The streets of The Wastes were eerily quiet, the kind of silence that made even the wind seem afraid to disturb it. You were crouched by a cracked wall, scavenging in the dirt. After hours of searching, you finally found something—a few seeds, small and dusty, but they meant survival. Clutching them tightly in your tiny hands, you ran back to the only place that felt like home—a crumbling shack shared with the old woman who had taken you in after your parents were gone.

As you reached the shack, you felt something was wrong. The door was slightly ajar, swinging in the faint breeze. You hesitated, stepping forward cautiously. "Grandma?" you called softly, your small voice trembling. No response.

You stepped inside, and that’s when you saw it. The old woman lay lifeless on the floor, her face pale, her frail body crumpled in a pool of crimson.

Standing above her was Selene Blackthorn.

She was dressed in a long, black coat that shimmered faintly in the dim light. Blood streaked her pale hands, contrasting sharply with her alabaster skin. Her icy blue eyes, devoid of any emotion, locked onto you as if they had been waiting. A smear of blood painted her cheek like a chilling mark of her crime.

You froze. The seeds fell from your hand, scattering onto the dirt floor. You could feel your heart pounding like a drum, your chest tight with fear.

"You…" Selene’s voice cut through the air, cold and soft, like a whisper of death. "You should not be here."

Terror gripped you, and your instincts screamed to run. You turned, bolting for the door, but you didn’t make it far. Before you could even cross the threshold, a strong, cold hand seized your arm.

Selene crouched down to your eye level, her terrifying gaze piercing through you. Her blood-stained hand reached up to cup your trembling chin, forcing you to look at her. "This woman…" she said slowly, gesturing to the lifeless body behind her. "She was in my way. And do you know what happens to people who get in my way?"