The light of dawn barely touched these very deep fogs that Rufus and Lyra were crossing across desolate plains beyond the ruins. The dark mage had vanished so quickly that a sharp feeling had begun to sink into the pit of his stomach. Every step took them further from familiarity and closer to the unknown. Yet his words seemed imprinted into his head: "You are just a replacement.".
Now, many days had passed from the night at the ruins during which Rufus was trying to focus on his journey forward while somehow something in the dark mage's words refused to let go. He couldn't help but feel that he knew of something in his past which the powers were holding back for him whereas they had indeed made him stronger than he ever thought possible. With Lyra at his side, he still felt the rising tension, though he couldn't explain it.
As they approached the edge of the Whispering Shadow Grove, Lyra finally broke the long silence. "We are getting close to the border of the Forgotten Veil," she said, looking at Rufus. "Beyond it, the lands aren't charted. Most people fear going there.".
Rufus nodded. For centuries, stories had been told about the Forgotten Veil: a mystical, untouched corner of Elysara by the wars and kingdoms of old. Some said it was overrun by the remains of a lost civilization that crumbled long before the passage of time was recorded. Others spoke of dark forces biding their time within the veil, waiting for the right moment to ascend once more.
"This dark mage," Lyra continued, her voice somber. "He's not working alone. There is a greater scheme at work here, Rufus, and I fear it stretches well past Elysara's borders."
Rufus let his breath out in a weary sigh. "I know. I can feel it. There is something he knows-something, I suspect, pertaining to me, the Convergence-and something still that I do not understand.".
And you're not alone, Lyra said to him firmly as she met the depth of his eyes squarely. "We will face it all together," she said.
He heard the words she spoke, but creeping dread was seeping into his mind. Rufus had powers he never ever thought he'd have with the Celestial Convergence, and even those came with greater responsibilities and more enormous dangers. And now, venturing into the unknown, Rufus believed that the true nature of those dangers was only just beginning to come to light.
As if all atmosphere shifted as they traveled deeper into the forgotten veil, ancient trees stood knotted and gnarled with sickly green leaves that seemed to whisper against the wind. Trees' barks had symbols carved into them; their air was heavy, carrying the residue of ancient magic. The ground beneath their feet didn't feel firm; it could cave in at any moment.
Keeping close, Lyra did not let her hand stray far from the hilt of her sword as she whispered, "This place… it feels wrong".
Rufus nodded, his senses cranked up and attuned to the vibrations all around them of spells long forgotten. Still, above everything else lay something more: a presence hovering just beyond their line of sight. Like the forest itself held its breath and waited for that one perfect moment to lash out.
"We gotta move," Rufus whispered low. "Ain't got no choice but to get caught here."
They went deeper into the wood, stepping with a ponderous and reluctant movement over the winding trails. The more of it they went into the more the air seemed to thicken; unnatural gloom seemed to press in on all sides of them. The trees closed overhead, reaching down with bony fingers; strange, faint whispers seemed to fill the air, though no voices were to be seen.
Once again, silence covered the night when suddenly a rustling echoed through it and Lyra froze, peering intently into the trees. Rufus tensed his muscles, letting his hand drift toward the hilt of his sword.
"We are not alone," Lyra breathed quietly, barely audible.
The rustling grew louder, and out of the shadows emerged a figure who sported a face shrouded in hooded tatters. Dark energy appeared to emanate from the figure, and Rufus felt cold magic creep over his skin.
The figure straightened up, though its face was still hidden under deep folds of its hood, and a soft voice, full of malice, spoke up to say, "You shouldn't have come here, Rufus."
Rufus narrowed his eyes, stepping forward. "Who are you? What do you want?"
Darkly, he laughed, the sound carrying off of the trees. "I am but a shadow of what was once great. A servant of the true power that lies beyond the stars. You… you are nothing but a fool, playing with forces you cannot hope to understand."
Rufus's grip on his sword tightened. "I'm not afraid of you.".
The figure's laughter boomed louder and darker. "You should be. The Convergence has chosen you, yes… but it has also marked you for destruction. There are forces at work far beyond your comprehension. And I… am only the beginning.".
The dark figure raised his hand to silence Rufus before he could answer. A wave of dark energy shot towards him. Instinctively, he reached into the power of the Celestial Convergence. His circles brightened to life as he swept his hand out over them, deflecting the dark magic and sending it careening into the trees.
Lyra ran forward, her sword flashing as she struck at the figure, but it was like her blade passing through it, made of mist. The figure laughed once more and then began shifting and warping as it flickered out into the shadows.
"You cannot fight what you cannot see," the voice whispered, echoing all about them.
Rufus cursed, scouring the black wood for any sign of enemy. But the figure was gone. All was oppressive darkness.
Lyra sheathed her sword, her grim expression set in place. "What was that?"
"Well, I don't know," Rufus said, frustration etching his voice. "But whoever it was, they seem to know more about the Convergence than I do."
Now, as he stood in the still of the forest, Rufus felt a strange pull-an instinct, guiding him deeper into the Forgotten Veil. He looked to Lyra, and she nodded, feeling it, too. They had to go on, though whatever dangers lay ahead.
They ran, pushing headlong into the dark forest, air growing colder with every pace. Whispers grew loud, shadows deep, and before they saw anything else, they finally came out into a clearing. There in the very center of it stood a great stone structure: an ancient temple, half-buried by earth, whose walls were covered in strange symbols glowing dimly into the faint light.
"This is it," Rufus whispered, his voice little more than a breath. "This is what we've been seeking."
Lyra edged closer to the temple, her eyes probing the surrounding area suspiciously. "This place. it feels like a graveyard. The magic here is old. Dangerous."
Rufus nodded, but his eyes remained fixed on the temple entrance. He could feel the power inside; it was dark and called to him.
"We should go inside," Rufus said stepping forward towards the temple.
Lyra halted for one second and nodded forward. "Whatever we find in here, we'll face it together.".
Rufus took a step forward under the weight of the Convergence. They entered the temple and immediately, the air cooled and the darkness closed about them. Wild glyphs were plastered along the walls, glowing feebly with ominous light.
There was a really ancient stone altar cracked with the passing of ages, right in the center of the room, yet giving off some stranger energy buried in it. A faint figure was standing next to the stone altar; its form hardly came out clear, just like a shape of mist.
"Well, Rufus," the figure said softly, far away. "You have come so far. But now the real test begins."
Rufus advanced, his heart pounding in every step. "Who are you? Why are you doing this?"
The figure cocked its head. It said its voice as cold, as empty of emotion, as a rock. "I am but a guardian. The one who sees to it that the power of the Convergence is not misused. You are not the first to look for it. and you will not be the last."
Rufus balled his fists into his pockets as Convergence energy roared to life inside him. "I don't give anything about your tests. I'm here for whatever's coming." He let out a hollow laugh, the sound carrying and knocking against the chamber walls. "You cannot stop it. You are but a vessel. A pawn in a game that spans worlds."
Rufus advanced, the conviction dripping from his words. "I am no pawn. I control my fate."
The shape's form blurred in and out of existence. "We shall see."
He did, and a pulse of dark energy shot forward to batter Rufus. He drew instinctively on the power of the Convergence, buffeting off the attack with a flash of light.
Lyra stood beside him, sword at the ready.
"Let's end this," Rufus declared, his eyes blazing with determination.
Together, they walked forward to face the looming figure before them, prepared for whatever lay before them. The Convergence was at hand, though the path was much darker and much more perilous than they could ever think.
Deep into the darkness, the dark mage stands there, holding his breath for just the right moment to strike.