The safehouse in Lyndara was silent, save for the faint crackle of the hearth fire. The air hung heavy with the weight of their recent failure. Nyx stood by the window, her eyes fixed on the city's foggy streets. Her fingers toyed with the hilt of a dagger, the tension in her frame palpable.
Across the room, Kaelron sat at the table, his staff resting against the wall behind him. Two crown fragments lay in the center of the table, their faint, distinct glows reflecting the turmoil on his face. The relic they had recovered earlier sat beside them, its surface etched with runes, faintly pulsing with residual energy. Eryk leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, while Zerin inspected his daggers with absent precision.
Lys moved carefully around the room, placing a tray of tea on the table. "It's not much, but it might help," she said softly, offering a small attempt at comfort.
Nyx broke the silence first. "We lost the relic they were auctioning," she said sharply, though guilt flickered in her eyes. "The cult has another piece of their puzzle, and we let them walk out with it."
"It wasn't exactly a walk," Zerin interjected with a smirk. "We gave them a fight."
Nyx's glare was immediate. "Not good enough."
Kaelron reached for the fragments, their smooth surfaces cool beneath his fingers. "These fragments are part of the Primordial Crown," he said, his voice calm but heavy. "Each one was used to seal the Maw. But when I fought the shadowy guardian to retrieve the relic, it felt... different."
Eryk straightened in his chair. "Different how?"
Kaelron glanced at the relic, its runes faintly glowing. "The fragments feel tied to the Bonds themselves—like they're holding the balance together. But the relic... it's something else entirely. When I held it during the fight, it felt like a key, but it also felt unstable. Like using it too much might cause more harm than good."
Nyx turned from the window, arms crossed. "And now the cult has another relic. What does that mean for us?"
Kaelron hesitated. "I think the cult is trying to bring all these pieces together—fragments, relics, maybe even the shrines themselves. If they succeed, they'll either fully awaken the Maw or rip the Bonds apart. Either way, we lose."
Elorin, who had been seated quietly in the corner, finally spoke. "The fragments and relics aren't just tools—they're interconnected. If the cult is moving as fast as they are, they may already understand the connections better than we do."
Kaelron frowned. "How do we figure it out?"
Elorin stood and approached the table. "The relic you recovered—it's more than just a key. The runes on its surface indicate that it was once tied to one of the hidden shrines. If we can decipher them, it might give us a clue about where to search next."
Nyx leaned against the wall, her sharp gaze fixed on the relic. "How long will that take?"
"A few days, at least," Elorin admitted. "But there's another problem. Using the relic or the fragments to search for the shrines risks exposing us. If the cult is watching, they'll come after us the moment we try."
Nyx's expression hardened. "Then we don't use it unless we're absolutely sure."
The group fell into a heated discussion, voices overlapping as tensions rose.
"We don't even know if the cult is still in Lyndara," Kaelron argued. "If they've already moved the relic they bought, then chasing them here is a waste of time."
"And running blind after runes and fragments is smarter?" Nyx countered, her tone biting. "We've already lost too much ground. We need to focus on cutting off their support here and now."
Eryk frowned, his frost wolf, Frostbane, growling softly at his feet. "Splitting up hasn't worked well for us before. If we go after the cult's network, we need to stay together."
Zerin raised a hand, his tone light but firm. "Why not both? We divide our efforts—half of us investigate the nobles' dealings while the rest focus on deciphering the relic's runes."
Lys, standing quietly by the fireplace, finally spoke. "We shouldn't split up again. It's too dangerous. If the cult attacks while we're divided, we might not survive."
The room fell silent, the weight of her words sinking in.
Before they could settle the debate, a soft knock came at the door. Everyone tensed, hands moving to weapons as Zerin crept to the door.
"Who is it?" he called.
"Messenger," a voice replied.
Zerin opened the door cautiously, revealing a young courier clutching a rolled parchment. He handed it over without a word, disappearing into the fog.
Nyx unrolled the parchment, her eyes narrowing as she read. "It's from one of our contacts in the underground network. The cult's moving something in Lyndara's southern district—supplies, shadow-forged weapons, and possibly more artifacts. They're using a warehouse near the docks."
Kaelron stood, gripping his staff tightly. "Then that's where we go next. Whether it's a clue about the relics or just a chance to hit them where it hurts, we can't ignore it."
The group quickly laid out their plan. They would investigate the warehouse under cover of darkness, avoiding direct confrontation unless absolutely necessary. If the cult was transporting weapons or artifacts, they would disrupt the operation and gather intelligence.
Nyx nodded, securing her daggers at her hips. "We go in quietly, find out what they're hiding, and get out before they even know we were there."
Eryk glanced at Kaelron. "And if it's something more than weapons?"
Kaelron's expression darkened. "Then we'll do what we have to."
As the group prepared to leave, the earlier tensions lingered. Nyx and Kaelron avoided each other's gaze, their disagreement unresolved.
Elorin approached Kaelron quietly. "You'll need to make a choice soon," he said, his tone measured. "Whether to focus on the relics and fragments or dismantle the cult's operations here. Both paths are dangerous, but we can't walk them both forever."
Kaelron nodded, his jaw tight. "For now, we stick to the plan. One step at a time."