I stood in the dim light of the Scripture Pavilion, surrounded by ancient scrolls and the heavy silence of accumulated wisdom. The massive collection of texts stretched before me, organized in towering shelves that reached toward the vaulted ceiling. Golden light filtered through high windows, casting long shadows across the marble floor.
Time was my enemy now. Three days to find and master the Spirit Binding Technique—a technique that might save Isabelle. I could feel each second ticking away, adding pressure to my already burdened shoulders.
"Where do I even start?" I muttered, scanning the endless rows of scrolls and books.
"Looking for something specific?" a voice asked from behind me.
I turned to find Ricardo Beaumont standing there. Despite my earlier rebuke, his expression held no anger—only a calculating curiosity.
"The Spirit Binding Technique," I answered bluntly. No point in hiding my purpose here.
