Cassandra breaks the surface gasping, water streaming from her hair. The stone chamber around her is cold and silent. She tries to pull power from her veins, but nothing comes. Her reserves are empty — completely drained. She drags herself onto the ledge and sees it: words carved into the wall, still wet with something dark. They spell her name. She stands, legs shaking, and walks closer. The message reads: "YOU MONSTER." The letters are crude but deep, hacked into the stone with force. Blood — her blood, she realizes — fills each groove. Someone knew she would come here. Someone knew what she was trying to do with the forbidden magic. She runs her fingers over the carved words, feeling the rough edges bite her skin. The cost she hadn't calculated was already being paid. Someone was watching her hunt for power that could drain life from networks and systems. And they wanted her to know they were waiting.