By the time they reached the lower slopes the sun had vanished behind the horizon leaving the land in cold blue twilight. Snow-covered pines lined the path ahead and the air grew sharper with each breath. The wind carried traces of old magic like invisible threads humming beneath the surface.

Torren rubbed his hands together. The Shattered Range is at least two days from here if the weather holds If not it could take five or more

Lyra glanced up the trail. Weather never holds The mountains have their own rules and none of them like travelers

Garron surveyed the treeline. And syndicate hunters do not give up easily Expect ambushes at every choke point

Eldric walked several steps ahead letting the relic whisper guide him. The pulse grew stronger when he faced southwest confirming their direction. The patterns in his mind lined up like faint constellations forming a sequence only he could see.

Lyra noticed his distant focus. Eldric You are hearing something again Aren’t you

He nodded. The relic shows pathways not roads Hidden routes the ancients used to move between beacons It guides me like a compass carved from memory

Torren blinked. So you see the ancient network in your mind

Not clearly Eldric answered. More like fragments of a map A rhythm of places The next seal lies deep inside the mountains where the stone cracked from an ancient battle

Lyra frowned. Cracked mountains Ancient battle None of that sounds promising

Garron grunted. Nothing about this journey has sounded promising

They continued through the snowy forest. The wind shifted again carrying a faint metallic ring like distant steel clashing.

Lyra raised her hand signaling stop. Hear that

Eldric listened. The metallic sound repeated A clash A cry A short burst of magic

Torren whispered. Someone is fighting ahead

Garron tightened his grip. Hunters again Or nobles Or academy idiots

Lyra shook her head. No These echoes are too scattered Too panicked

They crept forward until the trees thinned revealing a clearing.

A carriage lay overturned in the snow cracked open like a broken egg. Papers and crates scattered everywhere. Three figures scrambled behind the wreck using it as cover while a group of masked attackers circled them.

Lyra cursed softly. Syndicate assassins Twelve of them

Torren recognized the crest on the carriage. That is a research wagon from the Arcane Scholars Council They must have followed us or planned their own expedition

Garron stepped forward. We leave them They are trouble we do not need

But Eldric’s voice was firm. No We help them

Lyra’s eyes widened. Eldric they are academy scholars They will demand answers they will slow us down and they already want to seize the relic

Eldric stepped forward anyway. The relic shows me danger ahead in the mountains If they die here whatever follows us will reach us sooner And if they survive they may hold knowledge we need

Before the others could protest Eldric walked into the clearing his cloak whipping in the wind.

The attackers turned instantly.

The bone masked leader hissed. Vanton Kill him and take the relic

Garron rushed forward with a roar shield crashing into the nearest hunter sending him sprawling. Lyra vanished into the snow shadows reappearing behind an assassin and striking through their armor joints. Torren hurled a sigil flare that burst into shimmering sparks blinding the nearest cluster.

Eldric moved through the battlefield calm amid the chaos. The relic pulsed in rhythm with his heartbeat guiding his steps. Every time a hunter lunged he was already a step away.

One of the academy scholars peeked over the carriage. Is that Master Vanton

Another shouted. Help him Help him now

The fight ended quickly. Syndicate hunters fled into the trees leaving bodies and broken weapons in the snow. Garron stood breathing hard his shield cracked from multiple strikes.

Lyra wiped frost from her blade. That was too many for a simple scouting group They were waiting for us

Eldric approached the scholars. Their robes bore frost damage and torn sigils but they were alive.

The eldest scholar bowed shakily. Master Vanton You saved us We were heading to investigate northern disturbances but we were not prepared for an ambush

Eldric helped him stand. What did you hope to find in the north

The scholar hesitated glancing at the relic wrapped in Eldric’s containment cloth.

We came seeking signs of the ancient network The academies discovered a pattern weeks ago One that began shifting recently And we believe it is tied to a sealed force known as

The Nithrael Eldric finished quietly.

The scholar paled. So you know

Torren stepped forward. Know We are running from it

Lyra looked toward the mountains. If you scholars found clues then others did too Which means more factions may already be heading to the next seal

Garron spat into the snow. Wonderful Let every corner of the Dominion come chase us for relics we barely understand

Eldric turned toward the southwest horizon where the mountains rose like jagged black teeth.

The relic pulsed again pressing urgency into his mind.

He whispered.

We move at dawn
to the next seal
because the Dominion
is running out of time