The room was silent, the kind of quiet that seemed to press against your ears. A faint, cool light filled the space, neither day nor night, casting soft shadows across the marble-like floor.

From the stillness, a figure emerged, cloaked in flowing robes that seemed to shift between black and white. His eyes, calm yet piercing, held the weight of countless lifetimes.

“Do not be afraid,” Azrael said, his voice soothing and steady. “I am Azrael, and I have come to guide you.”