The scouting group huddled near a tunnel entrance, dust and loose rocks clinging to their armor and robes. The rocks continued to crumble under the debris, their terrifying sounds echoing in the silence.
The blonde-haired man, Aron, leaned over his wooden staff, scanning the collapsed tunnel's rubble for signs of danger.
"What the hell just happened there?" he asked, panting heavily.
Liora, her hands trembling, held a glowing amulet on her chest, "The ancient spirits have been shaken!"
Her mind flashed back to the visions that had overwhelmed her in the tunnel; shadows twisting and writhing in unnatural shapes. Ancient structures bathed in crimson light, crumbling into oblivion. A faint whisper echoed through her thoughts, incomprehensible but filled with dread.
Her hands gripped the amulet tighter as her voice dropped to a whisper. "Something… something is stirring in the dark. I saw… glimpses. Shapes, ruins, light… and something watching."
"Miss Liora," the knight with a shield and sword coughed, "your words aren't helping us. We..." he coughed again, brushing the dust off his armor and face, "We need to report this."
Aron nodded, gripping his staff tightly. "The thing's too unnatural. I've seen flickering red lights on the way out. Maybe it's the Ashen Veil?"
A low murmur rippled through the nearby crowd when the word 'Ashen Veil' was spoken. One man tightened his grip on his child's hands, backing away, while another exchanged a wary glance with their companion.
Liora stood there blankly as she stared at the tunnel, her thoughts wild, 'No, it's not just that! It's something worse!'
A scream grabbed their attention from a collapsed wall not far away. "Help! Someone's trapped here! I need help!"
Aron quickly tapped the knight on the shoulder, "Go, see if you can help."
The knight nodded, moving toward the voice. Aron turned to the others, "We'll report back at the guild—"
"No need for that."
The cold voice sent a shiver down their spines. Their heads turned to the approaching group led by a gruff man, his broad athletic frame towering over the rest. His heavy boots struck the ground, each step shifting the loose rubble. The etched runes on his metallic gauntlets glinted faintly under the light, giving the air around him a faint shimmer of restrained power.
"Guildmaster Dryden!" Aron's voice cracked as he bowed deeply, followed by his colleagues. The others followed suit, though Liora froze, her wide eyes darting between Dryden and her colleagues.
"I-I'm sorry!" she stammered, bending forward so quickly it was more of a stumble than a bow.
Dryden ignored her actions, "Aron, tell me what happened here." Instead, he turned towards the blonde-haired man. His shadow loomed over Aron's small body, intensifying his submissive behavior.
"Guildmaster Dryden, we saw some flickering red lights the tunnels suddenly collapsed! We thought the Ashen Veil was involved and we-we ought to report it, but we didn't know you would come..."
Dryden's fist clenched, his metallic gauntlets grunting. "These damn cultists!" Aron flinched as the runes glowed faintly, leaving Dryden even more enraged. "And you didn't bother to warn anyone?!"
"G-guildmaster, it was too sudden! We were surveying the tunnels when the lights just appeared and we—"
Dryden flicked his arms, cutting Aron. "Hmph! Useless!" Then he noticed Liora's intense gaze, her eyes screaming something he couldn't understand. "You've got something to add, scribe?!"
She jumped back, sweat dripping down her haggard face. She gritted her teeth and stood sloppily, "It wasn't just the Ashen Veil, guildmaster! The red lights are not normal, and they — no, the spirits are reacting to it! These red lights are disturbing them! This is bigger than we think!"
Dryden crossed his arms, scoffing, "And you expect me to believe that?"
"I-I'm a mentally enhanced individual!" Liora clutched the glowing amulet, her fingers fidgeting around it, "I perceive things most can't—spirits, disturbances in the metaphysical plane. What I felt in those tunnels wasn't just dark magic. It was old, dangerous, and restless. Ignoring this could be a mistake we'll all regret!"
"Spirits? Metaphysical disturbances? Bah! You're not only mentally enhanced but delusional as well!" Dryden snapped, his tone sharp as a blade, "Save your fairy tales to the historians! I've got a guild to manage, and a city to take care with!"
"Oh?!" a loud, mocking voice reached his calloused ears; smooth yet instilled with unmistakable authority. "Run the city, Guildmaster Dryden? This is what you call 'managing the city'?"
Dryden stiffened, his eyes narrowing as the voice's owner stepped into view. The clink of armor accompanied her light strides, the sounds echoing in the tense atmosphere. Her silver-plated boots shimmered under the sunlight reflection, blinding those who dared to look down upon her.
