Cassandra and Rainne slipped into Liconermo under the cover of twilight, their bodies aching from the grueling three-day journey. The city, with its winding streets and towering spires, was both familiar and comforting, but their mission wasn't over. They still had to reach their hidden guild deep beneath the city. Nestled in the ancient catacombs was their home, the place they were dumped as kids by unwilling parents. It was a place of great pain but also a please where their sisterly love grew to become unbreakable.
The streets bustled with the evening crowd, merchants closing up shop, travelers and locals mingling in the twilight. Cassandra and Rainne moved through the crowd like shadows, their presence unnoticed. Rainne, still pale from the encounters with the beasts, kept a hand on her dagger, her eyes darting from person to person.
"Relax," Cassandra murmured under her breath as they turned into a narrow alleyway. "We're back. No one's after us here."
Rainne exhaled, forcing herself to loosen her grip. "I know. I just... I can't shake the feeling of those things that were watching us. It feels as if they still are."
"They're not. We're in the city now," Cassandra reassured her, though a flicker of unease tugged at her. "Let's just get to the guild."
They reached a small, unremarkable building tucked between a bakery and an apothecary, its worn stone exterior blending perfectly into the scenery. To anyone else, it was just another crumbling relic of Liconermo's long history. But Cassandra knew better.
She glanced around to ensure no one was watching before pressing her palm against a seemingly ordinary section of the wall. The stone groaned, shifting slowly, revealing a narrow, descending staircase. Without a word, they slipped inside, the door closing behind them with a soft thud.
The air grew cooler as they descended into the catacombs, the ancient stone walls lit by flickering torches. The guild, known as The Veil, had been hidden beneath the city for centuries, a network of tunnels and chambers where the most skilled assassins operated under the radar of kings and nobles.
As they reached the bottom of the staircase, the familiar scent of damp stone and iron greeted them. The low hum of activity echoed through the halls—assassins returning from missions, sharpening blades, and exchanging intel. But Cassandra and Rainne had only one destination in mind: Eryx Vansemos, their master.
They crossed the main chamber, where a handful of their fellow guild members gave them nods of recognition. But they didn't stop. At the far end of the catacombs stood a large, iron door, guarded by two silent sentinels. Without a word, the guards nodded and stepped aside as Cassandra and Rainne approached, allowing them entry.
Eryx Vansemos, the master of the guild, stood at a large table, examining maps and reports scattered across its surface. His silver hair fell in loose waves around his sharp, angular face, and his ice-blue eyes flickered up the moment they entered.
"You're late," Eryx said, his voice low and measured, though there was a hint of concern behind the coldness.
Cassandra stepped forward, bowing slightly. "Master Vansemos, we were delayed... by something unexpected."
Rainne nodded, standing beside her, still tense. "We were captured—ambushed, really—while on the mission in Galeron. But that's not the worst of it."
Eryx's eyes narrowed, his gaze intense. "Captured? How?"
"A group of mercenaries," Cassandra explained. "They caught us off guard. We escaped, but..." She paused, her eyes darkening at the memory of the beasts. "On our way back to Liconermo, we encountered these creatures. Beasts that drained the life from everything they touched. It was like they sucked the energy out of the air."
Eryx's expression didn't change, but his silence felt heavier. He straightened, crossing his arms as he listened, his mind racing through the possibilities, "Creatures? Describe them."
"They were pale, gaunt, with glowing eyes," Rainne said, her voice shaking slightly. "They didn't attack directly, but their presence... it was suffocating. Every time we got too close, the air chilled, and the ground around them withered."
Cassandra nodded. "They were unlike anything we've faced before. And they seemed to be all over the forest on the outskirts of the city. We barely made it back."
Eryx was silent for a long moment, his fingers tapping against the desk. When he finally spoke, his voice was grave. "The creatures you describe... they sound like wraiths."
Rainne frowned. "Wraiths? I thought they were just myths. Old tales to scare children."
"They're real," Eryx said quietly. "Ancient beings. They feed on life itself, and they usually don't venture close to cities. If they've appeared near Liconermo, it means something has disturbed them. Something powerful."
Cassandra and Rainne exchanged uneasy glances. "What could have disturbed them?" Cassandra asked.
Eryx's eyes darkened. "I don't know. But this is more than just a threat to our guild. If wraiths are moving through the land, it could mean something far worse is stirring in the shadows. We'll need to investigate further."
Rainne exhaled, her shoulders slumping slightly. "Great. So we just barely escaped death, and now we're going to chase it."
Eryx allowed a brief smile, though his gaze remained serious. "That's the life we lead. But for now, you've both done well to make it back. Rest and recover. I'll send word when I know more."
Cassandra bowed again. "Thank you, Master Vansemos."
As they turned to leave, Eryx called out after them, his voice soft but clear. "And Cassandra, Rainne... be prepared. What's coming may be unlike anything we've ever faced before."
The iron door closed behind them, and as they walked back through the guild's halls, the weight of Eryx's words hung over them. They had escaped the wraiths, but it was clear that their journey was far from over.
Something dark was coming, and The Veil might just be at the heart of it.