The moon hung high in the sky, casting a silver glow over Hollowshade. The night's chill had settled in, and the streets, though still lively, carried an undercurrent of unease. Raelan and Thalos were back at The Gilded Griffon, huddled over a map spread out on their table. The tavern's warm glow provided a stark contrast to the cold reality of their situation.
"We need to find a way to get inside that building without raising suspicion," Thalos said, tracing a route on the map. "From what we've seen, it's heavily guarded, and we need to be careful not to alert them to our presence."
Raelan nodded in agreement. "We should scout the area first, find out more about the building's layout and any potential weaknesses. If we're going to disrupt their plans, we need to be thorough."
The two strategists spent the next few hours planning their infiltration. They decided that Thalos would create a distraction while Raelan slipped inside through the window they had observed earlier. The goal was to gather as much information as possible and find a way to sabotage the ritual.
As midnight approached, Raelan and Thalos set their plan into motion. Thalos headed towards the building's main entrance, his demeanor casual but alert. He started a commotion by loudly questioning a local merchant about some non-existent goods. His raised voice and animated gestures drew the attention of the building's guards, who quickly came to investigate.
Meanwhile, Raelan moved stealthily through the shadows, approaching the window they had previously observed. The guards were distracted by Thalos's diversion, and Raelan slipped through the gap with practiced ease.
Inside, the room was just as they had seen before—dimly lit and filled with ancient texts and occult artifacts. Raelan crept forward, keeping to the shadows and listening for any signs of movement. The cloaked figures were still present, their voices a murmur in the background.
He made his way to a corner of the room where a stack of scrolls and documents lay. Carefully, he began to sift through them, noting symbols, diagrams, and passages related to the Starforge techniques. The documents were filled with complex rituals and references to ancient powers, confirming the dark network's intent to harness and manipulate Celestial Power for their own purposes.
As Raelan read, he found a document detailing the timeline for their next major ritual. It mentioned a date only a few days away, suggesting that the dark network was planning something imminent and significant. His heart raced as he realized the urgency of their situation.
Before he could gather more, a noise behind him made him freeze. One of the cloaked figures had entered the room, their footsteps approaching. Raelan quickly hid behind a large bookshelf, holding his breath as the figure moved past. The figure's low, clipped voice spoke urgently to another.
"We need to accelerate the preparations. The Celestial Power must be fully stabilized before the ritual begins. Our enemies are closing in, and we cannot afford any mistakes."
The figure paused for a moment, then left the room, closing the door behind them. Raelan exhaled slowly, relieved but more determined than ever. He knew he had to act quickly to prevent the ritual from taking place.
With his newfound knowledge, Raelan returned to the window and climbed out, making his way back to The Gilded Griffon. Thalos was waiting for him, looking relieved as Raelan reappeared.
"Did you find what we needed?" Thalos asked, his eyes sharp with concern.
Raelan nodded, handing over the scrolls and documents. "Yes. They're planning a major ritual involving the Starforge techniques, and it's set to take place in just a few days. We need to disrupt their plans and warn others about this dark network."
Thalos studied the documents with a frown. "This is worse than I feared. We need to get this information to someone who can help us—perhaps a mage or a scholar who understands these symbols and rituals."
Raelan agreed. "There's an archivist at the Lunarwind Academy who might be able to decipher these texts. If we can get this information to them, they could provide crucial insight and help us devise a plan to stop the ritual."
The two of them made preparations to leave for the Lunarwind Academy, knowing that time was of the essence. They packed their gear and secured the documents, ready to make the journey to the prestigious academy in hopes of finding allies and answers.
As they left Hollowshade, the town's façade of normalcy faded behind them. The stakes had been raised, and their quest had taken on a new urgency. The dark forces they were up against were more formidable than they had anticipated, and the road ahead was fraught with danger.
But Raelan and Thalos were undeterred. They were driven by a sense of duty and the determination to protect their world from the encroaching darkness. With the weight of their newfound knowledge and the looming threat of the dark ritual, they set out on their next leg of the journey, ready to confront whatever challenges lay ahead.