The church held immense power in Lumicrestia, and nobody dared cross it. They were enjoying the King’s favor, thanks to Silas, the Head Priest. Years ago,
Whispers circulated the Kingdom
Belmont’s eyes flashed with tension as he demanded, “Explain.”
Stepping into the dim light, Eliot confessed, “Upon our arrival at the forest’s
Jansen
Henry’s brow furrowed, “It’s odd to see knights in full armor during times of peace unless they are bracing for conflict.”
“That’s the exact conclusion Eliot and I reached,” Jansen added, his gaze unwavering.
Belmont, trying to piece together the mystery, asked, “So, what makes you think they discovered something?”
Jansen continued recounting their unsettling experience. “Inside the temple, the reception was oddly tense. We felt unwelcome as they hurriedly ushered us into the prayer room, locking the door behind us. It felt more like imprisonment than a sanctuary. While confined, Eliot managed to distract the knight guarding our door, pretending he needed the lavatory. Seizing the opportunity, I slipped out, wandered the halls, and overheard a chilling conversation between Silas and some knights.” He paused, ensuring he had captured the attention of all present. “Silas gave strict orders to safeguard certain items retrieved from the Zandel forest.”
Belmont’s impatience bubbled over. “And where might they be securing these items?”
Swallowing hard, Jansen replied, “That remains a mystery, my
“Zandel Forest,” Henry murmured thoughtfully, his fingers brushing his chin. He swiftly moved to the large wooden desk and sifted through the many maps.
Belmont, intrigued, queried, “What’s on your mind?”
Henry’s fingers paused
Belmont, Jansen, and Eliot joined him, scrutinizing the scattered sheets. After a moment, Belmont
The lodestone hanging from Aldric’s hand swayed slowly, its movement gradually ceasing until it turned motionless. Suddenly, with a jolt, it swung towards the western region of the map. The stone emitted a brief, intense white glow before leaving a dark imprint on that exact spot. Then, it resumed its gentle
Ras tries to interject, clearing his throat to capture the group’s attention. When his initial attempts
Eliot, eyebrows raised in exasperation, strides towards the spluttering man. “Honestly, Ras, how have you survived this long?”
Jansen smirked, “Pure luck and Elowen’s care. Otherwise, he’d have been history ages ago.”
As Eliot thumped Ras’s back to aid his recovery – a bit too enthusiastically – Ras managed to croak out, “Altar! Look at the
Belmont rushed toward the alter, his expression darkening as he stared at the map. “Damn,” he
Sensing the gravity of the situation, Eliot probed, “What’s happened?”
Henry’s voice is
A heavy silence filled the room, the weight of the Church’s discoveries with the energy pulse pressed down on them.
The atmosphere thickened further when a loud thud emanated from the altar. They turned to find Aldric hunched over, his face pale with lines of exhaustion etching his features and his hand grasping the edges of the altar. “You must alert Duke Aster. He’ll know how to deal with the Church,” he rasped, lifting a weary gaze to meet theirs. “Ras, dispatch a raven to the estate.”
As Ras hurried
Looking to pierce the room’s oppressive mood, Eliot asked, “Is there any chance this is a coincidence?”
Henry, weighing the odds, answered, “It might be. But why would the Church
Belmont said, “Even if unrelated to the energy pulse, they’ve found something valuable enough to risk my brother’s wrath.”
Ras’s reentry pulled their focus. A troubled look
Eliot, ever the curious one, leaned
With a dreamy, almost dazed look in his eyes, Belmont murmurs, “Exquisite.”
A chorus of raised eyebrows and exchanged glances traveled through the room.
Rushing to correct himself, Belmont added, “The Zoltecayan woman we encountered was simply...
Ras
Eliot scoffed, “So? She wouldn’t have known its purpose. Plus, it’s under a cloaking spell, invisible to those who aren’t guild members.”
Ras’s voice dropped to a
A heavy silence ensnared the room as the men grappled with the weight of Ras’ revelation, caught between skepticism and anxiety
Silver veins on Aldric’s hands pulsated as he emphasized, “I bound that spell with the
Belmont, his thoughts racing, Aldric’s prowess in magic rivals only that of my brother. How could anyone penetrate his
Attempting to cut through the oppressive tension, Jansen jested, “Perhaps you ought to revisit the healer about that bump on your head, Ras. You might be hallucinating.”
Eliot, ever the provocateur, added, “But consider this,
Aldric’s eyes flared as he
Ras, drawing himself up, his eyes fierce and determined, counters, “I’ve been with that raven longer than any of
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