The night was silent. Eryn lay by the fire, the glow flickering over his face. Twice he woke to the sound of embers, twice he thought Alyssa spoke, and twice he swore to keep moving.
Liora sat watching. Roan snored softly, and Nia stared up at the moon, its light falling cold on the ground.
"Time to move," Eight said as the first light crept over the horizon. "There are rumors."
"What rumors?" Roan groaned, rolling over. "This place is too cold for gossip."
Nia didn't look away from the window. Her foot shot out, catching Roan in the ribs. "Listen to the captain, fool," she hissed.
Eight kept steady, "Val was never the beginning."
Roan sat up, rubbing his side. "I've heard these whispers. Same as those snakes in the market."
"This reeks. Nia reeks. The whole thing's gone dark," he muttered.
"Eryn!" Roan yelled. "We were given orders last. Ready?"
The change was subtle, but the winds quieted.
The wind quieted. Eryn rose, shaking the sleep from his limbs. "Right behind you."
"What's the plan?" he asked.
They moved through the narrow streets, their breath visible in the morning chill. Roan pointed to a tower rising above the rooftops.
"There," he said, patting Eryn's back. "We start there. You'll get us in."
Eryn frowned. "You're asking me to lie."
Roan smiled. "Exactly."
Two guards stood like statues at the entrance. The cold etched lines in their faces, their weapons gleaming in the pale light. The air visible and blurring into the grey skies.
Eryn approached, a crooked smile on his lips. His hands moved subtly, his voice low.
*Skill: Tongue of Illusionist: Active.
"New recruits. Where's the captain?" He asked as he waved his hands and placed one hand on the guard.
The guards exchanged a glance, then gestured toward the door.
Roan scanned the guards up and down, looked toward Eryn, and walked forward through the door. "Don't touch me," he chuckled, leading the way through the empty halls.
Eryn shrugged. "If not for Liora's training, I'd be lost."
Roan stopped, looking around. "Without Nia, I couldn't show you this."
The wind shifted. Candles flickered. Roan's figure blurred, then vanished.
Eryn blinked, stepping back. His eyes darted to a shadow on the wall. He touched it, his fingers brushing the cold stone.
Roan reappeared inches from his face, his breath ragged. Steam rose from his body, melting the frost on his coat.
"Guards are asleep, the captain's writing letters. It's tight, but the path's clear," he said.
Eryn's eyes narrowed. "Fast?"
Roan nodded. "Quick enough to see, too slow to act. Can't control it."
They climbed a ladder, emerging onto the roof. The city sprawled below, muted in shades of brown and grey.
The sky was clouded and empty.
"What do we see?" Eryn asked.
"Nothing, if you can't hear," Roan whispered, covering his eyes. "Listen."
Eryn stilled. The cold wrapped around him, the silence pressing in.
"The wind talks," Roan murmured, a smile playing on his lips. "Whispers at your throat."
He pointed toward Miranda's Tavern. "Nia's on about dark magic. Liora's talking firewood."
His finger moved. "That one's planning to kill his brother. That one's sneaking off with the maid. And that one…"
Roan's face hardened. "Can hear us."
Eryn's gaze followed Roan's point, his jaw tightening.
The wind shifted again. Roan blurred, disappearing from view. Eryn stood alone on the roof, the city stretching out in silence.
Moments passed. The wind whistled, carrying a chill through the air. Roan stumbled back into view, dropping to his knees.
"We need to move," he gasped.
Eryn rushed to his side. "What happened?"
"Now!" Roan barked, coughing up blood.
Eryn hauled him to his feet. They descended the ladder, urgency in their steps. The streets seemed colder, the shadows deeper.
"The wind is fast," Roan muttered, his voice weak. "Faster than anything I've seen."
Eryn tightened his grip on Roan's arm. "What did you see?"
Roan's eyes burned into Eryn's. "Evil magic. We have to stop them."
"Stop who?" Eryn asked, shifting his shoulders.
The wind pressed against them as they hurried through the narrow streets of Veldria. Roan stumbled, his breath ragged as Eryn held him up.
"What happened back there?" Eryn asked, his voice steady as the snow piled on his face.
Roan shook his head, wiping blood from his mouth. "The man who can hear us. He moved faster than I've seen. Faster than the wind."
They kept moving. The streets were quiet now, the shadows long and stretching across the cobblestones. The sound of their boots echoed, but no one stirred. It was as if the city itself was holding its breath.
They reached the edge of the district, the outline of Miranda's Tavern coming into view. A flicker of light from the windows cast weak beams onto the snow-covered ground. Roan leaned against the wall, he caught his breath as he clenched his jaw.
"Inside," Roan muttered. "We regroup inside."
Eryn nodded, pushing open the door. The warmth rushing towards their frozen bodies.
Liora and Nia were already there, seated at a table near the fire. They looked up as the two entered.
"What happened?" Liora asked, her voice low.
Roan sank into a chair, wiping his brow. "We've been spotted. Someone out there can move faster than me. He knew we were watching."
Liora's eyes narrowed. "Did he follow?"
"No," Roan said, catching his breath. "But things seem determined."
Nia leaned forward, her hands clasped. "This isn't just about the patrols anymore. Not just Val. There's something at play."
Eryn nodded, "We found ourselves in the middle of something." He glanced out the window, watching the quiet street. The wind had stilled, but the unease lingered.