Henry dug his heels into his stallion's sides, propelling it forward with urgency. The sun hung precariously low, and every fleeting moment counted. Up ahead, Belmont rode fiercely, setting a breakneck pace. His red hair glowed like a beacon in the setting sun. The unplanned river rescue earlier in the day cost them time, forcing them to push their horses to exhaustion. They needed to reach Aeloria before darkness engulfed the land.
Trailing Henry were two knights whose expressions were focused on the path ahead; they were also dressed in simple attire—a deliberate choice to avoid drawing attention. But, despite their best attempts, Belmont's fiery locks stood out, impossible to overlook amidst the vast landscape.
As the sun sank, painting the sky with vivid hues of red and purple, the silhouette of Aeloria's gates finally loomed ahead. Immediately recognizing Belmont's fiery crown, the guards standing watch stepped aside, granting them unspoken entry into the city.
Within the city, the streets lay largely deserted, shops and stalls closing for the night. Those few souls who caught sight of their procession gaped in astonishment at the strangers arriving late in the day.
"Turn at the next corner!" Belmont called back, his voice echoing off the cobblestones.
Following his lead, they dove into a shadowy alley, a known shortcut and a way to evade the curious eyes of the city folk making their way home. They maintained their speed until Belmont signaled with a raised hand to decelerate. Their pace slowed as they ventured into Dampshaw, the area of town where residents kept their faces hidden, slipping in and out of establishments in a clandestine dance. It was a place known to all yet spoken of in hushed whispers, a seedy underbelly that even those who frequented it claimed never to visit.
Reacting to their surroundings, Belmont and the two knights pulled up their hoods, attempting to blend in with the long shadows of the drawing night. Henry remembered his cloak was missing as he reached to do the same. His thoughts returned to the river rescue and the strange girl he had encountered. Amidst the rush, he hadn't had time to ponder her presence, but now her peculiar otherness nagged at his thoughts. Before he could delve deeper into his musings, they reached their destination – a two-story building made of dark Teak, guarded by a burly figure. Belmont dismounted and approached the man.
'The argent luminary reveals the way to the concealed woods of yore,' he murmurs.
The man rose and gestured them around the building. A rhythmic knock broke the silence as the man tapped his knuckles against the back wall. A responding echo came from within, and a trapdoor opened at their feet, unveiling a stairway that plunged into the unknown.
"Guard the horses and stay alert," Henry instructed the two knights.
Together, Henry and Belmont descended into the dark. Their path was illuminated by a row of flickering flames on each wall that kindled one by one, revealing a narrow corridor barely wide enough for two men to stride side by side. Heavy nets of cobwebs hung above them, sticking to their clothing as they delved deeper.
"That girl at the river," Belmont said, "Did she strike you as... odd?"
"She didn't fit in," Henry acknowledged, pondering the mystery she represented.
However, before they could further delve into their speculations, they arrived at a massive wooden door. Belmont's hand instinctively rose to knock thrice. Almost immediately, a small slit in the door opened, revealing curious eyes that scanned the two men. Realizing his hood still concealed him, Belmont unveiled his fiery red hair, and a flicker of recognition flashed across the onlooker's gaze. The slit slammed shut, and the clinking of unlocking mechanisms filled the tense silence.
With a heavy creak, the door swung open, revealing a vast chamber bathed in an otherworldly glow. The room was carved out of rugged stone, with the floor covered in places with elaborate rugs. Entangled roots snaked across the ceiling, appearing as though the very heart of nature pulsed through this hidden haven. The damp scent of earth and a distant whisper of subterranean waters filled the air.
At the chamber's core, a dark, well-used altar stood made of old Ebony wood, and behind it was a large desk equally as impressive. Several tomes and loose sheets were strewn across the top of the desk. Every wall had ceiling-to-floor bookshelves housing old grimoires, dusty scrolls, peculiar relics, and luminescent crystals. Their soft glow casts a mystical ambiance, enhancing the room's enchantment.
