Their dense forest canopy above pressed down on Kael and Lira as they retraced their steps to the village. The Starforged Blade weak luminescence provided a flicker of light but no relief from the weight of the disappointment of defeat that engulfed them. Kael's mind buzzed with an attacking sense of dissatisfaction with the repetition of the meeting with dark figure.
The fight had been a bloody reminder of his limitations, a stark contrast from the times he tried to feel the progress. He couldn't shake the weight of his failures—how the figure's every move seemed to toy with him, how Lira had to pull him back before he got himself killed. Was he, in fact, powerful enough to bear the weight the Starforged Blade demanded of him? Was he destined to succumb to the burden of expectation he didn't comprehend?
"We were outmatched," Kael said, breaking the silence. His voice was tight, anger barely contained. "I couldn't do anything against them."
Lira glanced at him, her tone calm but firm. "You're alive, Kael. That counts for something. Charging into every fight without a plan will only get you killed.
Kael stopped walking, turning to face her. "And what would you have me do? Get down, just sit there watching while the Order wreaks more havoc with its rifts? While they summon more of those creatures?"
Lira's eyes narrowed, but her voice remained steady. "No. But rushing in blind won't stop them either. We need information, allies, and a strategy."
Kael let out a heavy breath, his shoulders slumping. She was right, yet in the least it did not make admitting defeat any less painful. "Fine. Where do we start?"
By the time they reached the village again, the sun started its rise, a soft golden light bathing the normally quiet streets. Kael and Lira reached the ruined temple where they sought to uncover further clues about the Order's agenda and the cleavages.
The temple's interior was dark and chambery, stuffy air filled with the smell of old stone and things left to rot. Lira began sifting through the shelves of scrolls and crumbling tomes, while Kael examined the central altar. Its surface was engraved with intricate patterns, the grooves filled with faintly glowing blue light.
This is unique, Kael said, pointing to the design with his fingers. "The glow wasn't here last time."
Lira looked up from a scroll she was reading. "Maybe the energy from the rift activated it."
Kael nodded, focusing on the system. "System, can you analyze this?"
[Analysis complete. Altar functions as a repository for celestial knowledge. Energy flow indicates active connection to external source. Access requires user synchronization.]
"External source?" Kael murmured. "What does that mean?"
[Source identified: Veil Nexus. Coordinates unavailable. Nexus is a key node for celestial energy and rift stabilization.]
Kael exchanged a glance with Lira. "The Veil Nexus. That sounds important."
Lira smirked. "Important and probably dangerous. It sounds like the kind of place we'd like to discover.
Kael placed his hand on the altar and felt the heat of the brightly flashing forms. On his vision the system's interface expanded, displaying stretches of text and images.
[User synchronization required. Current synchronization: 65%. Minimum threshold: 75%.]
Kael frowned. "I need to increase my synchronization to access this fully.
Lira raised an eyebrow. "And how do you plan to do that?"
"The system told us that to help out, combat and energy absorption are used," Kael responded. "We've got to keep battling riftspawn and… whatever else the Order is throwing at us."
Kael's mind was filled with possibilities as they left the temple. The Veil Nexus has the answers they need, but it would be a daunting task to reach them. As nodal energy center of celestial energy, it ensured the balance between worlds and so prevented the ruptures of rifts from falling chaos. And if it hit the ground the veil would be less strong, allowing more rifts to be opened and uncontrolled, and then the rush of energy could rip apart not only the fabric of reality, but all of its constituents. For Kael the Nexus was not just a destination, but the whole of his reality. Given his current level of entrainment he wasn't even sure if he would make it through the trip.
"We need to prepare," Kael said, his tone resolute. "Supplies, allies, anything we can find."
Lira nodded. "There's a nearby town—Kether's Hollow. It's a little bit bigger than this village and I know a few people in there that might help. There's a merchant who deals in rare artifacts—a bit shifty, but he owes me a favor. And there's a blacksmith who once worked for a great sect; if we're lucky, he might still have some useful connections. Of course, we'll need to tread carefully. To say nothing of the fact that Kether's Hollow is in no way a hospitable experience for guests."
Kael hesitated. "Do you trust them?"
Lira's expression hardened. "I trust them to look out for themselves. But if helping us benefits them, they'll do it."
It wasn't exactly reassuring, but it was a start. Kael nodded. "Then we head to Kether's Hollow."
During the preparatory process of leaving, the system's voice ended Kael's reasoning process.
[Alert: Anomaly detected. Energy signature consistent with Order activity. Proximity: 10 kilometers east.]
Kael's hand instinctively went to the Starforged Blade. "The Order's nearby."
Lira frowned. "We can't fight them now, not without knowing what we're walking into.
Kael clenched his fists, recalling the previous encounter vivid in his mind. "Then we track them. See what they're planning."
The two started to move to the east, their steps light and thoughtful. Walking in the woods, the low hum of celestial energy became progressively louder until it l crept up Kael's spine.
When they finally reached the source of the anomaly, they found themselves overlooking a small encampment nestled in a clearing. These cloaked figures walked among the tents and their talks drifted in the wind.
In the very heart of the camp stood a tall silhouette in black armor that bore glowing crimson runes, which flickered in time with the outline of its steps. Their helm did cover their face, but the presence there seemed to vibrate, with menace, for if shadow did obey them, the fan sounded danger. Each one of their steps was controlled, carrying a surly, unshakable authority which provoked even the hooded figures about them to stop short of coming closer.
"That must be one of Maldrak's lieutenants," Lira whispered.
Kael's eyes narrowed. "If we get 'em out, it could weaken the Order.
Lira shook her head. "Not yet. We need to know what they're doing here first."
Kael reluctantly nodded, though every fiber of his being screamed for action. They watched from the shadows as the lieutenant addressed the others, their voice low and commanding. Though they couldn't hear every word, one phrase cut through clearly:
"The Veil Nexus must fall."
Kael's blood ran cold. The Order wasn't just tearing open rifts—they were targeting the very thing holding the Veil together.
As they retreated into the forest, Kael's resolve solidified. The future would be a dangerous test, but he could not afford to falter. The fate of his world depended on it.