While Elias was exchanging blows with the old swordsman, Naomi led Ava through the winding streets of the game's virtual city. The entire square was bustling with merchants hawking colorful wares and players sparring in the square. Sunlight filtered through towering trees, dappling the cobblestone in flecks of gold.
Ava's gaze darted around, her head swiveling as she took in every detail. The feathered hats on shopkeepers, the faint creak of wood beneath her feet, even the soft hint of lavender from a nearby flower cart—everything felt surreal.
"This is… insane," she murmured, almost to herself. "It's like I'm actually walking through a medieval fantasy village."
Naomi grinned. "You haven't even seen the best part. Wait till you see a dragon!"
They weaved through the market's edge, where a huddled group of players murmured in low tones, throwing anxious glances over their shoulders. Naomi's curiosity sparked, and she slid into the conversation with an easy tone. "What's up? Something new happening?"
One of the players, a rogue in a dark cloak, shifted uneasily. "You haven't heard? A new guild's been causing trouble."
Naomi's brow furrowed. "A guild?"
Another player, a healer with sharp eyes, leaned in, lowering her voice. "Weird stuff's happening. Players talk about being sacrificed—taken through some kind of ritual. They say it's this group… The Consumed."
"Even the news picked it up!" the rogue interjected. "They're saying they're just a bunch of lost souls looking for a place to belong. But come on—who wants to be a human sacrifice, even in a game? People are freaked."
The healer scoffed. "Yeah, scared enough that some guilds are logging off for good. Can't grind with a cult prowling around, can you?"
Naomi's heart sank as Lucius's words rang clear in her mind: The Devourers have set their eyes on your world.
She rejoined Ava, who was still adjusting to the surreal reality around them. "We've got a problem," Naomi murmured, pulling Ava aside near the training hall.
"What kind of problem?" Ava asked, pausing mid-stretch.
Naomi checked that they were out of earshot. "There's talk of a cult in the game—The Consumed. And guilds are leaving the game because they're scared."
Ava's stomach twisted. "Consumed… Devourers. Seems on the nose, doesn't it? Won't Lucius step in? It's his game, after all."
"He might, but it's complicated. The Company promotes Celestian Requiem as a game of freedom. The devs only get involved when hacking is on the table," Naomi explained, frowning.
Ava considered this, her expression thoughtful. "It's getting tangled… we need a plan. No, we need information."
"Exactly, Aves!" Naomi grinned, squeezing Ava's arm. "If Lucius was telling the truth, there should be clues somewhere in here." She grabbed Ava's hand. "Come on—I know the perfect place. Biggest library in Celestian Requiem, and they serve amazing tea!"
Ava raised an eyebrow but let Naomi pull her along, a smile tugging at her lips as she surrendered to the unknown.
They rounded a corner, and Ava found herself staring up at a grand, towering building with carved stone pillars and high-arched windows glistening in the afternoon light. A massive wooden door stood open, revealing endless rows of shelves stretching far into the distance.
"Welcome to the Arcanum," Naomi announced with a sweeping gesture. "Every piece of lore, every character bio, every scrap of history… it's all here."
Ava looked on, awestruck. "This is a digital library? But it looks like something out of a dream."
"Go on," Naomi said, nudging her forward. "You lead."
They stepped inside, the air cooler, filled with the scent of parchment and ink. The soft sounds of pages turning and footsteps echoed in the grand hall, where players, NPC scholars, and even a few mages in elaborate robes wandered among the towering shelves.
Naomi led them to a wide table near the center of the room, where large, leather-bound tomes rested. "Let's start with this one." She flipped open a book titled A History of the Devourers.
Ava's brow furrowed as she leaned over the tome. Intricate illustrations showed regal figures draped in deep red robes, surrounded by adoring worshippers. The text described them as "Seekers of Ultimate Unity," wise figures on a mission to bridge realms, inviting others to join in transcendence.
"It paints them like… heroes?" Ava whispered, incredulous.
Naomi nodded, her face darkening. "I know. Doesn't match what we've heard at all."
Ava flipped through more pages, taking in scenes of elaborate ceremonies, people joined in ecstatic dances, eyes glazed with reverence. "This feels more like propaganda than history."
Just then, an NPC librarian, an elderly woman with piercing eyes, approached them, pausing beside their table. "Ah, interested in the Devourers, are we?" Her voice was soft but carried a weight that made both Naomi and Ava look up sharply.
"Yes, actually," Naomi replied, matching the librarian's low tone. "We were hoping to learn more about their... past."
The librarian's gaze narrowed, a strange glint in her eyes. "They were once revered," she said, her voice dropping. "Their followers believed they'd lead them to a paradise beyond this world. Some willingly joined their cause. It's said they left hidden truths, buried in places only the brave or foolish would dare to seek."
Naomi's face turned serious. "But that's not the whole story, is it?"
The librarian's expression softened, and she leaned closer, her voice barely above a whisper. "There are tales… dark tales. They say the Devourers' paradise was a lie, and those who followed them never returned. They consume worlds, bending them to their will."
Ava shivered, glancing back at the book. "So this is just a mask?"
The librarian nodded slowly. "Be wary of what you seek, for the truth may come with a cost."
With that, the NPC glided away, leaving Naomi and Ava in silence.
Naomi closed the book, her jaw set. "We need to find out more about this Consumed cult. If they're anything like the Devourers, this game—and everyone in it—might be in serious danger."
Ava took a deep breath, fingers tracing the ornate binding of the tome. "Guess there's no going back now, is there?"
Naomi gave her a reassuring smile. "Nope. And besides," she added with a wink, "I'm here to show you around, right?"
As they made their way back through the city, Ava found herself marveling at the unexpected bond growing between her and Naomi. Like the world of Celestian Requiem, things were becoming more layered—and more real—than she could have imagined.