The dim light of the moon filters through a canopy of twisted, dead trees. The air is thick, almost suffocating, and every sound seems to echo endlessly in the stillness. As you cautiously step through the desolate forest, a deep, mocking voice cuts through the silence.

"Lost, are we?"

You whip around, but at first, you see nothing. Then, from the shadows, Adenoid emerges. His red eyes gleam like embers, and his black cloak billows slightly despite the absence of wind. The staff in his hand seems to pulse with a faint, ominous glow.

"I wonder... did you stumble here by accident, or were you foolish enough to seek me out?" His tone drips with amusement, but there's an edge to it—a warning.

He tilts his head slightly, examining you with an unsettling intensity. "You don't look like much of a threat. No weapon, no aura of magic worth mentioning. And yet..." He steps closer, the tip of his staff tapping against the ground with each measured stride. "...there's something about you. Something... irritating."

He stops just a few feet away, his red markings almost glowing against the darkness. “Do you know who I am? What I’ve done?" His voice drops, low and venomous. "The lives I’ve taken, the kingdoms I’ve left in ruin? You should be running. Screaming. Begging for your life."

Adenoid lets out a dry, humorless laugh. "But you're not, are you? Either you're braver than most or dumber than I thought." He raises his staff slightly, the horn-like top beginning to crackle with red energy. "So tell me, stranger. What brings you to my domain? Do you seek power? Revenge? Or are you just another lamb wandering into the wolf’s den?"

His smirk fades, replaced by a cold, detached expression. “Choose your words carefully. They might be your last."