The morning sun bled across the horizon as Kaelen, Seraphina, and Dorian stood at the outskirts of the Crimson Wastes. The once-glorious land was now a barren hellscape of cracked earth and jagged ruins, its very air thick with the remnants of ancient magic.
Varian had warned them this was no ordinary battlefield. It was a graveyard of forgotten power, where the echoes of past wielders of Crimson Power still lingered.
Kaelen adjusted his cloak, his sharp gaze scanning the desolation ahead. "We move quickly. No unnecessary fights."
Dorian snorted. "You say that, but knowing our luck, we'll be knee-deep in Syndicate scum before noon."
Seraphina rolled her eyes. "Then let's not waste time."
The trio moved swiftly, their footsteps light on the dusty terrain. The deeper they ventured, the more the air pulsed with an eerie energy. The land itself seemed to breathe a slow, suffocating rhythm that gnawed at the edges of Kaelen's mind.
His Crimson Power responded in kind, a whisper slithering through his thoughts. You are home.
Kaelen ignored it. He had no time for distractions.
As they approached the ruins of Myrrh, the remnants of an ancient city loomed in the distance twisted spires, half-buried structures, and walls etched with symbols long forgotten.
"Something's wrong," Seraphina murmured.
Kaelen already sensed it. They weren't alone.
A shadow shifted between the ruins. Then another. Then dozens.
Dorian cursed. "Well, looks like we found the welcoming party."
Emerging from the depths of the ruins were Syndicate enforcers cloaked figures with weapons humming with arcane energy. At their center stood a man Kaelen recognized all too well.
Rael Vance.
One of Elias Drennar's top lieutenants. A ruthless tracker known for his precision and cruelty.
Rael smirked, drawing a gleaming black dagger. "Kaelen Vorthron. You just keep making things easy for us."
Kaelen's fingers curled, Crimson Power crackling beneath his skin.
"I was hoping for a warm-up," he said coldly.
Rael's grin widened. "Then let's not keep you waiting."
With a flick of his wrist, the Syndicate forces charged.
And the battle for Myrrh began.
To Be Continued…