The moon shimmered softly, its light as gentle as water, while the waves glinted with a thousand sparkling flecks beneath it.
Ryan made his way to the bulwark.
Approaching, he noticed the knight, Cecilia, tucked into a shadowy alcove not far from Freni.
The moonlight draped her in silver, yet it could not mask the ashen strands of her hair.
"Miss Cecilia, is that you?!" Lane exclaimed, his brows knitting together as concern shadowed his features.
Cecilia, known for her icy demeanor and vibrant youth, now seemed to have aged prematurely. Her face was unchanged, but Lane could sense an unmistakable weariness suffusing her.
Something was terribly amiss.
Memories of Cecilia's words during their last battle echoed in his mind: "If someone of higher rank observes, they might catch a glimpse of the 'fixed point' of the [Black Cage] in the real world..."
"I can attempt it, but it will leave me profoundly weakened..."