Nera's admission hung in the air, thick with the weight of consequences. Aran's team exchanged glances, each of them silently processing the shift in the game. Until now, they had been playing blind, reacting to Nera's schemes without fully understanding the larger forces at work. Now, they had a chance to pull on the loose thread that might unravel everything.
"I'll tell you what I know," Nera repeated, her voice shaking as she stared at Aran, eyes dark with fear and desperation. "But I don't think it will save any of us."
Aran gave a slight nod, indicating for Alara to release the pressure for now. The room seemed to exhale in unison as Alara stepped back, though her sharp gaze never left Nera.
"Start from the beginning," Aran said calmly, sitting down across from her. His eyes bore into her, not with malice, but with cold calculation.
Nera shifted in her seat, the weight of her situation fully sinking in. Her once regal composure had been stripped away, leaving behind a woman cornered by forces far greater than herself.
"It started months ago," she began, her voice trembling slightly. "I was approached by a man… or at least, I thought he was a man. He didn't give me his name. He wore a cloak, something that masked his presence. Even with my magic, I couldn't sense him."
Aran leaned forward, listening carefully. He didn't interrupt her flow—he needed her to feel comfortable enough to let everything out.
"He offered me power," she continued, her hands tightening around the armrests of the chair. "He knew what I was after. Knew that I wanted to rise beyond the limitations of my magic. I thought… I thought I could control it. But it wasn't just power he gave me—it was something much darker."
Aran's eyes narrowed slightly. "The creature?"
Nera nodded, her face pale. "It wasn't meant to be summoned fully. I was supposed to use its essence, siphon its power slowly to strengthen myself. But something went wrong. It grew stronger than I could control. It wanted more, and I… I lost control."
Harland, who had been leaning against the far wall, straightened up. "And this man, the one who approached you—what did he want in return?"
Nera shook her head. "He never asked for anything. He just said that when the time came, I would understand my purpose. That was it."
Aran exchanged a glance with Alara. This was worse than they thought. If Nera had been nothing more than a vessel for a greater purpose, then the one behind all of this was likely still waiting to make his next move.
"What do you know about him?" Aran asked, his tone measured. "Any details you might have noticed. His voice, his mannerisms, anything."
Nera hesitated, her mind racing. "He… he had a way of speaking. Calm, controlled, but there was something in his voice. It wasn't human. It was like… it echoed. As if his words carried some kind of force with them."
Alara frowned. "An enchanted voice, perhaps?"
"No," Nera said, shaking her head. "It wasn't magic. It was something else. Something ancient. Like he wasn't of this world."
The room fell silent for a moment, the implications of her words settling in. Aran's mind was already working through the possibilities. If this mysterious figure was not of this world, it meant they were dealing with forces beyond Eldrath—perhaps from another realm entirely. It would explain the creature, the dark magic, and Nera's growing desperation.
"Where can we find him?" Aran pressed, his voice calm but firm. "There must have been a way to contact him."
Nera hesitated again, then slowly shook her head. "He always found me. There was no summoning him, no way to reach out. He appeared when he wanted to."
Aran sighed internally. It wasn't the answer he'd hoped for, but it wasn't unexpected. Whoever this figure was, they had far more control over the situation than Nera had.
"We need to take her somewhere safe," Alara said quietly, moving to Aran's side. "If this man realizes we've captured her, she won't last long."
Aran considered her words for a moment before nodding. "We'll move her to one of the off-grid locations. Somewhere even our own people don't know about. I want two of our best guarding her at all times."
Harland stepped forward. "I'll take care of the arrangements."
"Good," Aran said. "And spread the word. I want eyes on every corner of Eldrath. If this figure is still in the city, I want to know about it."
---
The Web Tightens
Once Nera had been secured, Aran retreated to his private quarters within the safehouse. It was a small, unassuming room with little more than a cot, a desk, and a few shelves lined with old books and maps. But it was enough for his needs.
He sat at the desk, his mind replaying the events of the past few days. Nera had been the first piece to fall, but there were still so many unanswered questions. This mysterious figure, this dark power—it was all leading toward something. Aran could feel the pieces of the puzzle slowly coming together, but there were still too many gaps.
A soft knock on the door broke his concentration. "Come in," he said, his voice steady.
Alara entered, her expression as unreadable as ever. "We've moved her. She's secure."
"Good," Aran replied, not looking up from the map spread out before him. "What about our informants?"
"Nothing yet," she said, walking over to the desk. "But it's only a matter of time. Someone will know something. People like him don't stay hidden forever."
Aran finally looked up, his eyes meeting hers. "What do you make of all this?"
Alara's gaze flickered to the map before she sighed. "Honestly? It feels like we're chasing shadows. Whoever this man is, he's been one step ahead of us from the beginning. And I don't like it."
Aran leaned back in his chair, his eyes narrowing in thought. "That's what bothers me the most. He's not just ahead of us—he's controlling the flow of events. Every move we make, it feels like he's anticipated it."
Alara nodded. "He wants us to follow this trail. But why? What's the endgame?"
"I don't know yet," Aran admitted. "But I have a feeling we're about to find out."
Alara's eyes sharpened. "Then what's our next move?"
Aran glanced back at the map, his fingers tracing the lines of the city. "We lay low for now. Keep investigating, but don't make any big moves. If this man thinks we're still in the dark, he might make a mistake."
Alara nodded, though her unease was clear. "And what if he doesn't?"
Aran's expression darkened. "Then we make our own."
---