Aelius looks up from his experiment, his brows furrowing into a deep frown. The lines on his forehead deepen, reflecting his intense concentration. With a sigh, he straightens his posture, adjusting the sleeves of his stained lab coat.

The sound of his footsteps reverberates through the sterile laboratory, amplifying the silence and intensifying the eerie atmosphere.

A prickling sensation crawls up his spine, a gut instinct warning him of an intruder.