The sun dipped low on the horizon, casting the vast city of Elarion in hues of molten gold and dusky purple. The towering spires of the Citadel of Eldara glittered like shards of crystal against the evening sky. To the west, the Veilwood stretched endlessly, its ancient trees whispering secrets that had long been forgotten by mortal men.
A cloaked figure moved through the cobbled streets of Elarion, unnoticed amid the bustle of merchants and townsfolk preparing for the Festival of the Ascended. Lanterns swayed gently in the breeze, their soft glow illuminating the carved runes on every doorway, warding homes against the encroaching darkness.
The figure paused in the shadows of an alley, lifting their hood to reveal a young woman's face. Her name was Kaelin, a seeker of truths buried beneath centuries of deceit. Her silver eyes shimmered faintly, a mark of her lineage—one tied to the old bloodlines that had once ruled these lands. In her hand, she clutched the artifact she had unearthed the night before: a crystalline shard pulsating with a faint, otherworldly light.
Kaelin knew what it was—an Echo of the Forgotten Realm. Legends spoke of these relics as fragments of an ancient power that once held dominion over the known world. A power that had been banished, sealed away, and purposefully erased from history.
"I wouldn't linger with that out in the open."
Kaelin spun around, her dagger drawn in an instant. From the shadows emerged a man dressed in dark leather armor, his face obscured by a half-mask. His eyes, sharp and piercing, locked onto the artifact in her hand.
"Who are you?" Kaelin demanded, her voice steady despite the tension coiling within her.
"Just a friend... or an enemy, depending on how you decide to use that." He nodded toward the shard. "The name's Riven. And if you value your life, you'll listen carefully."
Kaelin hesitated. Something about the man felt familiar, as though they had crossed paths before. Reluctantly, she lowered her blade but kept it within reach.
Riven stepped closer, his movements deliberate. "That shard isn't just a trinket. It's a key—a tether to the Forgotten Realm. And if you've found one, others will come for it."
"Others?" Kaelin's grip tightened on the shard.
"The Order of the Veil," Riven replied grimly. "Fanatics who believe the Forgotten Realm should remain hidden, no matter the cost. They'll kill to protect their secret. And worse, there are those who want to wield its power for themselves."
Kaelin frowned, the weight of his words settling heavily on her. "Why should I trust you?"
Riven smirked, a flicker of amusement crossing his features. "You shouldn't. But you'll need allies if you're to survive what's coming."
Before Kaelin could respond, a distant toll of bells echoed through the city, signaling the start of the festival. The streets erupted in cheers as fireworks lit up the darkening sky.
Riven glanced toward the noise. "We don't have much time. If you're serious about finding the truth, meet me at the Blackspire Tavern before midnight."
Without waiting for her answer, he disappeared into the crowd, leaving Kaelin alone with her thoughts.
She looked down at the shard in her hand, its light pulsing faintly as though alive. The path ahead was uncertain, shrouded in shadows and danger. But if there was even a chance that the answers she sought lay within the Forgotten Realm, Kaelin knew she couldn't turn back now.
Clutching the shard tightly, she pulled her hood back up and stepped into the throng of festival-goers, her mind set on the journey ahead.