"Stormwind," Dryden muttered slowly, the words deliberately spoken like the rumble of a distant thunder. "You've been causing trouble lately. This is guild business, you do not have the right to interfere!"
Lucia Stormwind halted, her tall frame poised with effortless confidence. Her hand rested on the hilt of her sword, the golden markings showcasing the grandness of her hidden blade. Her armor, intricately crafted with swirling patterns of lightning and wind, reflected hues of purple and silver, mirroring her stormy eyes.
Her gaze met Dryden's, unwavering and sharp as the blade she carried. The soft breeze that followed her swept through the buildings, ruffling her deeply shaded chestnut hair. The sunlight filtering through the gaps caught the golden undertones in her hair, casting an attractive halo.
"Guild business?!" Lucia repeated, her tone calm but firm like steel. "If this is how your guild handles your so-called business, you'd want to reconsider your position!"
Her words carried the weight of both mockery and challenge, her presence demanding the attention of everyone around her. The guild members shifted uncomfortably, their glances alternating between Dryden's scowl and Lucia's smirk.
"You think business can be run properly with a spoiled brat ruining it?!" Dryden retorted, having enough of her tirades. "If maybe you were a little more considerate, it wouldn't have led to this."
"And how am I being inconsiderate?" Lucia pressed forward, not backing down under his insistence. "Is sorting out the messes you and the city lord can't handle something you consider as trouble?!"
Dryden sneered, crossing his arms. "You talk as if your actions are both divine and holy, like the religious maniac you are. Your meddling is what causes half of the damage we would clean up! Look around, Stormwind — broken walls, ruined homes, chaos. All of it courtesy of your little crusade! Is your recent contract not obvious enough?!"
He lashed out, internally cursing Lucia's delusional pursuit of grandeur and ambition. She dared to post a contract to investigate the city's underground tunnels. Had she not put it up for all to see, would this even happen?
Lucia's smirk faded, replaced by a glint of cold resolve. "You think this is about me? This is about your guild ignoring the bigger picture. If the Ashen Veil is at play, sitting idle isn't an option — no matter how much you want to cling to your pride."
Before they could speak any further, the rumbling ground broke their little banter. A small group of blue-cloaked men marched in, their faces obscured by the hanging cowls. The outline of silver runes spread across the fabric, humming softly with the faint essence of the divine.
The head of the group was a thin, frail man, forcing others to think he was useless and indefensible. His gray eyes, devoid of pupils, glanced in their direction, exuding powerful waves of mental energy as he stood close to the entrance. Though lacking in vision, he felt the lingering aura of darkness and chaos in the tunnels.
"Such chaos... and the stench of dark magic." his words were slow yet impactful, "This reeks of heresy."
His words rang like the holy doctrine in their ears, forcing those who heard them to bow their heads in prostration.
The gathered crowd faltered, eyes darting towards these blue-cloaked men. Whispers of heretics and the "Ashen Veil" spread like wildfire, but none dared speak loud enough to catch their attention.
Dryden breathed deeply, his arms falling to the sides. "Inquisitor Galleanus, so you have arrived."
"Yet you did not foresee our arrival," Galleanus interrupted, glancing in Dryden's direction.
Dryden opened his mouth to speak but Lucia stepped forward, "Inquisitor Galleanus, Guildmaster Dryden does not need to justify his moral obligations to you." she reminded him, "Also, your arrival is convenient, isn't it? Showing up after the chaos, when the danger has already passed? What else should it be but your deliberate act?"
"Yet milady, you demand he justify his working obligations to you? Is that not the same hypocrisy you disdain?" Galleanus turned to her, his thin lips curling into a faint smile. "Your presence is duly noted, Lady Lucia, but the Inquisition does not need the Emperor's knightly interference."
Lucia harrumphed, raising her chin as his piercing gaze bore over him, "Oh really?! Please remind me of when the Drakmorr Dominion breached through Capria's borders. Who was it that called the Emperor's help?"
Galleanus's smile didn't vanish though the air around him suddenly turned cold, "Faith is the only true shield against chaos, Lady Stormwind. The Emperor's knights have done well under the Sovereign's blessings, but the Inquisition has done better without question. Remember that."
He harrumphed, dismissing their presence with a simple wave of his hand. Without another word, he approached the broken tunnel entrance. The air grew heavier as he raised his thin, veined hands, spreading his fingers wide. A faint glow emanated from the runes on his cloak, glowing in harmony with the metaphysical energy surging toward him.
