The airship dock at the edge of Skyreach City was alive with chaos. Merchants shouted over the din, peddling wares from the floating islands, while travelers and mercenaries bartered for passage. Above it all, the massive city loomed, its spires reaching into the misty sky, an architectural marvel anchored precariously to the floating landmass.
Kael followed Aelira through the crowded streets, his eyes wide with wonder. He had never been to a place like this, where the remnants of a shattered world seemed to collide in a chaotic yet vibrant mosaic. The shard tucked in his satchel seemed to hum faintly, as though reacting to the energy of the city.
"Keep up," Aelira said without looking back. Her pace was brisk, her focus unyielding.
"Where are we even going?" Kael asked, weaving through the throng to stay close.
"To find someone who can help," she replied.
Kael frowned. "I thought that was your job."
"I can teach you how to control the shard," Aelira said. "But if we're going to retrieve the others, we'll need more than just magic. We'll need a fighter."
They arrived at a bustling tavern called The Rusted Blade. The scent of ale and roasted meat wafted through the open doors, mingling with the raucous laughter and shouts from within. Aelira stepped inside without hesitation, Kael trailing behind her.
The dimly lit interior was filled with a mix of sky pirates, bounty hunters, and adventurers. Aelira's gaze swept the room before settling on a figure in the corner.
He was a man of imposing stature, clad in a patchwork of battered armor that had clearly seen better days. His dark hair was streaked with gray, and a jagged scar ran down the side of his face, giving him a permanently grim expression. He sat alone, nursing a tankard of ale.
"Dren Calthorn," Aelira said, approaching the table.
The man didn't look up. "If you're here to hire me, save your breath."
Aelira pulled out a chair and sat across from him. "We're not here to hire you. We're here to recruit you."
Dren finally looked up, his piercing blue eyes narrowing as he studied her. "Recruit me? For what?"
Kael remained standing, shifting awkwardly under the knight's scrutinizing gaze.
Aelira leaned forward, lowering her voice. "We're on a mission to retrieve the shards of the Heart of the Realm. We already have one."
At this, Dren's eyes flickered with interest, though his expression remained guarded. "And you think I care about that? The Heart of the Realm is a relic of the past. It's not worth dying for."
"It's worth more than you know," Aelira said. "The shards are the key to restoring balance to this world. Without them, the chaos will only spread."
Dren snorted. "Balance? Chaos? Sounds like mage talk to me." He drained his tankard and set it down with a thud. "I'm done fighting for causes that don't mean anything."
Kael couldn't hold back any longer. "If it doesn't mean anything, why are you hiding here? Drinking yourself into oblivion while the rest of us are out there trying to survive?"
Dren's gaze snapped to Kael, and for a moment, Kael thought he had gone too far. But instead of anger, there was a flicker of something else in the knight's eyes—regret.
"You don't know anything about me, boy," Dren said, his voice low.
"Then tell us," Aelira said. "Tell us why a knight of your caliber is wasting away in a place like this."
Dren's jaw tightened, and he looked away. For a long moment, he said nothing. Then, finally, he spoke.
"I was a captain in the king's army during the war," he said, his voice heavy. "I believed in the fight, in protecting the realm. But when the Heart of the Realm was shattered, everything changed. The magic we relied on turned against us. My men—my friends—they all died because I couldn't protect them."
Kael stared at him, the weight of his words sinking in.
"And now?" Aelira asked softly.
Dren shook his head. "Now I'm just trying to stay out of the way. The world doesn't need people like me anymore."
Aelira reached into her satchel and pulled out a map. She unfolded it on the table, revealing the locations of the known shards.
"You're wrong," she said. "The world needs people like you more than ever. We can't do this alone, Dren. You've seen what happens when the shards fall into the wrong hands. Help us make sure that doesn't happen again."
Dren stared at the map, his expression unreadable. Finally, he sighed. "If I do this, it's not for your cause. It's because I've got nothing left to lose."
"That's all we ask," Aelira said, a small smile playing at her lips.
Kael wasn't sure how to feel about their new companion. Dren was intimidating, and his bitterness was palpable, but there was something about him—something that hinted at a strength and loyalty buried beneath the surface.
As they left the tavern together, the first step of their journey as a trio, Kael couldn't shake the feeling that their mission had just become even more dangerous—and that Dren's past was a shadow that might follow them into the depths of the Shards of Eternity.