Elias leaned over the table in the House Null common room, a roughly drawn map of the kingdom spread before him. The others gathered around, their faces reflecting a mix of excitement and apprehension. Their target: Solmara, the lost city of the Obsidian Vanguard.
Marco traced a finger along the parchment. "Solmara is located far west of the Academy, past the wastelands near the old battlefields. It was abandoned after the war, and no official records remain. The nobles don't talk about it, and any maps that once showed its exact location were destroyed."
Cecilia smirked. "Which means we'll have to find it ourselves. I do love a challenge."
Lira groaned, rubbing her temples. "This is insane. The Academy barely tolerates us as it is, and now we're talking about sneaking out of the most heavily monitored institution in the kingdom?"
Reinhardt cracked his knuckles. "You say that like we have another choice."
Elias studied the map. "We don't. If we want to be ready for the war that's coming, we need weapons. Knowledge. Anything that can give us an edge. And the Obsidian Vanguard is our best bet."
Aldric, who had reluctantly agreed to help them, sighed. "Getting to Solmara will be dangerous, but I may be able to distract the Academy long enough for you to slip away unnoticed. However, once you're outside the barrier, you're on your own."
Ivy, standing near the window, suddenly stiffened. "Someone's coming."
A sharp knock echoed through the room.
Elias motioned for everyone to stay silent. He walked over, hand hovering near his gauntlet's activation switch, before pulling the door open just enough to see who was outside.
Standing there, arms crossed and looking distinctly annoyed, was Darian Velcroft.
"Graham," Darian said, his tone flat. "We need to talk."
Elias raised an eyebrow. "That's new. Usually, you're more of the smirk and condescend type."
Darian exhaled sharply. "Just let me in."
Elias stepped aside, and Darian walked in, scanning the room. His sharp eyes immediately landed on the map and the old tome on the table. His expression darkened. "So it's true. You are planning something."
Cecilia rolled her eyes. "What gave it away? The suspicious huddle or the stolen historical artifacts?"
Darian ignored her and turned to Elias. "Listen carefully. I don't like you. You don't like me. But right now, you need to hear what I have to say."
Elias crossed his arms. "Alright, Velcroft. You've got five minutes."
Darian's jaw tightened. "I know about Solmara."
Silence.
Lira blinked. "What?"
Darian met Elias's gaze. "My family's archives hold records that were never erased. Solmara isn't just an abandoned ruin. It's a graveyard of failed warriors. Every faction that's tried to reach it in the past century has vanished. No survivors. No remains."
Reinhardt grunted. "Sounds like a challenge."
Darian glared. "You idiot, I'm telling you this because if you walk into Solmara blind, you're as good as dead."
Marco frowned. "You're saying the Obsidian Vanguard's legacy is guarded?"
Darian nodded. "Or worse—cursed. There are accounts of explorers returning in a… broken state, mumbling about shadows that whisper in their minds."
Elias absorbed the information, gears turning in his head. "And yet, you're telling us this instead of reporting us to the Academy. Why?"
Darian exhaled, clearly irritated. "Because I hate the nobles as much as you do. And because if the demons are returning, we can't afford to waste time on politics. If Solmara holds anything that can help stop them, then I'd rather you find it than let the Academy keep pretending nothing's wrong."
Lira narrowed her eyes. "You're offering to help us?"
Darian scoffed. "Not quite. But I am giving you information that might keep you alive." He hesitated before adding, "And… if you do make it back with something useful, I want a seat at the table when the time comes to use it."
Elias studied him for a long moment. Darian Velcroft, the noble who had once challenged him, who had been an opponent at every turn—was now offering a temporary alliance.
Elias extended a hand. "Deal."
Darian glanced at it, hesitated, then shook. "Don't make me regret this, Graham."
Elias smirked. "No promises."
Darian turned to leave but paused at the door. "If you're serious about this, leave before dawn. The Academy's patrols shift at that time. And whatever you do—don't let anyone know where you're going."
With that, he walked out, leaving House Null in stunned silence.
Cecilia whistled. "Well. That was unexpected."
Reinhardt grinned. "I think I like him now."
Lira groaned. "No. Absolutely not. He's still Darian Velcroft."
Elias rolled his shoulders. "We leave at first light. Get some rest. Tomorrow, we stop playing by the Academy's rules."
The group dispersed, but Elias remained at the table, staring at the map.
Darian was right. Solmara wasn't just some ruin. It was a test. A trap. A forgotten battlefield.
And if they weren't careful, it would become their tomb.