The forest was silent except for the crackle of a dying fire as the group regrouped at their safehouse, the aftermath of their ambush weighing heavily on them. Kaelron sat at the edge of the clearing, his staff propped against a nearby log. Ignis lay beside him, her wings folded tightly, her sharp gaze fixed on the tree line as if anticipating another attack.
"We disrupted the ritual and destroyed some of their weapons," Zerin said, breaking the heavy silence. "That should count for something."
Nyx, leaning against a tree with Umbra at her side, shook her head. "It's not enough. The Whispered Flame is still out there, and we barely slowed them down."
Eryk stood near the fire, Frostbane at his side, his face shadowed by the flickering light. "We hurt their operation, but the bishop's power was beyond anything we've faced. If we don't find a way to counter them, the next encounter could be our last."
Kaelron remained silent, his thoughts replaying the confrontation with the Whispered Flame. The bishop's words haunted him: "Do you truly believe the Maw's corruption is mindless destruction? It is salvation."
The group gathered around the fire, each one nursing wounds from the battle. Nyx's scars from the corrupted orb still glowed faintly under the light, and Kaelron noticed the strain in her movements as she settled into place.
"We need a plan," Nyx said firmly, her tone brooking no argument. "We can't keep reacting to their moves. We need to strike where it hurts."
Zerin pulled a map from his pack, spreading it out on the ground. "Haldric's manor is out of commission, but it wasn't their main base. If the Whispered Flame is as important as we think, they'll regroup somewhere else."
Eryk reached into his coat, producing a piece of parchment they had salvaged from the wreckage of the ritual chamber. It was charred at the edges but still legible. "This might help. It's a fragment of the ritual instructions. If we can decipher it, we might learn their next target."
Kaelron took the parchment, his brow furrowing as he studied the runes. "These symbols... they're similar to the ones on the crown fragment. This isn't just a ritual—it's tied to the Primordial Bonds."
Nyx's eyes narrowed. "Then we need an expert. Someone who can help us decode this and find out what the cult is planning."
Kaelron glanced at Nyx. "Do you have someone in mind?"
Nyx hesitated, her expression unreadable. "There's a researcher I trust—Elorin. He was one of the Guild's best scholars, especially with ancient texts and rituals. If anyone can make sense of this, it's him."
Zerin raised an eyebrow. "Elorin? I thought he left the Guild years ago. Something about a fight with one of the higher-ups."
Nyx nodded. "He didn't leave because of politics; it was personal. Elorin clashed with Rohen when Rohen started pushing for more control over the Guild's resources. They had... different views on what the Guild should stand for."
Eryk folded his arms, his tone skeptical. "And what makes you think he'll help us now? If he left because of the Guild, he might not want to be dragged back into its messes."
Nyx's gaze hardened. "This isn't about the Guild. It's about stopping the cult. Elorin cares about the balance of the world more than anyone I've ever met. He won't turn his back on this."
Kaelron nodded. "Then it's worth the risk. If he can give us an edge against the cult, we have to try."
Before leaving the safehouse, the group stopped by a nearby inn where Lys was waiting. She had agreed to meet them to share any new information she had uncovered about the cult's operations in Lyndara.
Lys greeted them with a cautious smile, her demeanor calm but watchful. "You all look worse for wear," she said, her tone light but not unkind.
Zerin grinned faintly. "And you look far too comfortable for someone spying on a cult."
Lys smirked. "It's called blending in. Maybe you should try it sometime."
Nyx stepped forward, cutting through the banter. "Did you find anything?"
Lys nodded, pulling a folded parchment from her cloak. "The cult's activities in Lyndara are more widespread than we thought. They've been using the city's old trade routes to smuggle their weapons out to other regions. But that's not all."
She pointed to a specific line on the parchment. "They've been moving something else—artifacts tied to the Primordial Bonds. I couldn't find out what or where, but it's clear they're building toward something big."
Kaelron frowned, the weight of her words sinking in. "This matches what we found in the ritual chamber. They're trying to locate the hidden shrines."
Lys hesitated before asking, "What's your next move?"
Nyx glanced at the others before answering. "We're going to find Elorin. If anyone can help us make sense of this, it's him."
Lys nodded, her expression serious. "Then be careful. The cult isn't going to sit idly by while you unravel their plans."
As the group left the inn and prepared to set out for Elorin's location, Ignis let out a low trill, her sharp gaze fixed on the treeline. Frostbane growled softly, stepping protectively in front of Eryk.
Kaelron stood, his staff in hand. "What is it?"
Before anyone could answer, a shadowed figure emerged from the forest, their movements deliberate but unthreatening. They held up a hand, revealing a rolled parchment.
"Stay where you are," Zerin ordered, his daggers drawn.
The figure paused, placing the parchment on the ground before retreating into the shadows without a word.
Kaelron approached cautiously, Ignis at his side. He picked up the parchment, unrolling it to reveal a message written in elegant, flowing script.
Nyx read over his shoulder, her expression darkening. "It's from the Whispered Flame."
The message was brief but chilling:
"You cannot outrun the truth. The Maw will show you the cost of defiance. Come to Lyndara's heart if you wish to learn more."
Eryk scowled. "They're taunting us. They want us to walk into another trap."
Kaelron stared at the parchment, the bishop's cryptic warning echoing in his mind. "Or they're trying to distract us. Either way, we can't afford to ignore this."
---
The group departed at dawn, their pace brisk as they made their way toward the outskirts of Lyndara. The forest thinned as they approached the ruins of an ancient library, its crumbling facade covered in ivy and moss.
Nyx led the way, her movements steady despite her lingering wounds. "Elorin's workshop is in the basement. He prefers to stay out of sight."
The group entered cautiously, the air inside heavy with dust and the faint scent of aged parchment. Shelves lined with books and scrolls stretched into the darkness, their contents scattered and forgotten.
"Over here," Nyx said, leading them to a heavy wooden door hidden behind a row of shelves. She knocked twice, then three times, her pattern deliberate.
After a long pause, the door creaked open, revealing an older man with sharp eyes and a thin frame. He studied the group silently before his gaze settled on Nyx.
"You've brought trouble," Elorin said, his voice calm but pointed.
Nyx smirked. "Wouldn't be the first time."
Inside the workshop, the group explained their situation, presenting the fragment of the ritual they had recovered. Elorin studied the parchment intently, his brow furrowing as he deciphered the runes.
"This is no ordinary ritual," he said finally. "It's a convergence spell—a way to draw power from the Primordial Bonds and channel it into a single point. If they're using this, they're trying to locate something."
Kaelron's stomach sank. "The hidden shrines."
Elorin nodded. "If the cult succeeds, they'll corrupt the bonds completely, strengthening the Maw and breaking the seals that hold it back."
Nyx crossed her arms. "Can you tell us where they'll strike next?"
Elorin hesitated, then pointed to a specific rune on the parchment. "This symbol refers to an ancient leyline nexus. There's only one place in Lyndara that fits this description—Dawnspire Cathedral."