The dust had barely settled from the battle. The sky, once torn open by the crackling fissure, was now calm, though the air still hummed with the residual energy of the magic that had sealed it. Lumumba, Amara, Jon, and William stood in the aftermath, their bodies weary from the fight, but their minds still racing.
The creatures were gone, pulled back into whatever void they had come from, but the fissure's existence—and its sudden appearance—left more questions than answers. Lumumba couldn't shake the feeling that this was just the beginning of something much larger.
As the group made their way back to the city, they noticed the tension in the air. The battle had not gone unnoticed by the city's nobles and military. Word had already begun to spread about what had happened, and it wouldn't be long before Baron Ardyn and the council demanded answers.
"We've bought ourselves some time," Lumumba said quietly to Amara as they walked. "But we need to figure out the truth behind these fissures before Ardyn and his people close in on us."
Amara nodded, though her face was still pale from the exertion of magic. "There's more to this than just monsters and rifts in the sky. I can feel it. We're not just dealing with magic—we're dealing with something that's being manipulated."
William, walking slightly ahead of them, glanced back. "My father's not going to let this slide, you know. He'll be looking for answers too."
"Let him look," Lumumba replied with a smirk. "We'll find them first."
Later that evening, as the group settled into their quarters at the inn, Lumumba stepped out onto the balcony, staring out at the darkened city. His mind was buzzing, replaying the events of the day. The fissures were no longer just a random occurrence—they were being controlled. And the more he thought about it, the more he realized that the Sovereign he had once defeated had only been a small part of the larger scheme.
It was then that he felt it. A chill ran down his spine, followed by the sensation of being watched.
"Ah, Lumumba, always chasing after shadows," came a familiar voice, smooth and condescending.
Lumumba didn't need to turn around to know who it was. He let out a sigh, a mixture of amusement and annoyance. "Raven. It's been a while. I was wondering when you'd crawl out of your hole."
From the shadows of the balcony, Raven emerged, his sharp, calculating eyes glinting in the moonlight. He wore his usual all-black ensemble, and the air around him seemed to darken with his presence. Despite the chaos of the day, Raven's expression was as cold and composed as ever.
"You think you're clever, don't you?" Raven said, his tone mocking. "Fighting these creatures, sealing fissures, playing the hero. But really, you're just stumbling around in the dark, as usual."
Lumumba turned to face him, crossing his arms. "And here I thought you'd come to congratulate me."
Raven smiled, though there was no warmth in it. "Congratulate you? For what, exactly? For putting out a small fire while the entire forest burns? You haven't won anything, Lumumba. You've barely scratched the surface."
Lumumba raised an eyebrow. "Is that so? I seem to recall taking down your boss, the so-called Sovereign. You remember him, right? Big guy, lots of power, thought he was invincible. Didn't turn out so well for him, did it?"
Raven's smile faded, and his gaze grew sharper. "You still don't get it, do you?" he said, his voice colder now. "The 'Sovereign' you fought was nothing more than a puppet, a pawn on a much larger board. You thought you'd defeated the mastermind, but all you did was cut one of the many strings. The true Sovereign is far more insidious and far-reaching than you could ever imagine."
Lumumba's smirk faltered slightly, though he kept his casual stance. "A puppet, huh? So what you're saying is, I've been wasting my time."
Raven stepped closer, his eyes narrowing. "Not entirely. You're dangerous, Lumumba, but not for the reasons you think. Your unpredictability, your reckless need to destroy everything in your path—it makes you a threat to more than just the nobles. You disrupt the game. But the true Sovereign? He thrives in the shadows, far beyond your reach. You're playing checkers while he's playing chess."
Lumumba let out a low chuckle, his confidence returning. "Oh, Raven, you always did love your metaphors. But here's the thing—you keep calling this a game, but I've never played by the rules. That's why you and your Sovereign keep underestimating me."
Raven tilted his head, studying Lumumba for a moment before speaking again. "You're right about one thing—you don't follow the rules. And that's exactly why you'll never win. You're chaos incarnate, Lumumba. But chaos, left unchecked, always burns itself out. Sooner or later, you'll lose control. And when that happens, I'll be there to pick up the pieces."
Lumumba's eyes darkened, his expression hardening. "Don't count on it, Raven. The next time I see your Sovereign, I'll make sure he's the last one left standing. And when I'm done, I'll be coming for you."
Raven's smile returned, though it was as cold as ever. "I look forward to it. Until then, enjoy playing in the shadows. But remember—every shadow has a master. And yours? He's closer than you think."
With that, Raven melted back into the darkness, disappearing as quickly as he had come.
Lumumba stood there for a moment, his fists clenched at his sides. As much as he hated to admit it, Raven's words struck a chord. The Sovereign he had faced had been powerful, yes, but a puppet? He had always suspected there was more to the story, but now it was clear—the true Sovereign was still out there, manipulating events from behind the scenes.
He turned his gaze back to the city, his mind racing. If the Sovereign was still a threat, then the fissures, the nobles, even William's father—all of it was connected. And it was time to start pulling at those threads.
The next morning, the group gathered to discuss their next steps. Lumumba, though more serious than usual, still carried his typical air of confidence.
"We've got a bigger problem than I thought," he began, pacing in front of the table. "Turns out the Sovereign I took down wasn't the real deal. He was just a puppet—there's someone bigger pulling the strings."
Jon frowned. "Wait, so you're saying everything we've been dealing with—the fissures, the creatures—it's all part of some larger plan?"
"Exactly," Lumumba said, his eyes glinting with determination. "Raven paid me a little visit last night to gloat about it. But it doesn't matter. We're going to keep digging, find out who the real Sovereign is, and take them down for good."
Amara, always the strategist, leaned forward. "We need to figure out where the fissures are coming from and how they're being controlled. If we can disrupt whatever's causing them, we might be able to weaken the Sovereign's influence."
Lumumba nodded. "Agreed. But first, we've got to deal with Ardyn and the council. They're too involved in this, and I'm not leaving this city until we figure out how deep their ties to the Sovereign go."
William, who had been silent up until now, finally spoke. His voice was quiet but firm. "My father's not going to stop. He's been working with these people for years. But... if there's a way to stop this, I'm in. I'm tired of being his puppet."
Lumumba glanced at William, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Good. Then let's get to work. It's time we started pulling the strings."