The hub world's market square was quieter than usual—a tense lull hanging in the air. Eli, Yumi, and Arjun stood around a table in the back of a dimly lit inn. The artifact, now encased in a strange crystalline shell, pulsed faintly between them. The system interface flickered above it, projecting illegible glyphs that shifted faster than anyone could decipher.
Yumi had taken charge, as usual, flipping through pages of her meticulously organized notes. "This artifact isn't just a key. It's a cipher," she said, her voice steady but her brow furrowed. "I've cross-referenced every glyph pattern we've seen in the field with these. They don't match any known language in the system."
Eli leaned back in his chair, tossing a small pouch of coins into the air and catching it lazily. "So we're back to square one, huh? Maybe Azrael's just trolling us."
Arjun, who had been quiet for most of the meeting, finally spoke up. His voice was calm but carried a weight that immediately drew their attention. "It's not a troll. I've seen these symbols before."
Yumi froze mid-page turn, her sharp gaze snapping to him. "What? Where?"
Eli sat up straighter, his casual demeanor slipping. "Alright, spill, Indiana Jones. You've been holding out on us."
Arjun hesitated, his dark eyes flicking to the artifact. "While I was… away, I infiltrated the Obsidian Pact. Their leader, Zorah, has an archive of ancient system artifacts. This language was all over their collection."
Yumi's lips tightened. "And you're just telling us this now?"
"I didn't think it was relevant," Arjun shot back. "Until now."
Eli's eyebrows shot up. "Relevant? Dude, you've been hanging out with the cult trying to blow us all up, and you didn't think that was worth mentioning?"
Arjun's jaw clenched, but he stayed calm. "I wasn't 'hanging out.' I was gathering intel. And for the record, I saved your necks with that intel back at the Nexus Gate. You're welcome."
Yumi held up a hand, her voice cutting through their bickering. "Enough. This isn't helping. Arjun, if you've seen these symbols before, you need to tell us everything. What did the Pact say about them?"
Arjun glanced around the room, his voice lowering. "The symbols are part of what they call the 'Core Codex'—the system's foundational code. They believe it's the key to unlocking Azrael's true power. Zorah's obsessed with finding all the fragments. If she gets her hands on this artifact…"
He trailed off, the implication hanging heavy in the air.
Eli whistled low. "So we've got a piece of Azrael's secret diary. Great. No wonder the Pact's been breathing down our necks."
Yumi frowned, her mind racing. "We can't let Zorah get this. But if the artifact is connected to the Core Codex, it could also give us answers—about the system, Azrael, everything."
"That's a nice thought," Eli said, "but how do we even figure out how this thing works? Unless you've got a Codex decoder ring lying around."
Arjun tapped the table, drawing their attention. "There's someone who might be able to help. A former Pact scholar. She defected years ago and went off the grid. If we can find her, she might know how to decipher this."
Yumi raised an eyebrow. "And where exactly do we start looking for someone who doesn't want to be found?"
Arjun's lips curved into a faint smile. "Leave that to me."
Later That Night
Eli leaned against the railing of a balcony overlooking the hub world. The bustling market below had thinned out, the flickering quest boards casting long shadows. He stared at the horizon, where the faint glow of distant portals pulsed like distant stars.
"You're quiet," Yumi's voice came from behind him.
He glanced back, smirking. "Don't get used to it."
Yumi stepped up beside him, her hands resting on the rail. "Do you trust him?"
Eli didn't answer immediately. "Arjun? I don't know. But I think he believes in what he's doing."
Yumi nodded, her gaze distant. "This mission feels… different. Bigger. Like everything's spiraling out of control."
"Welcome to my world," Eli said lightly, but his tone lacked its usual edge.
They stood in silence for a moment before Yumi spoke again. "Do you ever think about going back? To the real world?"
Eli's smirk faded. "Sometimes. But then I remember what's waiting for me back there."
Yumi glanced at him, surprised by the uncharacteristic vulnerability in his voice. Before she could respond, a system notification interrupted them.
New Objective: Locate the Defector. Coordinates Updated.
Eli straightened, his smirk returning. "Looks like Arjun's mystery contact isn't so mysterious after all. Guess we've got work to do."
Yumi nodded, her resolve hardening. "Then let's get to it."
As they headed back inside, the artifact's faint glow flickered once—almost as if in response. Somewhere in the shadows, unseen eyes watched them leave, a quiet chuckle echoing in the dark.
The game was far from over.