Meanwhile
In an unknown location stood a broken tower against the night sky, its crumbling stone walls draped in shadows that seemed too thick, too alive. Once a bastion of magical research during the Great War, it had been abandoned for decades after the experiments conducted within its walls went catastrophically wrong. Now, it served as a meeting place for those who preferred their business to remain hidden from prying eyes.
Two figures materialized in the uppermost chamber through separate portals, their arrivals perfectly timed despite arriving from different locations. Both wore enchanted cloaks that blurred their features and distorted their voices—expensive magic that cost a fortune to maintain but was worth every coin for meetings like this.