Belmont strode swiftly toward a man stationed by the altar. With unkempt, long dark hair and a matching beard, the man, dressed in weathered garb, appeared lost to the world. His eyes were closed with hands suspended over a map of Aeloria and the surrounding area. In his right hand, he held a thin gold chain with a polished lodestone at the end of it. It swayed back and forth over the map, seeking the location of where the energy pulse emanated from.
"Where did you detect the anomaly, Aldric?" Belmont demanded, impatience edging his voice.
Ignoring Belmont's brusque question, the older man remained in his meditative trance at the altar, his aura undisturbed by their presence. Belmont turned to Henry, an expression of bewilderment etched on his face.
"He's been like this since yesterday," the man by the door said as he fastened the last lock in place. "Nothing has broken his concentration or lured him away." He approached and stood beside Henry.
Belmont huffed at the news. "While I respect your dedication to your work, Aldric, lack of rest won't serve us well," he admonished the old man, who remained unperturbed by Belmont's words. He then shifted his gaze to the man next to Henry.
"Why do you look so terrible, Ras?" Belmont inquired.
Ras casually patted his face and hair, seemingly oblivious to his disheveled appearance. "Do I? Well, you see, Elowen and I had a bit of a disagreement, and I haven't been home in a few days..."
Both Henry and Belmont tuned out Ras's continued explanation. Belmont peered over the altar, hoping for some sign or change on the map, while Henry meticulously scanned the notes across the desk. Belmont approached Henry when it became evident that Aldric wouldn't provide any insights.
"Find anything useful?" Belmont asked. Henry pointed to several sheets of paper covered in rough sketches of the city and hastily scribbled notes in the margins.
"Nothing substantial," Henry responded. "Looks like they're trying to pinpoint the exact location of the energy pulse they sensed." Belmont scrutinized the chaotic scribbles and noticed that most locations were within Aeloria or its immediate vicinity.
"If it were outside the city, they would have made a discovery already. It's all open plains to the north until Verdantvale," Belmont mused aloud. He flipped through more pages, squinting hard at a few that looked to be quickly and haphazardly drawn, and came across a few where the energy points were further from the city.
"What's this?" He pointed to a spot south of the city. "Isn't this Kyusa Forest?" Henry leaned in for a closer look.
"And then the doctor said the lump on my head would disappear in a few days, but it's been a month. But I'm sure it's all fine," Ras finished his monologue, finally realizing he had been talking to himself.
"Ras, what's on the map?" Belmont called out to him.
"Oh, umm, let me see," Ras responded, then walked over to them. "Ah, that's Elysarra's Forest."
"Elysarra's Forest?" Belmont raised an eyebrow. "When did the empire change the name?"
"It was renamed when the King granted it to the church as their 'Holy Land.'" Ras replied, adding quotations with his hands and rolling his eyes as he spoke the last part. "It's also where the new saintess is said to reside."
"Have you sent anyone to investigate the area?" Henry queried.
"We dispatched someone, but they haven't returned," Ras answered.
"I see. And what about this area?" Belmont inquired, holding up another sheet with a few marks northwest of Aeloria.
"Oh, that's near Verdantvale, the northern farming village," Ras pointed to the northernmost spot. "You would have passed through it on your way here. And this," he pointed to the marker southwest of the town, "is part of the Zandel River."
Belmont and Henry exchange knowing glances. "The girl," they both exclaim in unison.
"The girl?" Ras asked, puzzled.
"On our journey here, we had to assist in a river rescue," Henry stated.
"There was a girl, dressed peculiarly, clearly out of place among the villagers," Belmont added.
"Hmm..." Ras contemplates, rubbing his chin. "What did she look like?"
Henry described the girl as having "Long dark hair, medium height, tan skin, and she wore the oddest clothing. Not like what the other villagers were wearing. The young village girl I spoke with said she had just appeared the night before."
Recognition dawned in Ras's eyes. "Perhaps..." he muttered, "Come with me. There's something you might want to see." He walked toward a bookcase, selected a tome, and it shifted to reveal another hidden door. Henry and Belmont followed him through it.
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