The vision didn’t stop with his face. It unfolded like a cruel play: whispered conversations behind silk curtains, charcoal-smudged maps with routes traced in silver, and a ritual circle I recognized from forbidden tomes—one designed to pierce the veil between worlds. I saw my own name inked onto a list, circled in a hand that trembled only with anticipation, not remorse. Memories I'd trusted as true—bonds forged in fire and quiet counsel—fell apart, revealed as carefully staged moments to groom me for the final act. Rage flared hot and immediate; grief followed, slow and hollow. Every shared laugh, every promise felt suddenly fragile, a glass bauble shattered by the revelation. I clenched my fists until my knuckles ached, because standing here, surrounded by writhing shadows, I knew the w
