The Marketplace seemed much more oppressive as Ethan and Kael walked back toward the Adventurer's Hub. While the air buzzed around it with its usual cacophony of merchants and villagers, it left Ethan's mind ringing with the wild man's words.
"The Voidborn are coming. The Fractured Realms are breaking."
He gazed down at her, when she refused to speak to him, her face set, unyielding. Her knuckles whitened with the pressure of her grasp on the new bow, clutched tightly in her fist; the dark wood seemed a jarring contrast to the pallor of her skin.
"Do you think he had to have been a bit crazy?" Ethan asked, breaking the silence.
He shook his head sharply. "Crazy doesn't mean wrong. He spoke of the Fractured Realms—and the Voidborn. That's not common knowledge ."
"And didn't Lyra say the Voidborn were few and far between, as well? If tied to these realms breaking or whatnot, wouldn't some in charge do something about it?
Kael stopped mid-step, her sharp eyes fixed on Ethan. "You are assuming that someone in charge cares, or that they even can do anything. If the Voidborn are spreading, it's probably bigger than just one village or even one kingdom."
New Quest Available!
Hidden Threads of the Voidborn
Objective: Investigate the Fractured Realms.
Party of: 2-6
Rarity: Unknown.
"This is the same here," Ethan said, his voice laced with discomfort. "It says we need to investigate. No details, no location, just.investigate."
Kael folded her arms, her face darkening. "This is bad. Quest notifications don't just pop up randomly there's always a reason. The system wants us to go after this."
"This means it's probably going to get us killed," Ethan muttered.
"Not necessarily," Kael said. "But if we are going to take this seriously, we need more information—and more people. We're not ready to handle this on our own."
Ethan sighed. "Back to Lyra, then?"
Kael nodded. "Let's see what she knows."
---
The Adventurer's Hub was nowhere near as packed when they returned. Lyra stood behind the counter, sorting a stack of ledgers. She looked up at them as they approached, her expression sharpening at the sight of their faces.
"Something on your minds?" she asked, setting the ledgers aside.
Kael didn't waste his breath. "We just got a system notification. A quest about the Fractured Realms."
Lyra's eyes narrowed. "Show me."
He held up his interface, so she could scroll over the text of the quest. Lyra scanned over the text with a set expression. "Hidden Threads of the Voidborn," she spoke aloud. "This isn't some ordinary F rank quest. If the system is even using this to you, then it means that you're already earmarked for participation."
"How?" Ethan scowled and asked.
By this Shadow Hound," Lyra said. "Things like that shouldn't even be anywhere around a village. You getting rid of one could have tripped a switch."
"Oh, great," Ethan drawled. "So the system thinks we're ready for this fiasco?"
"Not ready," Lyra said. "It thinks you're expendable."
The weight of her words settled over them like a heavy cloak.
"So what do we do?" Kael asked, her voice level.
The Fractured Realms are treacherous regions found across Eryndor. They're places where the power of the Voidborn leaks into our world. Inside, the system doesn't work exactly as it should there—magic breaks, stats roll unpredictably, and even death sticks sometimes."
Ethan's face went pale. "Permanent? No respawns?
Lyra nodded grimly. "Exactly. Adventurers who enter the Fractured Realms rarely return, and those who do come back. changed."
Kael's eyes narrowed. "But there's something in these realms worth risking that, isn't there?
Lyra hesitated. "The Fractured Realms have ancient artifacts-arts that can swing the balance of power. They also contain fragments of knowledge about the Voidborn. If someone could map enough of the realms, they might uncover how to stop the corruption from spreading."
"So this isn't just about fighting monsters," Kael said. "It's about gathering intel."
"Exactly," Lyra said. "But don't think for a second it's going to be easy. The system may have selected you for this task, but you are still low-ranked. To survive, you'll need allies, better gear, and a whole lot more experience."
Ethan let out a sigh and raked his hand through his hair. "No pressure, right?"
Lyra smiled a little. "Pressure's part of the job. But if you're serious about doing this, I can guide you towards someone who might help."
Kael raised an eyebrow. "Who?"
"There's this adventurer named Arius Dain," Lyra said. "He's a rogue that's been to a Fractured Realm and lived to tell about it. He's really unpredictable, but if anyone could guide you, it's him."
"Where can we find him?" Ethan asked.
Lyra's smile stretched out. "He's generally lurking in a hole at the Iron Barrel. If you get lucky, he might be drunk enough to speak."
---
Noisier than any other place in Graymere was the Iron Barrel, where offkey singing blended with hearty laughter and shouts. In this smoke-filled hovel of ale and roasted meat, air clung thick and heavy with smell; dim lights gave the whole thing a warm, wild look.
Now, as if with a swing in momentum, Ethan and Kael pushed their way through the crowd, scanning the horizon for a glimpse of their mark.
"There," said Kael, his finger extending to point at a corner table.
A man slumped in a chair, half-filled tankard sloppily grasped in one hand, his dagger idly spinning between the fingers of the other. Unkempt dark hair fell to his shoulders; sharp eyes gleamed with amusement as he sized up the patrons of the tavern.
"That's our guy?" Ethan breathed.
Kael nodded. "Looks like it. Hope he's in a cooperating mood."
They walked over to the table, the man's eyes jerking up.
"Can I help you?" he drawled his voice smooth and with a slightly slur.
"Arius Dain?"
"Depends on who's asking."
"We heard you've gone to one of the Fractured Realms," Kael said bluntly.
Arius raised an eyebrow. "And you want me to take you there, is that it?
Ethan stopped. "Not exactly. We just need information. Guidance."
Arius laughed again, a low bitter sound. "Guidance? Let me save you the trouble—don't go. That's all the guidance you need."
Kael furrows his brow. "That's impossible."
Arius leans back in his chair, thought for a moment, then fixes his eyes on Ethan once again. "She's not kidding, is she?"
"Not even close," Ethan said.
Arius shakes his head and sets down his tankard. "Okay, I will tell you what I know-but it's going to cost you."
"Cost us what?" Kael asks.
"Fifty silver," Arius says, grinning.
Ethan rolls his eyes. "We just spent all our money on gear."
He shrugged. "Then you'll owe me, or you'll find someone else to help with it."
Kael edged forward, speaking low. "How about this: we pay you after our first successful delve into a Fractured Realm. If we don't make it back, you don't have to worry about collecting."
Ah-ha. Fine. Sure. Okay, I'll help you-get this straight, though. No coddling. If you mess up, so much the worse for me trying to get you out of it. Understood?"
"Deal," Kael said.
Ethan rubbed at his temples. "This is going to be a nightmare, isn't it?"
Arius grinned. "Welcome to the game, kid."