Days after closing their first rift, the group traveled deeper into the Eastern Reach, heading toward the city of Velhaim. Known as the City of Reflections, Velhaim was famed for its mirrored architecture, canals, and its university, which housed one of the largest repositories of magical knowledge in the known world.
The journey was uneventful at first, but as they neared Velhaim, subtle signs of disturbance began to creep into their surroundings. The forests were unnaturally quiet, the air heavy with an unseen tension. Lyssara occasionally paused, her hand reaching out to sense the Veilstream.
"There's something wrong here," she said, frowning. "It feels… distorted. Like the flow is tangled."
Maerlyn nodded gravely. "The closer we get to Velhaim, the more strained the Veil feels. We must proceed carefully."
When they arrived at the gates of Velhaim, the city seemed untouched by the strangeness they had sensed in the forest. The streets were bustling, merchants hawking their wares, and scholars debating in open courtyards. But beneath the surface, there was an undercurrent of unease.
As they walked through the market square, they overheard snippets of conversation:
"Another disappearance by the canals…"
"They say you can see things in the mirrors at night, things that aren't supposed to be there."
"My cousin swears the water in the southern district is glowing green…"
The group exchanged uneasy glances. Maerlyn's expression darkened. "It's worse than I thought. The Veil here isn't just frayed—it's thin, and something is seeping through."
In the evening, the group made their way to a tavern near the university. As they discussed their next steps over drinks, a robed figure approached their table. The figure was tall and moved with an air of authority, their face obscured by a hood.
"You're the ones who closed the rift in the Eastern Reach, aren't you?" the stranger said, their voice low and calm.
Lirion's hand moved to his dagger instinctively. "Who's asking?"
The stranger pulled back their hood, revealing a woman with sharp features and piercing blue eyes. Her dark hair was streaked with silver, and she wore a medallion bearing the symbol of the Velhaim Magisterium.
"My name is Kallina Veyr," she said. "I'm an adjunct scholar at the university, specializing in Veil theory. I've been tracking disturbances across the region, and your actions have not gone unnoticed."
Maerlyn studied her for a moment, then nodded. "You know of the rifts."
"I do," Kallina said, her expression grim. "And I believe there's a significant one forming beneath Velhaim."
Kallina explained that the city of Velhaim was built atop a vast network of tunnels and caverns. In the oldest texts of the Magisterium, these caverns were said to be linked to the Veilstream itself, serving as natural conduits of its energy. But now, those connections were becoming unstable.
"For weeks, we've noticed strange phenomena," Kallina said. "Disappearing citizens, flickering images in the mirrors, water that seems alive. And now, we've detected a surge of Veil energy emanating from the caverns. Something is trying to force its way through."
Lyssara leaned forward, her brow furrowed. "And you want us to investigate?"
Kallina nodded. "The Magisterium is divided. Some believe it's a natural fluctuation, while others think it's the work of some rogue mage. But I've read accounts of the Veilkeeper's defeat, and I believe the rift you closed was only the beginning. If this one isn't sealed, Velhaim could become a gateway for creatures far worse than the Veil-born."
The next morning, the group, accompanied by Kallina, descended into the tunnels beneath Velhaim. The air was damp and heavy, the flickering light of their torches casting long shadows on the stone walls. Strange markings adorned the walls, symbols that seemed to shift and twist when looked at directly.
As they delved deeper, they began to hear faint whispers echoing through the caverns. At first, they thought it was just the sound of wind passing through the tunnels, but soon the whispers grew louder, forming fragmented words in a language none of them recognized.
Arkin shivered. "I don't like this. It feels like the Abyss all over again."
"It's the Veil's resonance," Maerlyn said. "The energy here is unstable, and it's bleeding into our reality. Stay focused."
The whispers intensified as they entered a large chamber. At its center was a pool of glowing, green water, and above it hovered a shimmering rift. Tendrils of dark energy reached out from the rift, twisting and writhing like living things.
Lirion stepped forward, his dagger in hand. "This is it, isn't it?"
Kallina nodded, her face pale. "Yes. This is the source of the disturbance."
As they approached the rift, the water in the pool began to bubble and churn. A figure emerged, its form cloaked in shadow and its eyes glowing with an eerie green light. The air grew colder, and the whispers turned into a cacophony of voices, all speaking at once.
"I am the Riftkeeper," the figure said, its voice echoing with unnatural resonance. "You seek to close the gateway, but you do not understand. This is the beginning of a new era, where the Veil will no longer confine us!"
The Riftkeeper raised a hand and tendrils of dark energy shot toward the group. They scattered, each moving to their positions.
"Same plan as before!" Maerlyn shouted. "Focus on the rift while holding off the Riftkeeper!"
Arkin charged, his hammer glowing with Veil-infused energy. He struck one of the tendrils, shattering it, but more took its place. Lyssara began casting, her magic weaving a barrier around the rift to contain its energy.
Lirion darted in and out of the fray, aiming for the Riftkeeper's weak points. His strikes landed, but the creature's form seemed insubstantial, as though it were more shadow than substance.
"It's tied to the rift!" Maerlyn called out. "We have to destabilize it before we can harm the Riftkeeper!"
As the battle raged on, Kallina joined Lyssara, lending her knowledge of Veil theory to enhance the containment spell. Together, they worked to disrupt the rift's energy flow, their combined magic creating a lattice of light that began to constrict the rift's form.
The Riftkeeper howled, its shadowy form flickering. "You cannot stop what has already begun!"
But the group pressed on. Arkin delivered a devastating blow to the Riftkeeper, forcing it to retreat. Lirion used the opening to drive his dagger into the base of the rift, channeling the Veil's natural energy to counteract the corruption.
With a final surge of power, Maerlyn unleashed a spell that shattered the rift's structure. The chamber was flooded with light as the rift collapsed in on itself, pulling the Riftkeeper with it.
When the light faded, the chamber was silent. The pool of water was still, its glow extinguished. The group stood in the aftermath, their breaths heavy but triumphant.
Kallina looked at them, her eyes wide with awe. "You did it. You actually did it."
Maerlyn nodded, though his expression was somber. "For now. But the Veil's scars remain, and more rifts will likely appear."
Lirion sheathed his dagger, a determined look on his face. "Then we'll close them. One by one, if we have to."
The group left the caverns, their resolve stronger than ever. The fight for the Veil was far from over, but they knew they were ready to face whatever lay ahead. Together.