The Darkness Deepens

The victory in the warehouse was a small triumph, but Alaric and Adrian knew it was just the tip of the iceberg. They regrouped with Thalia, Damien, and Lady Seraphina in the palace's strategy room to share their findings and plan their next move.

"We found and disrupted one summoning circle," Alaric began, his voice filled with urgency. "But the leader of the ritual hinted that there are more circles, and something bigger is being planned."

Damien frowned, his eyes narrowing. "Did he say anything specific about their plans?"

Adrian shook his head. "No, but he mentioned that 'the shadows have already been set in motion.' We need to act fast before they can complete whatever they're planning."

Lady Seraphina laid out a map of Aetheris on the table. "The symbols on the letter indicated multiple locations. We need to check each one and make sure there are no more summoning circles."