Shadows and Leaders

The village lanes were outlined against the muted tones of morning light, a brief moment of escape from the .. Sitting on the rim of a stone fountain in the town square, Kael looked at the Starforged Blade lying across his knees. The events of the past few days weighed heavily on his mind. The gaps, the secret people, and the Fear of the Order of the Veil—it all just felt too big.

"You've been brooding more than usual, Lira said, walking up to him with her usual sharp wit. She handed him a piece of bread, her tone lighter than her eyes, which showed concern.

Kael took the bread without looking up. "They keep coming, Lira. The riftspawn, the Order. And it's not just about fighting them. There's so much I don't understand."

Lira sat beside him, her dagger dangling from her fingers. "You think too much. Increasingly, it is just a matter of surviving long enough to work out what to do next. But… she hesitated, a remarkable gentleness in her tone, "you're not wrong," . We need to get ahead of this."

Kael finally met her gaze. "The Order. Do you know anything about them? Their leaders?"

Lira's jaw tightened. "I've heard rumors. They're not just some random group of zealots. They're organized, dangerous. And they have someone pulling the strings. A man called Maldrak. They claim he's mad as a hatter about the stellar star, that it's the gate to open the Veil to start all over again.

Kael's grip on the blade tightened. If he's behind this, we must stop him.

Lira smirked, though it didn't reach her eyes. "Easier said than done. Maldrak's isn't the type of place you just stumble upon. He's guarded by some of the Order's most dangerous warriors, and he's no slouch himself.

Kael nodded, determination hardening his expression. "Then we start with his warriors. But if we are powerful enough to topple the Order at least we stand a chance of living.

In the afternoon Kael and Lira walked in the woods. The system had detected another faint anomaly near the ruins of an old watchtower, and Kael hoped it would provide more answers about the riftspawn and their connection to the Order.

The groove was silent yet tense, the weight of unspoken caught between the two. Getting closer to the ruined watchtower, Kael could feel the familiar buzz in his chest. The Starforged Blade produced a weak glow, depending on the remaining celestial energy in the ambient air.

"System," Kael whispered. "What can you tell me about this place?"

[Analysis: Structure predates current civilizations. Residual energy suggests prolonged exposure to celestial phenomena. Warning: Anomaly detected within vicinity.]

"Great," Lira muttered. "Another anomaly. Can't wait."

Kael ignored her sarcasm, stepping cautiously into the ruins. It grew colder as they got inside, the shadows becoming unnatural even with the middle of day sun. The platform, located in the center of the watchtower ruin, was neatly formed and decorated with luminescent glyphs.

Kael knelt, running his fingers over the markings. These… look like the same symbols as those on the scrolls attached to the temple.

Lira crouched beside him. "What do they mean?"

Before Kael could respond, the system spoke.

[Symbols correspond to celestial alignment. Platform seems to have been used for both summoning. Energy signature indicates past interaction with riftspawn.]

"Summoning," Kael repeated, his voice grim. Maybe they'd used this spot to summon the riftspawn," the Order "The Order .

Lira's hand went to her dagger. If they're calling them out to get them, that just gets them to creepier than I could have ever imagined.

Kael stood, his expression resolute. "We have to stop them. Whatever it takes."

As they left the ruins, Kael couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. The shadows seemed to cling to them, and the air carried a weight that pressed against his senses.

"Do you feel that?" he asked, his voice low.

Lira nodded, her eyes scanning the treetops. "We're not alone."

An, it that walked gracefully, precisely, from the darkness. Wearing dark armor decorated with the same runes as the ones found on the platform, they exuded a feeling of threatening presence that loaded the air with tension.

You've been meddling where you have no place," the being stated, their voice both chill and unfeeling. "The Veil is not yours to protect."

Kael raised the Starforged Blade, its light flaring brighter. "Who are you?"

The figure tilted their head slightly. "A servant of the Order. And you… you're an anomaly that needs to be corrected.

Before Kael could even be ready, the figure flew like a hawk, their blade cutting in a shower of sparks against his own. The force of the impact sent Kael stumbling back, but he quickly regained his footing, countering with a strike of his own.

Lira slipped round to get the back, her dagger gleaming in its effort to hit in the undefended side of the figure. But that figure was too shivery, escaping her attack at speed almost superhuman.

"You're out of your depth, the figure said, their tone almost mocking. "You can't stop what's coming."

Kael clenched his jaw, the Starforged Blade vibrated through his hand. "We'll see about that."

The battle continued with the strike of blades in the woods and the pops of those energies of the sky. Still, no matter how hard Kael and Lira tried together, they found themselves outmatched. The figure moved with the speed and force that could not be justified, attacks followed by completely at the same time and to the same target accuracy.

"Kael! Lira shrieked and parried a strike for her flank. "We can't keep this up!"

Kael's thoughts went into overdrive, the system's voice interrupting the confusions.

[Recommendation: Retreat and regroup. Host synchronization insufficient for prolonged engagement.]

"Fine," Kael muttered. "Lira, fall back!"

She did not argue further, looking past him to glance at the vision. Still, the resoluteness in his voice left all argument impossible. A swift salute with a salute, she disengaged from him and sprang off in the woods.

Kael stayed close behind his blade flashing forward as it made the final kill against before vanished into the trees. The form did not chase after, just an echo to the fade of distance behind.

As he ran, Kael's chest burned with frustration. He never felt this powerless, so much the underdog. But he couldn't let it end like this. Not when so much was at stake.

"We'll be back," he muttered to himself, his words more than unenthusiastic as he addresses Lira. "We'll be ready.