The night air hung thick with silence as Riven leaned against the cold stone of the mausoleum, his mind already churning through the next steps. Sana was in place, a perfect infiltrator, but she was still an unknown variable. The Undead Advancement System had given her cognitive abilities beyond a mere puppet, yet how much of her former self remained was uncertain.
He had to be sure she would not falter.
Closing his eyes, Riven focused inward, feeling the lingering threads of mana connecting him to his undead minions. His connection to Sana pulsed faintly, an echo of awareness tethering them together.
What else can I do with this bond?
The thought struck him like a slow, creeping realization. He had felt it, just for a moment, when she first awakened—a flicker of something deeper than mere control.
What if…
