In the heart of the city, where cobblestone streets tangled like veins and shadows clung to corners like secrets, something ancient stirred.

Arion Veyra had always believed the Nexus was a myth cautionary tale whispered to keep mortals and Ethereals in check. Yet here he was, standing at the edge of reality itself. The cavern pulsed with a ghostly light, each flicker illuminating jagged runes etched into the stone walls, glowing with a rhythmic heartbeat.

"Don't go further," whispered the voice in his head. It wasn't his own. It never was.

But Arion couldn't stop. His fingers grazed the surface of the Nexus, a churning mass of shimmering energy. It felt alive-hungry. He winced as his vision blurred, splitting into two worlds: one of the city he knew and another of chaos. Creatures prowled the other side, eyes like burning coals, bodies wreathed in shadows.

"This isn't real," he muttered, pulling back. Yet the ground beneath him trembled, disagreeing.

A roar split the silence, and a crack snaked across the Nexus. Arion stumbled back, heart pounding as a figure emerged silhouette wreathed in flame and shadow.

"You woke me." The voice was deep, and resonant, like the sound of tectonic plates shifting.