The tension in the room was palpable as Varyn pressed his blade closer to the Seeker's throat. Kael stepped forward, his gaze hard and unyielding.
"Start talking," Kael demanded. "Who are you, and why do you know about the Heart?"
The Seeker raised his hands slowly in a gesture of surrender, though his smirk remained. "My name is Marlen, and I was once a guardian of the Heart's fragments. Like you, I was drawn into its power. But unlike you, I wasn't strong enough to resist its pull."
Kael narrowed his eyes. "If you were a guardian, why are you here now? Why follow us instead of protecting the fragments?"
Marlen's expression darkened. "Because I failed. The Heart corrupted me, twisted my purpose. By the time I realized what was happening, it was too late. I've spent the last decade trying to undo the damage I caused, but the fragments have only grown more unstable. That's where you come in."
Varyn scoffed. "Convenient story. How do we know you're not lying?"
Marlen met Varyn's gaze. "You don't. But if you keep fighting this battle alone, you'll lose. The Heart isn't just a weapon—it's a force of nature, and the people hunting it won't hesitate to destroy anyone in their way."
Kael hesitated, his mind racing. Marlen's words rang true, but the risk of trusting him was immense. Still, their path forward was unclear, and if Marlen's knowledge could help them...
Kael nodded to Varyn, who reluctantly lowered his blade.
"Fine," Kael said. "You can talk. But if you try anything, you won't leave this room alive."
Marlen grinned. "Fair enough. Now, let me tell you about the Hunters."
---
The three of them sat around the room's modest table as Marlen unraveled the truth about their new adversaries.
"The Hunters are an order as old as the Heart itself," Marlen explained. "They believe the fragments are too dangerous to exist and will stop at nothing to destroy them. They've already caught wind of what happened at the Mirestone."
"How many are we talking about?" Varyn asked, his skepticism evident.
"Dozens," Marlen replied. "Maybe more. They operate in cells, and they're relentless. They've been tracking me for years, and now that you've activated a fragment, they'll be coming for you too."
Kael leaned back, his mind heavy with the weight of this revelation. "Why destroy the fragments? Surely there's another way to control their power."
Marlen shook his head. "The Heart's power isn't meant to be controlled. Every fragment carries the potential to unleash devastation. The Hunters believe destruction is the only way to prevent catastrophe, and they'll sacrifice anything to see it done."
Varyn crossed his arms. "And you're helping us because...?"
Marlen's smirk faded, replaced by a solemn expression. "Because I've seen what happens when the Hunters win. Entire cities wiped off the map, innocent lives lost in the crossfire. The Heart may be dangerous, but it's also the only thing keeping the balance. If all the fragments are destroyed, the world will fall into chaos."
Kael exchanged a glance with Varyn. It was a lot to take in, but one thing was clear: they couldn't face this threat alone.
"Alright," Kael said. "If you're serious about helping us, prove it. Where do we go from here?"
Marlen's grin returned. "There's another fragment hidden in the Emberwood. If we can reach it before the Hunters do, we might have a chance to turn the tide."
---
Their course set, the trio left Haldrin before dawn, slipping out of the town under the cover of darkness. The journey to the Emberwood would take days, and the roads ahead were fraught with danger.
As they traveled, Kael couldn't shake the feeling that Marlen was holding something back. His knowledge of the Heart was too detailed, too personal. But for now, they had little choice but to trust him.
"Do you think he's telling the truth?" Varyn asked as they walked.
Kael glanced at Marlen, who was leading the way. "I don't know. But if he's lying, we'll deal with it when the time comes."
Varyn nodded, his hand resting on the hilt of his blade. "Let's just hope we're not walking into a trap."