In the heart of the ancient city of Eldergrove, where shadows clung to cobblestone streets and secrets whispered through the gnarled branches of twisted oaks, there existed a forbidden book—the Tome of Vengeance. Its existence was known only to a select few, those desperate enough to seek retribution for the sins of their ancestors. The legend spoke of a cruel sorcerer named Malachai, who had been enslaved by the very masters who now haunted his lineage. Driven by rage and despair, Malachai poured his anguish into the pages of the forbidden tome. He inscribed dark incantations, binding the essence of a hundred malevolent spirits to its leather-bound cover. Each spirit carried with it the power to exact vengeance upon the descendants of those who had once oppressed them. The book was said to be hidden within the crypts of the Whispering Cathedral—a place where the air tasted of dust and forgotten prayers. The entrance was concealed behind a crumbling statue of an angel, its marble ...