Chapter 169

Talia's heart pounded as she stood face to face with a figure she thought she would never see again—her mother, who had passed away many years ago. The apparition shimmered before her, bathed in an ethereal light that cast long shadows across the room.

"Talia, my dear," her mother's voice was a soft whisper, filled with both sorrow and urgency. "You are in grave danger. There is an evil force lurking in the shadows, one that seeks to destroy everything you hold dear."

Talia's mind raced as she tried to process the sight before her. Was this truly her mother, returned from the dead to deliver a warning? Or was it some trick of the darkness, seeking to manipulate her?

"I don't understand," Talia said, her voice barely a whisper. "What do you mean, an evil force?"

Her mother's form flickered, as if struggling to maintain its presence. "There is a darkness coming, Talia. A darkness unlike anything you have ever faced before. It seeks to consume the universe, to snuff out all light and lif