Chapter 74-The Hidden Threat

The city of Wrynne was peaceful under the moon's light, its streets alive with soft chatter and the occasional burst of laughter. The taverns were bustling, the markets had closed for the night, and the few wanderers left in the streets went about their business as usual. But Elias felt it. The unease that pressed against his chest, a gnawing sensation that refused to be ignored.

Earlier, when he had confronted the shadowed figure, it had spoken in cryptic terms-words that didn't make sense to him yet, but the threat had been palpable. The way they'd claimed he was not the target, not yet, but still a part of something larger-something far more dangerous than even the Trial itself. The feeling lingered in him like a dark cloud, no matter how many times he tried to push it away..

His mind constantly circled back to that conversation. The figure had called him a "queen" in some twisted game. If they were talking about the Trial, about the gods, then it meant Elias was no longer just a pawn. He was playing on a larger field, with even more deadly players.

As Elias wandered through the streets, the warmth of the city around him did little to ease his nerves. His fingers drummed on the hilt of the Divine Dagger at his side. It was still fresh with the blood of the War Goddess, Solmara, and the power it had granted him was unlike anything he had ever felt before. Yet, even with that power, there was an undeniable feeling that something far darker was stirring.

A soft rustle behind him pulled him from his thoughts. His senses flared as his hand instinctively went to the dagger's hilt, but he didn't draw it yet. He had learned over the years that reflex and composure could make the difference between life and death. He turned to face the alley where the sound had originated.

There, half in shadow, was the figure. The same one he had sensed earlier.

It stepped forward, its silhouette sharp against the dim light. Unlike the city's vibrant bustle, the figure exuded an eerie calm, almost unnatural. The darkness clung to it like a shroud, obscuring its features, but Elias could still feel the weight of its presence,

"You," Elias said, his voice cutting through the silence. "You've been following me."

The figure didn't answer immediately. Instead, it tilted its head slightly, as if studying Elias with an unreadable gaze. Then, slowly, it spoke.

"You're not the one I'm after," it said, the voice deep and distorted, reverberating off the stone walls. "Not yet. But you... you're a part of the game. A very important part."

Elias narrowed his eyes, his grip tightening on his dagger. The figure had said as much the other night, but hearing it again only served to deepen the sense of dread in his chest. It was clear now. This wasn't some mere challenger from the Trial. This was something else. Something far worse.

"Who are you?" Elias demanded. "And what is this game you're talking about?"

The figure's form shifted, the cloak swirling in an unnatural way, as though the shadows themselves were alive. When it spoke again, its voice was different-this time, it was calm, almost soothing.

"The Trial, the gods, and the power you seek...

It's all part of something greater. The real battle, Elias Vaelthorne, is not here in the Trial. It's beyond the Tower. Out there." The figure gestured vaguely, a sharp, cold motion. "This Tower is nothing more than a test. A way to cull the weak from the strong. But once you leave, once you've ascended... you'll understand. You'll see the truth. And then, you will become a part of this game whether you want to or not."

Elias' eyes flickered with uncertainty for the briefest moment, but he immediately suppressed it. This was the same cryptic nonsense the figure had spoken earlier, and he wasn't about to be swayed by half-formed threats.

"What are you trying to say?" Elias asked, his voice a controlled growl. "If you think I'll just walk away from this Trial-this power-I'm not that easy to manipulate."

The figure's laugh was low, almost mocking, and it echoed in the silence between them. "You misunderstand, Elias. You've already stepped into the game. You've been chosen, and there is no going back."

The figure took a slow step forward, and Elias instinctively raised his dagger, but he was cautious. The figure wasn't hostile-at least, not yet.

"I've been following you for a long time, Vaelthorne," the figure continued. "Watching you ascend, watching you fight. But it's not the Trial that matters to me-it's you. Your potential. The power you will one day wield. But you won't be the one to control it. Not when the real battle begins."

Elias' brow furrowed, but he didn't speak. He needed to hear more, to understand what this person wanted. The sense of danger that radiated from the figure was unmistakable. It wasn't just a god or a mortal-it was something much darker, and Elias had no idea where the threat was coming from.

"Tell me what you want," Elias demanded, his voice unwavering.

The figure studied him for a long moment, its gaze seemingly piercing into his very soul. Then, in a voice that was far colder than before, it

spoke again.

"You will find out soon enough," it said. "And when you do, it will be too late."

With that, the figure disappeared into the shadows, leaving Elias standing alone in the alley, his heart pounding in his chest.

The next few days passed with an uncomfortable sense of tension hanging in the

air. Wrynne had grown quieter, as though the citizens could feel it too-the encroaching threat. Whispers filled the taverns, rumors of

strange occurrences near the edge of the city.

figures seen moving in the dead of night. It was

all connected to the mysterious figure Elias had

encountered, and the more Elias thought.