The Chamber of the Unwritten Word – 2:55 A.M.
The walls buckled. Massive chunks of stone broke free, crashing onto the ground as dust filled the air. The Watcher's form fractured, its laughter twisting into a screech of fury.
"The hour has come."
The book burned with light, ancient symbols flickering across its pages. A force—raw and undeniable—lashed out, knocking Nate and the others to the ground.
Lucien coughed through the dust. "We need to get out of here. Now."
Leah was already moving, grabbing Nate by the arm and dragging him toward the staircase. "Nate! Snap out of it!"
But Nate's eyes were locked on the book—on the images searing into his mind.
A throne of glass and fire.
A beast with ten horns, rising from the sea.
A city falling beneath a blood-red sky.
And a whisper that cut through everything.
"Find the Witnesses. Before it is too late."
A violent pulse of energy sent a final shockwave through the chamber.
The Watcher shrieked as its body shattered, the pieces twisting into smoke before vanishing into the air.
The book slammed shut.
And the entire chamber collapsed.
---
St. Peter's Basilica – 3:02 A.M.
They burst into the night, tumbling onto the marble steps of the Vatican. Behind them, the ground shuddered, a deep rumbling beneath their feet as the ancient tunnels gave way.
Lucien braced himself against a pillar, panting hard. "That was too close."
Leah scanned the area, her voice low and sharp. "Where is everyone?"
The square was empty. No tourists, no guards—just an eerie silence.
Then Nate saw it.
The sky above wasn't the same.
A massive crack stretched across it, like glass under pressure. Through that crack, Nate could see something beyond it—something moving.
Leah followed his gaze, her breath catching. "Tell me that's not normal."
Lucien wiped the dust from his face. "No. It's not."
The prophecy had begun.
---
Rome International Airport – 4:45 A.M.
The emergency broadcast flashed on every screen.
Unidentified seismic activity reported worldwide. Electrical disturbances in major cities. Government authorities urging calm.
Nate leaned against a pillar, his head pounding.
Lucien sat beside him, flipping through old pages of scripture. "We need answers."
Nate rubbed his temples. "The Witnesses. The prophecy said to find them."
Leah frowned. "Witnesses? Like, biblical ones?"
Lucien's face darkened. "There's a prophecy in Revelation about two Witnesses who appear before the final events unfold. They preach the truth. They warn of what's coming." He glanced up. "And then… they die."
Leah exhaled. "Fantastic."
Nate stood up. His hands still trembled, but his voice was steady.
"Then we find them first."
Lucien looked at him carefully. "You realize what that means, right?"
Nate nodded.
"It means we just stepped onto a battlefield."