"That scribe spoke well of the disturbance." he remarked, "This darkness is not merely the work of the Veil."
The runes' humming intensified as his hands hovered above the rubble. "A darkness deeper than the shadow—of ancient and modern; their paths intertwine like the very tunnels beneath this city."
Everyone exchanged uneasy glances, their hands quivering as they hovered over their weapons. Even Lucia couldn't help but falter, shifting her eyes between the tunnel entrance and Galleanus.
Dryden cleared his throat, and spoke uncertainly, "I'm sorry, Inquisitor, but what does that mean?"
"The reasons are countless, or perhaps it is merely a coincidence," Galleanus frowned, "I have heard of the city lord's heretical involvements. Is there truth to this?"
Lucia nodded, dispelling her rebellious nature to give way to a reluctant cooperation. The situation demanded unity, no matter if it grated her pride. She took a steadying breath and nodded, "My people uncovered stacks of papers yesterday, hidden beneath the floorboards of a warehouse. They appear to be from the city lord himself."
Everyone jolted at this sudden revelation. Dryden's jaw tightened, his brows furrowing deeply, "What?! Those rumors about him working with the Veil are true?!"
"We... are not certain." Lucia shook her head, "The letters lack official seals. For now, it is impossible to confirm their authenticity."
"An intriguing discovery." Galleanous tilted his head to the side, contemplating Lucia's discoveries. "Where are those letters now?"
Lucia's gaze hardened, her hand instinctively brushing the hilt of her sword. "A masked figure took most of them. Their movements were precise — too skilled for an ordinary thief."
Dryden frowned, his brows knitting together. "A masked figure? And you let them escape?"
Lucia's tone sharpened. "It wasn't a matter of 'letting.' Their tactics were... unconventional. I doubt even you would've handled them easily."
Galleanus's piercing gray eyes turned toward Lucia, his tone cold. "This masked figure, did they display any signs of allegiance to the Veil?"
Lucia hesitated, the memory of the encounter flashing in her mind. "No symbols. No chants. But the precision of their movements… felt deliberate as if they knew exactly what they were after."
Dryden slammed a fist against the rubble. "Damn it. If this figure's tied to the Veil, we might already be too late."
"Shall we visit the scene instead of speculating here?" Galleanus interjected, "Understanding the scene well will lead us to an understanding of the chaos in the city."
'And I thought you were all here to purge heresy!' Dryden screamed in his mind before he ran over and stood in their way, "Shouldn't we visit the city lord first? He owes us answers if there's any truth to these letters."
Galleanus turned his head slowly, his expression as cold as stone. "Do you not understand, Guildmaster Dryden?" His tone dripped with quiet disdain. "If I were the city lord, I'd be crafting a litany of excuses to avoid anyone right now. The guiltier a man is, the faster he retreats to his walls."
Dryden doubted the remark, his face unwilling, "You think he'll just sit back and hide? That's not how we do things in this city."
Galleanus snorted, his thin lips curling in disdain. "Heresy cannot be cleansed if it is not exposed to light. Flailing about in ignorance will only strengthen the shadow." he gestured dismissively, finding Dryden's naivety amusing, "Bait the darkness into revealing its silhouette, and only then can you strike with certainty."
For Galleanus, the city lord's situation was a wildcard variable. His alliance with the Ashen Veil remains unverified, and it could be a possibility that he was framed as well. Focusing on the Ashen Veil would reveal the truth; all of their questions then would be answered with ease.
Lucia stepped between them. "Enough, both of you. If we waste more time arguing, the trail might already be cold." She turned to Galleanus, her tone firm. "If you're so intent on visiting the scene, I will lead the way."
"Then I shall be your guest." Galleanus gestured at her to guide him. His lips suddenly moved yet no voice left his mouth, but through his mind; his thoughts resonated loudly only to the ears he deemed trustworthy.
'Investigate the tunnels, the city lord, the marketplace, and this place. Keep an eye on the guild and the guards. Leave no trace behind.'
Four of the blue-robed men suddenly moved, heading in different directions pointed by Galleanus. Two remained on his side, their expressions and thoughts unreadable to the rest.
Dryden squinted, noticing the small detail. "What was that?"
"Nothing that concerns you, Guildmaster." Galleanus smiled, "I am simply ensuring that this city remains 'safe'."
Lucia frowned, clearly feeling the waves of mental energy drifting in the air. However, she spoke nothing ill of it, for she knew that impeding the Inquisition would mean obstructing justice and faith, a severe crime she had long remembered.