บท 100: Regret

Exhaustion clung to Eliana. Hours hunched over dusty tomes and brittle scrolls, even with the spirit's assistance, had taken their toll. What should have been a four-day dig through the archives, even with help, she'd condensed into a grueling few hours. Now, red hair a mess and eyes burning from the strain, she paced the corridor, anxiety gnawing at her. Reaching a specific door, she threw it open, the word a frantic cry, "Mother!"

Valeriana, the woman Eliana addressed, hovered in a meditative position, a violent crimson aura swirling around her. Slowly, her eyes cracked open, the fiery irises settling on her daughter. "What's wrong, Eliana?" she asked, a hint of concern cutting through the intensity of her meditation.

"It's bad, Mother," Eliana stammered, the fear thick in her voice. "Really bad. Raven, he..." Her words caught in her throat, terror momentarily rendering her speechless.