Chapter 4: The Unraveling Truth
Lirien's breath came in ragged gasps as she and Varian navigated the twisting alleyways of Vaelith. The distant sound of footsteps echoed behind them—more assassins. The Veil of Ash was relentless.
"Why are they after me?" Lirien asked, her voice trembling despite her best efforts to remain composed.
Varian glanced over his shoulder, his silver eyes scanning every shadow. "The truth is… complicated."
"Complicated?" She spat the word. "You should have told me. You should have warned me!"
His lips thinned. "I didn't want to. You needed to stay away from this, Lirien. I failed you."
"Failed me? I should have never trusted you!" The words left her mouth before she could stop them, but she immediately regretted them. Varian had protected her—until now.
He gave a bitter smile. "You never should have trusted anyone. That's what this world teaches you, in the end."
Ahead of them, a figure stepped into the alley—tall, shrouded in dark robes, and moving with a predatory grace. The assassin's face was hidden beneath a mask of silver, the symbol of the Veil of Ash engraved in its surface.
"Varian, this is it," Lirien whispered. She reached for the small blade she kept hidden at her waist, knowing it was little match for an assassin of this caliber.
But Varian raised a hand, stopping her. His voice was low. "It's not him we need to worry about."
Before she could ask what he meant, the assassin spoke, his voice echoing in the still night.
"Your time has come, Lirien. And you, Varian, you have betrayed us."
Varian's gaze flickered. The man's voice was familiar, yet there was something unnatural about it.
"Who are you?" Lirien demanded.
The assassin's mask tilted slightly, as though mocking her. "The one who was sent to bring you into the fold. The one who was supposed to guide you."
Lirien's heart stilled. "Guide me?"
The assassin stepped forward. "You are the key. The Veil of Ash needs you to awaken the Bound One."
Varian's eyes widened. "No. That's impossible. She's not ready. No one is ready for that power."
Lirien's thoughts spun. The Bound One? She had heard whispers of it—an ancient god, imprisoned beneath the Sea of Echoes, whose return would tear the world asunder.
The assassin's voice dropped to a whisper, just loud enough for her to hear. "You think you have a choice? The Veil has marked you. You are a vessel now."
With a fluid motion, the assassin lunged. But Varian was faster. His sword cut through the air in a flash, and with a cry, the assassin crumpled to the ground, his mask shattered in two.
Lirien stared at the broken mask, but what she saw behind it made her heart stop. It wasn't a man beneath it.
It was a woman—her face pale and gaunt, with eyes like burning coals.
"Varian," Lirien whispered, "who was that?"
He didn't answer. Instead, he turned to her with an expression of grim resolve.
"We need to get out of Vaelith. And we need to find the truth. The Veil of Ash is not the only enemy we face. There's something far worse—something much older—and it has its eyes on you, Lirien."