"I'll wait... even if the whole world calls it foolish." Est's promise echoed in the silence, a thread of hope straining against the weight of despair. Far away, William's grip on the phone tightened until his knuckles turned white. His heart pounded like a drum, each beat louder than the scrape of claws against the glass outside. He whispered Est's name into the dark-a vow, a prayer, a desperate anchor. Whatever it took, he would find him. But promises are fragile in a world where shadows breathe, and every choice could be the one that tears them apart forever.