Louis awoke with his head pounding, enveloped in darkness. Pain throbbed in his temples as he tried to recall what had happened. He attempted to move his body but felt an overwhelming exhaustion. Slowly, he opened his eyes and realized he was in a small, dark, and damp room, with faint noises coming from outside.

He tried to sit up, but the dizziness forced him to lie back down. He remembered the moments before he lost consciousness—Clara, the hands that had taken him, and the sense that something bigger was unfolding. Without thinking, he scanned the room, trying to figure out where he was and how to escape.

Struggling, Louis...