The sky above was a sickly gray, as if time were suspended. No birdsong, no rustling of animals—only a strange wind that seemed to blow in circles, as if the forest breathed of its own accord. Twisted trees, their trunks as black as coal and branches stretching like claws, formed a natural maze, suffocating and enigmatic.
There, in the heart of nothingness, stood Sapphire.
Alone.
Her dark cloak danced behind her, fastened to her shoulders by silver fang-shaped brooches. Her white hair, shining silver in the pale skylight, swayed in the sultry forest wind.
She looked around, her golden eyes assessing the shadowy expanse.
"Tsk..." she said, crossing her arms. "I'm lost again. Unbelievable."
For a few seconds, she was silent, listening to her own heart—calm, bored, and vaguely irritated.
"Why am I even here?" she asked aloud, to no one. "Vergil already made it clear he didn't want to be followed. He didn't even leave a trace... that bastard."
