The bells of Eldergate rang loud and clear, echoing through the cobblestone streets of the bustling city. It was the market hour, and merchants from across the continent filled the square, hawking wares ranging from shimmering silks to exotic spices.
Amid the chaos, Kaelyn Darrow weaved through the crowd with practiced ease, clutching a leather satchel tight against her chest.
"Out of the way!" barked a burly man hauling crates of imported wine. Kaelyn sidestepped him, ducking into an alley where the din of the market softened. She leaned against a moss-covered wall, catching her breath.
The satchel felt heavier than it should. The delivery wasn't her usual errand—a simple letter or parcel for a noble looking to avoid attention. This time, the client had been clear: Do not open it. Do not speak of it. And deliver it before sundown.
Kaelyn frowned, her fingers brushing the edge of the satchel. Curiosity burned, but the last thing she needed was trouble. She was already walking a thin line working for the Shadows—the rebel faction opposing the Imperium. One mistake, and the gallows awaited her.
A soft chirp broke her thoughts. Perched on a nearby barrel was a crow, its beady black eyes locked on her. Kaelyn wrinkled her nose. "Go on, shoo."
The bird didn't move.
Rolling her eyes, Kaelyn adjusted her hood and set off. Eldergate's winding streets twisted like a labyrinth, but she knew them better than most. Her destination lay in the Old Quarter, a district long abandoned after the Imperium's rise.
By the time she reached the crumbling ruins of what had once been a temple, the sun was dipping below the horizon. The air smelled of damp stone and decay. A cloaked figure waited near the entrance, leaning on a staff adorned with silver runes.
"You're late," the figure said, their voice low and sharp.
Kaelyn tossed the satchel at their feet. "Blame the market, not me."
The figure knelt, inspecting the satchel's contents. For a moment, the only sound was the distant caw of the crow. Then, they looked up, their hood falling back to reveal a gaunt face marked with faint scars. Their eyes glinted like molten gold.
"This is the one," they murmured, almost to themselves.
Kaelyn crossed her arms. "If that's all, I'll take my payment and be on my way."
But the figure didn't respond. Instead, they reached into the satchel and withdrew a small pendant. Its surface shimmered with an iridescent glow, and the air around it seemed to hum with energy.
"What is that?" Kaelyn asked, her voice tinged with unease.
The figure smiled—a cold, calculating expression. "A relic of the past. And the key to the future."
Before Kaelyn could react, the ground trembled. A low rumble grew into a deafening roar as cracks spiderwebbed across the temple floor. The figure stepped back, clutching the pendant, as a blinding light erupted from its center.
Kaelyn staggered, shielding her eyes. When the light faded, the figure was gone, and the pendant lay at her feet, pulsing softly.
She knelt, her hand hovering over the strange object. Instinct whispered for her to leave it—but something deeper, a pull she couldn't explain, urged her to take it.
As her fingers closed around the pendant, a searing heat shot up her arm. Kaelyn gasped, dropping it, but the glow intensified. The world around her blurred, and a voice—soft and echoing—whispered in her mind:
"The realms are shattered. You must restore the balance."
When the vision cleared, Kaelyn was alone in the ruined temple. The pendant rested on the ground, its light dimmed but still present.
Her breath came in ragged gasps as she stared at it. Whatever this was, it was far beyond her understanding. But one thing was clear: she was no longer just a courier.
She was bound to something much greater.
~To Be Continued~