Chapter 65

After several days of grueling travel, the sight of Ashenfold finally emerged on the horizon. Maveth, Vithorian, and Ken had returned, weary and contemplative after their bizarre and harrowing adventure. The city's somber and oppressive aura, already notorious, seemed to have deepened in their absence, casting an almost palpable shadow over its streets and alleys. The absence of other travelers at the gates only heightened the eerie atmosphere.

Unlike their first entry, where bribes and paperwork were mandatory, this time they were waved through without question. The guards stationed at the gates appeared unusually tense, their expressions locked in perpetual unease, as if they anticipated trouble at any moment. Their stiff postures and darting eyes conveyed a sense of dread that Maveth couldn't quite place. Still, he chose not to question it for now.