Veil burst through the guild doors, Zahr slung limply over his shoulder. The tavern, usually bustling with merriment during festivals, fell silent. All eyes locked on the unconscious man, his face as weathered and cracked as the desert sands. Daniel pushed through the stunned crowd, worry creasing his brow."What in the Nine Hells have you brought back, Veil?" he exclaimed, concern edging his gruff voice."Survivor from Xaria," Veil panted, depositing Zahr on a vacant table. "He's badly hurt, needs a healer quick."A young woman, her auburn hair braided neatly, rushed forward, her tunic emblazoned with a serpent coiled around a staff – the mark of a healer. She knelt beside Zahr, nimble fingers flitting across his sun-baked skin."He's alive, barely," she declared after a tense moment. "Severe dehydration, burns, and several broken ribs. But if we treat him immediately…"As the healer worked, Daniel turned to Veil, his gaze hard. "Xaria? What happened there? Everyone saw the tremor, but where did you…""I… I ran," Veil confessed, his voice dropping. He couldn't explain the unnatural speed that propelled him, the blue sparks that danced around him like miniature lightning. "I followed the tremor's trail… it led to a giant crater in the Xarian desert."Daniel inhaled sharply. "A crater? How big? What else did you see?"Veil described the desolate landscape, the silence broken only by the wind, the haunting emptiness where a vibrant kingdom once stood. He didn't mention the crimson eyes that had briefly pierced the sky, a terrifying echo of power that chilled him even now.A collective gasp rippled through the tavern. The gravity of the situation settled on them. Xaria, a powerful desert nation that had held the southern border for generations, was no more. The implications were as vast as the crater. Power vacuums, war, and an unknown cataclysm that could threaten Ord itself.The healer, having finished her initial assessment, rose. "He'll need rest and some potent healing potions. I'll move him to the infirmary."Eyes followed Zahr as he was carried away, a sense of foreboding hanging heavy in the air. Daniel turned back to Veil, his face grim."Veil, you've stumbled onto something bigger than any monster horde. We need answers. As soon as Zahr wakes, we need to know what happened in Xaria. What caused this… destruction."Veil felt a shiver crawl down his spine. He wasn't just a fusion anymore; he was thrust into the middle of a brewing storm. He had a feeling this was just the beginning, and the answers they sought might be more terrifying than the destruction itself.Days turned to weeks as Zahr recuperated. Veil spent his time learning magic from Sans Morgan, a jovial gnome with a mischievous glint in his eyes. Sans, despite his lighthearted demeanor, was a master of multiple disciplines, proving surprisingly adept at guiding someone with such a unique magical signature as Veil's.One evening, as Veil practiced basic firebolt spells, a commotion arose from the infirmary. He rushed to find Zahr awake, a raw anger burning in his coal-black eyes. Daniel stood beside the bed, his face etched with concern."Captain Zahr," Veil began, unsure of how to proceed. "You're awake. How are you feeling?"Zahr's gaze met his, an inferno trapped behind weathered lids. "Alive, thanks to your quick… feet," he rasped, his voice rough with disuse. "But alive doesn't change what happened to my land, my people.""We need to know what caused it, Captain," Daniel interjected, his voice firm. "Tell us what you saw."Zahr closed his eyes, drawing a shuddering breath. When he spoke again, his voice was laced with pain and a chilling fear."A woman… cloaked in darkness. She came from the sky, wielding fire like a god's wrath. I fought, my men fought, but it was… futile. Her power… it was beyond anything I've ever witnessed."He described the battle, the woman's relentless attacks, the horrifying destruction her magic unleashed. He spoke of the final blow, a blinding light that ripped across the land, leaving nothing but dust and despair in its wake.By the time Zahr finished, the weight of the situation had settled upon them. A lone woman, a mage of unimaginable power, had annihilated an entire kingdom. The implications were staggering. What were her motives? Where would she strike next?"We need to warn the other nations," Daniel declared, his jaw clenched.