The air in Eryndral felt heavy as Kaelron and his companions stepped out of the Tamer's Guild under the cover of darkness. Despite the quiet streets, the oppressive feeling of being watched lingered. Ignis walked beside Kaelron, her ember-like feathers glowing faintly, while Umbra and Frostbane moved silently, their sharp eyes scanning the shadows.
"We need to move fast," Nyx muttered, her voice low but urgent. "The cult knows we're onto them. Staying in the Guild any longer was a risk."
Eryk nodded, his frost wolf at his side. "They're watching every move we make. Leaving the city won't be easy."
Kaelron adjusted his grip on his staff, his gaze darting to the dimly lit alleys. "Then we don't give them the chance to corner us. We head for the outskirts and regroup there."
Zerin, walking slightly ahead, grinned as he spun a dagger between his fingers. "I'll lead. If this city is a web, I know where the cracks are."
The group moved quickly but carefully through the winding streets, their footsteps muffled against the cobblestones. The capital's grand towers and sprawling buildings loomed over them, their silhouettes stark against the night sky.
Umbra froze suddenly, her ears swiveling as she sniffed the air. A low growl rumbled in her throat, drawing Nyx's attention.
"She senses something," Nyx whispered, gripping her daggers.
Eryk crouched beside Frostbane, whose icy breath formed a faint mist around its muzzle. "They're close. I can feel it too."
Kaelron's grip on his staff tightened. "How many?"
Before anyone could respond, the faint shuffle of footsteps echoed down the alley behind them. A moment later, shadows moved unnaturally in the dim light, twisting and shifting.
"They've found us," Nyx hissed.
From the darkness emerged a group of cult operatives, their violet cloaks billowing as they moved with unnerving precision. The leader stepped forward, a smirk on his face as he raised a hand. "You thought you could escape? The Veilborn Order doesn't lose what it claims."
Kaelron stepped forward, his voice steady. "If you want the ledger, you'll have to go through us."
The operative laughed, a cold, grating sound. "That can be arranged. Take them!"
The cultists surged forward, weapons drawn. Zerin was already moving. "Run!" he shouted, hurling a dagger that caught one cultist in the shoulder.
Ignis roared, her wings flaring wide as she shoved back two attackers with her sheer size.
"Go, Kaelron!" Nyx shouted, grabbing his arm. "Take Ignis and fly! Get the ledger out of here. We'll regroup later!"
Kaelron's eyes widened. "I'm not leaving you!"
Nyx shook her head, her voice firm. "You have to. If they get the ledger, everything we've done will be for nothing. Ignis can get you out faster than we can run. Go!"
Kaelron hesitated for a moment, then nodded. He climbed onto Ignis's back, gripping the gryphon's reins tightly. "Stay safe. We'll meet at the old watchtower outside the city."
Ignis spread her wings and let out a deafening screech. With a powerful leap, she launched into the air, her fiery glow illuminating the dark alley as she soared skyward.
Below, the cultists shouted and fired arrows, but Ignis was too fast. She climbed higher, carrying Kaelron above the city's rooftops. The cold night air rushed past him as he clung to her, his heart pounding.
From his vantage point, Kaelron could see the cultists scattering below, their attention divided between chasing the remaining group and attempting to track Ignis's fiery trail.
---
Meanwhile, on the ground, Nyx, Zerin, and Eryk fought to keep the cultists at bay.
Umbra leapt into action, darting between attackers and slashing at their legs, forcing them to stumble. Nyx moved with deadly precision, her daggers deflecting strikes and finding their marks with unerring accuracy.
Zerin darted through the fray, his twin daggers a blur as he parried and countered attacks. "I hope your plan works, Nyx!" he called, ducking under a sword swing and slamming his blade into his opponent's hilt.
"It will," Nyx snapped, her eyes narrowing as she struck down another cultist. "Kaelron and Ignis are the only ones who can get the ledger out of the city safely."
Eryk stood his ground beside Frostbane, his icy whip cracking through the air. The frost wolf growled low, its icy breath freezing the cobblestones beneath one attacker's feet, sending them crashing to the ground.
"We can't hold them forever!" Eryk shouted, striking another cultist with his whip.
Nyx nodded grimly. "We don't need to. We just have to buy Kaelron enough time."
---
High above the city, Kaelron urged Ignis onward. The gryphon's powerful wings cut through the air as they sped toward the outskirts of Eryndral. Below, the sprawling city stretched out like a labyrinth of flickering lights and darkened alleys.
Kaelron's thoughts raced as he glanced back toward the distant streets where his companions fought. "Please be okay," he murmured, tightening his grip on Ignis's reins.
Ignis let out a low, reassuring trill, her fiery eyes scanning the horizon as they neared the city's edge.
---
Back on the ground, the group's efforts paid off. The cultists, disorganized and frustrated by their inability to track Kaelron, began to falter.
Nyx took the opportunity to call out, "Fall back! To the watchtower!"
Eryk and Zerin nodded, retreating into the shadows with Frostbane and Umbra at their sides. The cultists hesitated, unsure whether to pursue, giving the group the chance they needed to disappear into the night.
---
Kaelron and Ignis landed softly near the old watchtower outside Eryndral, the gryphon folding her wings as Kaelron dismounted. He paced nervously, scanning the horizon for signs of his companions.
Moments later, Umbra emerged from the trees, followed closely by Nyx, Eryk, Zerin, and Frostbane. Kaelron let out a sigh of relief, rushing to meet them.
"You made it," he said, his voice filled with gratitude.
Nyx smirked, though she looked exhausted. "Told you we'd regroup."
Eryk knelt beside Frostbane, scratching the wolf's ears as the beast let out a low, tired growl. "The cult won't stop looking for us. We need a plan, and fast."
Kaelron nodded, his gaze shifting toward the faint lights of the city in the distance. "We can't leave Eryndral yet—not until we find out where this cult gathering is happening. If we don't stop it, their influence will only grow."
Zerin leaned against the crumbling wall of the watchtower, flipping a dagger between his fingers. "Then we lay low, find a quiet corner to stay out of sight while we sniff out their meeting place. There's plenty of dark alleys and forgotten spaces in this city—places even the cult won't think to look."
Nyx crossed her arms, her sharp eyes scanning their surroundings. "We'll need to be careful. The cult has allies everywhere, and if they catch even a hint of where we are, it's over."
Eryk stood, his frost wolf at his side. "Then it's decided. We'll split our efforts: half of us gathering information, the other half keeping our base secure. If the cult thinks we've left the city, we'll have the advantage."
Kaelron placed a hand on Ignis's shoulder, the gryphon's feathers dimming as she relaxed. "We'll find them. We have to. If they succeed in gathering their forces, it won't just be this city at risk—it'll be all of Lorentis."
Nyx nodded, determination hardening her expression. "Let's move before the cult starts sweeping the streets. The sooner we find a safe place to lay low, the sooner we can turn the tide against them."
The group set off toward the shadows of Eryndral's outskirts, their resolve firm as they began the next phase of their mission: to root out the Veilborn Order's allies and uncover the secrets of their sinister gathering.