The secluded manor loomed in the dark, its high walls casting long shadows against the faint glow of lanterns. From the ridge overlooking the grounds, Kaelron crouched beside Ignis, his eyes scanning the scene below. The tension in the air was palpable, every breath a reminder of the high stakes they faced.
Zerin moved up beside him, silent as a shadow. "Guards everywhere. The Whispered Flame isn't taking chances."
Kaelron nodded grimly, gripping his staff. "That means whatever's happening here is critical to their plans."
From her position a few feet away, Nyx observed the activity through a small spyglass. Though she was still recovering from her ordeal with the orb, she insisted on being part of the mission. Umbra sat protectively at her side, its glowing eyes watching the grounds below.
"They've fortified the manor's inner courtyard," Nyx whispered. "The cultists are concentrated near the eastern wing. That's where we'll find the weapons and, likely, the ritual site."
Eryk knelt next to Frostbane, the frost wolf's breath visible in the cool night air. "The bishop will be their greatest threat. If we draw their attention, we can disrupt the meeting and destroy as much as possible before they retaliate."
Kaelron glanced at his companions, their determination mirrored in his own. "This is our best chance to slow them down. We move now."
The group split into two teams. Kaelron and Ignis would create a distraction near the western courtyard, drawing the guards away from the eastern wing where the weapons and ritual were located.
Nyx, Zerin, and Eryk would infiltrate the eastern wing, using the chaos to sabotage the shadow-forged weapons and disrupt the ritual.
Kaelron led Ignis through the dense underbrush, their movements silent as they approached the manor's western wall. He raised his hand, signaling Ignis to hold. The gryphon's keen eyes fixed on the patrol ahead.
Kaelron whispered, "Stay low. We need to make this loud enough to draw them, but not too soon."
Ignis trilled softly in response. With a single motion, Kaelron ignited the tip of his staff, sending a controlled burst of light into the night sky. The effect was immediate—guards shouted, their torches swinging toward the western courtyard.
Ignis leapt into action, her powerful wings propelling her above the wall. Kaelron followed, scaling the stone barrier with practiced ease. They landed in the courtyard, drawing the attention of the cultists stationed there.
"It's him!" one of the guards shouted. "The fire wielder!"
Kaelron smirked grimly. "Let's make this memorable."
---
Meanwhile, Nyx, Zerin, and Eryk slipped through a side entrance into the manor's eastern wing. The corridor was dimly lit, the faint hum of shadow magic pulsing through the walls.
Zerin gestured for silence, his eyes scanning the hallway ahead. "The storeroom is just around the corner. If the shipment ledger was accurate, that's where they're keeping the weapons."
Nyx nodded, her daggers at the ready. "We destroy the weapons first. Then we find the ritual site."
The group moved swiftly, their steps silent. When they reached the storeroom, Zerin picked the lock with ease, pushing the door open to reveal rows of crates filled with shadow-forged weapons.
Eryk grimaced. "Enough to arm a small army. We can't let these leave the manor."
Nyx stepped forward, her voice low but firm. "Set the charges. Make sure there's nothing left to salvage."
Eryk pulled out a small satchel of alchemical explosives, carefully placing them along the base of the crates. As he worked, Frostbane stood guard at the door, its ears flicking at every sound.
With the explosives set, the group moved deeper into the eastern wing. The hum of shadow magic grew louder, the air heavy with an unnatural energy.
They entered a large chamber where cultists knelt in a circle, chanting in a low, rhythmic tone. At the center of the room stood an altar, its surface etched with glowing runes. A dark crystal pulsed with energy, its light casting eerie shadows across the walls.
Nyx's eyes narrowed. "This is it. They're using the crystal to channel energy into the weapons."
Zerin whispered, "We disrupt this, and we cripple their operation."
Nyx nodded. "Eryk, get ready to collapse the chamber. Zerin, cover me."
As Eryk began preparing his explosives, Nyx and Zerin moved closer to the altar. Umbra padded silently beside Nyx, its growl low and threatening.
Before they could act, the chamber grew impossibly cold. The cultists stopped chanting, their heads bowing in reverence as a figure entered the room.
The Whispered Flame stood tall, their robes adorned with fiery patterns that seemed to shift and dance. Their masked face turned toward Nyx, Zerin, and Eryk, their presence radiating a suffocating aura.
"So," the bishop said, their voice echoing with an unnatural resonance. "The intruders think they can stop the inevitable."
Nyx stepped forward, her daggers gleaming in the dim light. "We've stopped worse than you."
The bishop chuckled, the sound low and menacing. "You don't even understand what you're fighting against. The Maw's will is absolute. Your resistance is nothing but a fleeting ember."
Kaelron and Ignis burst into the room at that moment, their arrival marked by a fiery strike that scattered the cultists. "Then we'll make that ember burn brighter," Kaelron declared.
The room erupted into chaos as Kaelron and Ignis engaged the Whispered Flame. The bishop's movements were fluid and precise, their shadow-laden attacks clashing with Kaelron's fiery magic.
Nyx, Zerin, and Eryk focused on the crystal, working to disable its connection to the altar. Umbra and Frostbane kept the remaining cultists at bay, their feral power unmatched.
Kaelron pushed himself to his limits, merging fully with Ignis to increase his strength. The flames around him burned brighter, but the Whispered Flame remained unfazed.
"You wield power you don't understand," the bishop said, their tone almost pitying. "Do you truly believe the Maw's corruption is mindless destruction? It is salvation."
Kaelron gritted his teeth, the bishop's words tugging at the edges of his thoughts. "You twist the truth to justify your actions. The Maw is nothing but destruction."
The bishop's mask tilted slightly, their voice soft. "Then why does it call to you?"
Eryk's voice cut through the tension. "It's done! The crystal's destabilizing!"
The altar began to crack, shadow energy spilling into the room. The cultists screamed as the unstable magic consumed them, the chamber shaking violently.
"Fall back!" Kaelron shouted, his flames surging to hold the bishop at bay.
The group retreated as the chamber collapsed, the bishop's voice echoing behind them. "You cannot escape the Maw. Its truth will find you."
They barely made it out before the chamber caved in, the manor's eastern wing engulfed in shadow and flame. The group regrouped at the forest's edge, their breaths ragged but relieved.
Nyx leaned against a tree, her expression grim. "We stopped the ritual, but they'll recover. And the bishop..."
Kaelron stared at the distant glow of the burning manor, his thoughts racing. "They're getting closer to the hidden shrine. We have to move faster."