Lira eyed the new woman warily. She had the look of someone who'd seen countless battles—calm, controlled, and entirely unbothered by the tension that crackled in the air.
Kael stepped forward, his hand resting on the hilt of his blade as he spoke to the woman. "Lira, this is Nyra. She's a Keeper, and she's been watching over the sanctuary since most of the others scattered."
Nyra's gaze flickered over Lira, her eyes sharp as if reading her every thought. "You're the one," she said, her tone flat but unmistakable. "The one with the artifact."
Lira's fingers instinctively tightened around the relic at her side. "What does that mean? What's so special about this thing?"
Nyra approached the stone table where Kael had been working. She leaned over it, tracing her finger along the ancient symbols carved into the surface. "The artifact you carry is one of the three Relics of the Dawn," she said. "The vampire lord will stop at nothing to get his hands on it. And now, he knows you have it."
Lira felt a knot twist in her stomach. "So what now? Do you think I can stop him?"
Kael's eyes locked onto hers. "It's not just about stopping him—it's about ending the war before it consumes everything. The relic is a weapon, yes, but you need to learn to wield it."
Nyra's expression softened slightly. "And we'll help you. We've been preparing for this moment. The Keepers may be scattered, but we still have our ways."
Lira wasn't convinced, but the weight of the situation was becoming impossible to ignore. She nodded, reluctantly. "Alright. I'll do what I can."
Kael gave her a nod of approval. "Good. We leave tonight. The vampire lord's forces won't wait."