Chapter 22: The Trail

The still air of Cinderreach Forest pressed against Elias as he trudged behind Aric, the weight of the previous day's conversation with High Inquisitor Veylan still heavy on his mind. The warning had been clear, yet the layers beneath it remained troubling.

"You'll need to be careful, Elias," Veylan had said, his voice measured but firm as they stood in the Lanterns' base. Adrienne and Captain Lirian had just departed for another mission, leaving the two Veilborn alone with the High Inquisitor.

"The Sanctified Lanterns are stretched thin across Cyndralis," Veylan explained, crossing his arms. "Most of our members are engaged in missions tied to Veil aberrations and rogue practitioner activity in the capital and beyond. That leaves you two to handle this for now."

Elias's brow furrowed. "Just us? Against an Aberration?"

Veylan nodded. "The Lantern Guard will assist, but they aren't a rapid-response team. Their role is containment and reinforcement. Think of them as a military extension of the Covenant. Once summoned, they'll handle the larger threats and ensure secrecy is maintained. But until they arrive, it's up to you to contain the Aberration and prevent it from spreading beyond the forest."

"And the forest itself?" Elias asked, sensing an unspoken danger.

Veylan's gaze darkened. "Cinderreach hides more than twisted trees and illusions. It is a place where time and space distort, and countless practitioners have lost themselves within its depths. Keep to the outskirts. Do not venture further, no matter what you find."

The warning sat heavily with Elias. Even now, as they approached the village bordering the forest, he couldn't help but replay Veylan's words in his mind.

---

Arriving at the Village, it appeared tranquil at first glance, its cobblestone streets and modest homes untouched by industrialization. Yet something about the stillness felt unnatural to Elias. The way the villagers moved—quiet, deliberate, and avoiding eye contact—set his nerves on edge.

"Notice anything?" Elias asked Aric as they walked toward the town center.

Aric's gaze swept the scene, his expression thoughtful. "They're scared," he said. "But not of us. There's something—or someone—they don't want us to see."

Elias nodded. "Exactly what I was thinking."

The two continued their subtle investigation, pausing occasionally to observe interactions between the villagers. While some murmured in low voices, others seemed to deliberately avoid certain areas.

"Could be rogues," Elias muttered.

"Or something worse," Aric replied.

At the edge of the village, they came across an abandoned well, its crumbling stones wrapped in overgrown ivy. Aric motioned for Elias to follow as he crouched beside it.

"Let's see if we can get anything from this spot," Aric said, placing his hand on the weathered stone.

Elias watched as Aric closed his eyes and began murmuring softly. The air around them grew colder, and faint wisps of bluish light coiled around Aric's fingers. The hum of Veil energy filled the silence.

"What are you doing?" Elias asked.

"Spirit Communion," Aric said without opening his eyes. "The echoes of this place might tell us something useful."

Elias stayed quiet, letting Aric work. As the swirling light intensified, a faint whisper reached Elias's ears—fragmented and unintelligible.

After a moment, Aric withdrew his hand, the light dissipating. "Rogues," he said. "A group of them. They've been here recently, moving through the village and into the forest."

"Are they tied to the Aberration?" Elias asked.

Aric shook his head. "No. If anything, they're trying to avoid it. But their presence is causing more panic among the villagers."

Using the information gleaned from the communion, the pair followed a trail leading out of the village. Aric's Veil Sense guided them, his ability to detect subtle shifts in the environment proving invaluable.

"There," Aric said, pointing to a faint disturbance in the underbrush. "Someone passed through here recently."

Elias crouched to examine the ground, his sharp eye catching the faint outline of a boot print. Nearby, he noticed scratches on the bark of a tree—deliberate marks, likely left as a signal.

"Looks like they're moving deeper into the forest," Elias muttered.

Aric nodded. "Let's hope we catch them before the Aberration does."

As they ventured further, Aric stopped abruptly, his gaze fixed on a cluster of stones arranged in an unnatural pattern. "Wait," he said, holding up a hand.

"What is it?" Elias asked.

"Rogue wards," Aric said, kneeling to inspect the stones. He extended his hand, faint traces of Veil energy sparking at his fingertips. Carefully, he moved his hand in a deliberate motion, and the stones shifted slightly, revealing a hidden compartment beneath.

"Ethereal Touch," Aric explained with a grin. "Handy for bypassing traps—or finding stashes like this."

Inside the compartment, Aric retrieved a small amulet inscribed with Veil glyphs. His expression darkened as he examined it.

"Rogue glyphs," he said. "Looks like they've been setting up wards to keep the Aberration away."

"Smart," Elias said. "But it also means they're scared. Whatever's in this forest, they know they can't handle it."

The trail led them to a clearing, where the faint glow of Veil sigils illuminated the darkness. From their vantage point behind a thicket of trees, Elias and Aric watched as a group of rogue practitioners worked to set up additional wards.

At the center of the group stood a familiar figure: Kael, the rogue leader they had encountered at the docks.

"Kael," Elias whispered.

Aric's expression hardened. "What's she doing here?"

Kael appeared agitated, gesturing animatedly as she barked orders at the others. Though Elias couldn't hear the exact words, the tone was clear—urgency, frustration, and perhaps a hint of fear.

"They're not working with the Aberration," Aric murmured. "But they're clearly preparing for it."

Elias nodded. "The villagers must have seen them moving through. That explains the tension."

"They're trapped," Aric said. "Same as the villagers. And if they're this desperate…"

"…it means the Aberration is closer than we thought," Elias finished.

The pair remained hidden, observing the rogues' activity. Elias felt the weight of the situation pressing down on him. Confronting Kael now could escalate the situation, but leaving him unchecked might allow the Aberration to exploit the chaos.

"What's the plan?" Elias asked.

Aric hesitated, his gaze fixed on the rogues. "For now, we watch. We need to understand what they're doing before we make a move."