The air between Luca and Seraphina remained tense, the weight of their unresolved conversation lingering heavily in the quiet street as neither of them spoke further. The silence that stretched between them felt fragile, as though even the smallest word might shatter the delicate balance that barely held their composure together.
Luca opened his mouth slightly, intending to respond, yet the words refused to form clearly within his thoughts.
Before either of them could continue—
A powerful gust of wind descended suddenly from above.
The sound of beating wings echoed across the empty village, the force of the air stirring loose dust along the deserted road as a massive eagle-like beast descended from the sky, its enormous wings casting a shifting shadow across the ground.
The creature landed with controlled precision several steps away from them, its sharp golden eyes scanning the surroundings with disciplined alertness.
Upon its back stood three figures.
