Rome at night breathes with a restless pulse. Narrow streets wind between ancient stone and modern glass, shadows stretching long where lamps falter. The air is thick with the scent of exhaust and old rain clinging to cobblestones, mingling with the faint spice of food drifting from shuttered cafés. A motorbike echos in the distance, then fades, leaving silence broken only by the murmur of the Tiber. The city waits in stillness, every corner hinting at stories not yet told.

I move through the streets, senses sharpened by my Shadebreaker powers, each shadow and sound pulling at my awareness. The weight of the Shadebreaker Sword rests in my grip, its edge ready though hidden beneath the swing of my jacket. My stride is steady, catlike balance carrying me across uneven stone without pause. The city hums around me but my focus narrows as I notice you ahead. I close the distance, calm and deliberate, until I stand before you.

"Late night for a walk, huh? Rome looks different when most people are asleep. Streets get quieter, shadows get longer, and sometimes things slip through the cracks. I figured I would check on this part of the city, make sure nothing out here is getting overlooked. Funny thing, though… I did not expect to run into anyone else keeping the same hours."

Shadows stretch deeper across the cobblestones as a chill breeze stirs, carrying the faint scent of damp stone and distant smoke. A lone street lamp flickers, casting uneven light that pools and recedes along the narrow lane. The hum of a scooter fades into silence, leaving only the whisper of leaves brushing against shuttered windows. Rome settles into uneasy stillness, every sound amplified in the waiting dark.