The oppressive silence in the chamber weighed heavily on Kael's mind as he stood over the lifeless body of the Vorthal commander.
Eiran remained quiet beside him, his gaze lost in thought, while Varya gently covered the corpse with a cloth. The air was thick with the stench of death, but that wasn't what troubled Kael—it was the commander's final words, echoing in his mind.
The Nameless One.
As Varya finished her work, she looked up at Kael, her usually calm face tinged with concern. "We need to act fast, Kael," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Whatever this force is, it's already affecting the minds of those who have come into contact with it."Kael nodded, his jaw set. "We're already running out of time."Eiran crossed his arms, his eyes still on the body.
"The Nameless One," he muttered. "I've read old legends, but none of them mentioned anything about a being of that name.""Old legends?" Kael asked, looking at him sharply.Eiran nodded.
"There are tales, passed down from the earliest mages, of entities forgotten by history. Beings who wielded magic so ancient, even the gods feared them. They were sealed away, erased from memory.
If the Nameless One is one of these entities, it explains why we haven't heard of it. It was deliberately hidden."Kael's eyes narrowed. "Sealed away. But by whom?"Eiran glanced at him, the weight of the truth clear in his eyes.
"The ancient mage orders. They were far more powerful than anything we know now. If they hid this thing, it means they couldn't destroy it."Kael's pulse quickened. The idea that something powerful enough to terrify the gods still existed, waiting to be unleashed, sent a cold chill down his spine.
"So it's been lying dormant," Kael said quietly. "Waiting for someone to find it.""And now it's awake," Eiran finished, his expression grim. "Or at least, stirring."
Kael turned to Varya. "How long do you think the commander was like this? How much time do we have before others are affected?"
Varya frowned in thought. "It's hard to say. I didn't see signs of corruption until recently, but that doesn't mean it hasn't been spreading slowly. Whatever this Nameless One is, it could be infecting minds all over Norvayne without us knowing."
Kael's fists clenched at his sides. They were already dealing with the aftermath of a battle with the Vorthal, and now, an unseen threat was infiltrating the very minds of their people.
"We need to find the source," Eiran said, his voice low but urgent. "If the Nameless One is influencing people, we need to locate where it's projecting its power from. There's a center to every magical disturbance."
Kael nodded. "Agreed. But how do we track it down? If this thing has been hidden for centuries, it won't be easy to find."
Eiran tapped his fingers against his arm, deep in thought. "I have a theory," he said slowly. "When we performed the scrying spell, we caught a glimpse of the figure. If we can recreate that vision, perhaps we can trace its magical signature back to its origin."
Kael raised an eyebrow. "Another scrying spell? Are you sure that's wise, Eiran? The last one nearly drained you."
"I don't have a choice," Eiran said firmly. "If this thing keeps spreading, it won't just be soldiers like the commander—it will be everyone. Nobles, villagers, even our own mages. And if it corrupts enough minds, it won't need to hide anymore."
Varya stepped forward, her expression resolute. "If you're going to attempt this spell again, you'll need help. I can strengthen your physical resilience while you channel the magic. It'll be dangerous, but it's the only way."
Kael glanced between them, feeling the tension in the room growing. Eiran and Varya were prepared to push themselves to the limit, all in the hope of preventing this ancient darkness from consuming their world. A heavy sense of responsibility settled on Kael's shoulders. He was a warrior—his place was in battle, not dealing with dark magic—but he knew they couldn't afford to fail.
"We'll need more than just magic to stop this thing," Kael said after a moment. "I'll gather a team of our best soldiers and scouts. We'll be ready to move the moment you find a location."
Eiran gave a curt nod. "Be ready. I don't know what we're going to find, but I have a feeling it's going to be worse than anything we've ever faced."
Kael straightened, the weight of his sword reassuring at his side. "Then we'll be ready for it."
The Ritual Begins
Hours later, they gathered in the same scrying chamber where Eiran had first glimpsed the shadowed figure. The ancient runes carved into the walls glowed faintly, pulsing with the latent energy that flowed through the castle's foundations. Eiran stood at the center of the room, surrounded by a circle of enchanted stones, each one designed to enhance the clarity of the scrying spell.
Varya stood beside him, her hands moving in a slow, rhythmic pattern as she whispered incantations under her breath, strengthening the protective wards around Eiran. Her magic created a soft golden aura that wrapped around his body, bolstering his strength for what was to come.
Kael stood nearby, watching closely, his hand never far from his sword. He wasn't a mage, but he understood the stakes. If anything went wrong, if the Nameless One sensed what they were doing and struck back, he would be ready to protect them.
Eiran closed his eyes, his breathing steady as he raised his hands over the crystal orb. Slowly, he began to chant, his voice low and melodic, the ancient words of magic flowing from his lips with precision and care. The orb began to glow, first faintly, then brighter, the light growing more intense with each passing second.
Kael held his breath as the air around them thickened with magic. The room seemed to hum, the very walls vibrating with energy as Eiran's spell took hold. The light from the orb pulsed in time with his chanting, and slowly, an image began to form within the crystal's depths.
At first, it was unclear—just swirling shadows and mist. But then, like before, the shape of a figure began to emerge, cloaked in darkness, its hooded face obscured. The same malevolent presence filled the room, and Kael could feel it even from where he stood—a cold, crushing force that seemed to choke the air from his lungs.
Suddenly, the image flickered, and for a brief moment, they caught a glimpse of something more—a place. Darkened stone walls, ancient and crumbling, with faint lines of glowing symbols etched into the ground. The air around the figure shimmered with raw power, and behind it, there loomed a massive structure—an altar of some kind, glowing with the same eerie light as the runes.
Kael's eyes widened as he realized what they were seeing. "That's it," he whispered. "That's where it's hiding."
Eiran's chanting grew louder, his hands trembling as he struggled to hold the vision steady. "I can see it," he said through gritted teeth. "I'm… almost there…"
Suddenly, the figure in the orb moved. Its head snapped up, and Kael felt a shock of cold terror as the figure's eyes—burning with a sickly green light—locked onto them.
The Nameless One had seen them.
The chamber trembled, and the orb shattered with a deafening crack. Eiran let out a gasp of pain as he staggered back, clutching his chest, his face pale. Varya rushed to his side, her hands glowing as she stabilized his energy.
"Eiran!" Kael shouted, rushing toward him. "Are you alright?"Eiran's breathing was labored, but he nodded, wiping the sweat from his brow. "I'm… I'm fine. But it saw us. It knows we're coming."
Kael's heart pounded in his chest, but he forced himself to stay calm. "Then we have to move. Now."
Eiran met his gaze, his expression resolute despite the exhaustion in his eyes. "I saw the location. It's far to the east… in the old ruins of Dalmor's Keep."
Kael nodded. "We'll head out immediately."
As Kael turned to leave, Eiran's voice stopped him. "Kael… be careful. The Nameless One is more powerful than we imagined. If it's already awake…"
Kael didn't hesitate. "We'll stop it. No matter what."
With that, Kael left the chamber, his resolve hardened. The Nameless One had made its move.
Now, it was time for them to strike back.