Author: Alex Ward

Deep in the archives, far below the streets of Yed’ol, Kaia poured over an antique journal. Its pages were yellowed with age, the ink beginning to fade. She sat at a desk, old leather-bound volumes piled high on both her flanks. The only illumination, a large five-wicked candle, burning steadily. She quickly flipped through pages, spending no more than a few seconds on each one, her silver eyes darting across the words written therein. “There.” Gregory’s raspy voice spoke inside Kaia’s mind. “That’s what we’re looking for.” Kaia stopped, and ran her fingers over a diagram, covered in arcane symbols…

Nael jolted awake. His breath was rapid. Shallow. He gasped. Gulped for air. Heart pounding in his chest. Skipping beats. Speeding up, slowing down, threatening to rip free. “Nael? You okay?” a gentle voice said above him. A teenage girl peered down from her bunk, dangling upside down to face him, her thin face only visible by the moonlight spilling in through the window, reflected in her hazel eyes. She wore fine silken pajamas, simple in design but of a much higher quality than what Nael wore. Her long blonde hair draped all the way to the floor; her expression…

The sun had already set as Kaia approached a squat wooden inn, nestled right off the side of the Celias Way. It was the only structure for miles around, its battered, iron door opening directly to the road. When she approached the threshold, the door swung open, carving a path for the scents of spiced meat and hearty stew to meander into the night air. She lingered at the threshold, staring into an empty dining room, dimly lit with tallow candles. She took a deep breath. “I am but a traveler, seeking rest, that we might hold together the fraying…