The post-battle ambience had cast a silent disquiet around the Sanctuary. They had quelled the traitors, though the act of betrayal still weighed heavily on the Crimson Guard. Kael looked on as the captured members were escorted away, their eyes filled with fear and regret. He couldn't help but feel pained by all that had been lost: trust, camaraderie, the innocence of those who had once claimed these very halls as their own.
Master Elion approached, grim yet a little proud. "You fought well, Kael. The amulet's power grows stronger within you."
Kael nodded, his mind elsewhere. "But at what cost, Master? We've lost good people today, not just to the enemy but to betrayal."
Elion placed a hand on Kael's shoulder. "Betrayal is a bitter pill, but it is also a reminder that vigilance is necessary. The Shadow Guild's influence goes deeper than we had feared, but we've taken one large step toward rooting out their nefarious activities."
Aria joined them, the armor still painting a grim picture of the battle that had just transpired. "What's our next move, Master? The Shadow Guild isn't going to take this lightly."
Elion's eyes narrowed in thought. "We need to shore up our defenses and regrow the trust between us. The sanctuary is still under danger; the enemy is definitely seeking revenge. However, we have to take the fight to them: we need to discover where their leader is hiding and eliminate the threat."
The thought of going head to head with the Shadow Guild quickened Kael's heart. "How do we find them, Master? They've been hiding in the shadows for so long."
The bright eyes of Elion drifted off, looking distantly at something in prospection. "There are old records, prehistoric texts speaking of the Shadow Guild's inception. We have to consult them, seek out any clue that might lead us to their lair. It will be hard, but it is our only chance."
Aria gave a firm nod, the meaning very clear. "I will begin collecting the records. We are going to need all the information that we can possibly gather."
With that they began to break up to their tasks, and the feeling of reassuredness was returned to Kael. Their battle was far from over, but now they had a direction; a goal to strive to achieve. The amulet pulsed softly against his chest, almost in accord. Kael knew that the path that laid before them was uncertain, but under the wing of Master Elion, and the support of his friends, they would dare to stand to whatever was to come.
Deep within the sanctuary, in a hidden chamber of ancient scrolls and dusty tomes, Kael, Aria and Master Elion pored over records that may lead them to find the Shadow Guild. The room inside was rather dark with noise only coming in the rustling of parchment and the crackling of a small fire in the hearth.
Kael's eyes went over the texts, faded over time, for any clue. Very little was known about the history of the Shadow Guild; their very origins were lost in time. But there were whispers—rumors of some dark sect that had once served a forgotten empire, unmatched in their skills in stealth and assassination.
From the dustiest manuscript, Aria looked up into the eyes of Kael. "Here is something: an account of a sect that split from the Crimson Guard centuries ago. It is said that they mastered the art of Shadow Magic, using it to manipulate and control their enemies. Could this be where the Shadow Guild began?"
Elion leaned closer, studying the manuscript. "It's possible. The Crimson Guard has always had splinter groups—those who believed in different methods or held different loyalties. If this sect were able to master shadow magic, they would have become a formidable force—a force that could have easily evolved into the Shadow Guild."
Kael's brow furrowed as he tried to connect the dots. "But why now? Why are they coming back all of a sudden?"
Elion's face darkened. "The prophecy says an ancient enemy returns, a darkness that would challenge the light. It's possible the Shadow Guild has waited in ambush simply for this opportunity, garnering their powers for this very moment. And with the amulet now in play, they see an opportunity to tip the balance in their favor."
It was, of course, with the mention of the amulet that Kael physically felt a shudder go down his spine. It was a blessing and a curse at the same time, its power increasing with each passing day. But what exactly had it been? Or what was so important about it with respect to the prophecy?
Aria placed the manuscript beside her, her forehead furrowing. "If this is what they have been waiting for, then we need to act fast. We can't let them take even an inch of it."
"We need to send trusted members of the Guard as scouts to search for any signs of the Guild. But we'll have to be very careful. If word gets to the Guild that we are about to make a move against them, they may just withdraw from our area altogether."
Kael's mind returned to the amulet once more. "Master, what if the amulet is the key? If the Shadow Guild wants it, there has to be a reason. Maybe it will lead us to them."
Elion looked thoughtfully at Kael. "The amulet is a potent, forceful object, really. However, at the same time, it's unpredictable. Using it to find the Guild could be dangerous— it may reveal us to them before we are ready. But you may be right, Kael. The amulet could be the very thing that draws them out."
Aria glanced one by the other, eyes filled with resolution, though. "Then we use it—but carefully. We have to prepare, so we are ready for whatever the guild throws at us."
Kael nodded, the weight of the amulet about his chest. The road ahead was full of danger, yet they were too far advanced to turn their backs now. Days of hiding within the shadows were definitely numbered for the Shadow Guild.
As they finalized their plans, he couldn't help but feel as though the amulet held so much more than what they had realized. The amulet isn't just a powerful artifact; it's a beacon, a guiding light in the dark. But where that would lead them, Kael could only guess.
The hours to come were going to test their strength, test their resolve, test their loyalty to the Crimson Guard, yet not once did Kael doubt that they were to be alone in this trial. With Aria, Master Elion, the rest of the Guard at his side, he faced the Shadow Guild and maybe learned in truth what prophecy brought them to such a point.