The air tore with the clash of metal, the crackling of dark magic, and the shouts of defiance. The Phantom King’s scouts moved with a coordinated, mechanical efficiency, their corrupted forms resembling grotesque parodies of warriors. Their eyes glowed a sickly green, soulless and filled with an unnatural hunger. Jace’s shoulder screamed with each movement, but he ignored the pain, his resolve hardened into unbreakable steel.Beside him, Aila’s golden staff shone brilliantly, beams of radiant energy lancing through the enemies, their twisted bodies unraveling into black ash wherever her magic struck. Her face was set with a grim determination, the glow of her power reflecting off the sweat on her brow.Caelum stood just behind them, his dark magic staff swirling with tendrils of violet and black energy. He murmured incantations under his breath, his eyes rolling back as shadows coalesced into jagged spikes. With a shout, he thrust his staff forward, and the spikes shot out, impaling s

The air was thick with decay, a heavy presence that seemed to squeeze the very life out of them. Valloria, once a beacon of beauty and strength, now lay smothered beneath an ancient malevolence. The twisted spires and shadowed streets bore no resemblance to the proud city described in stories. Jace’s fingers curled tighter around his sword hilt as his eyes swept the desolation before them.“We have to end this corruption before it consumes everything,” Jace said, his voice firm despite his exhaustion.Aila’s golden staff pulsed with a soft, defiant light, barely enough to push back the gloom. “There’s a core to this darkness. A source that’s poisoning Valloria. If we find it, we can destroy it.”Riven wiped the sweat from his forehead, his eyes glinting with determination. “Then let’s finish what we started.”Caelum took a step forward, his dark staff humming with restrained power. “The heart of Valloria is it's citadel. Whatever controls this corruption will be there.”“Then that’s w

The air in Valloria was crisp and cold, the lingering echoes of celebration fading into a solemn hush as Jace, Aila, Riven, Erynn, and Cole searched every corner of the restored city. The streets, though lively with newly freed citizens rebuilding their home, held no trace of Brannen. His sudden disappearance gnawed at them, a void they couldn’t ignore.Jace led the group, his jaw clenched and eyes scanning every alley and shadow. Aila walked beside him, her golden staff glowing faintly, a beacon of light in the darkened corners. Riven and Erynn followed close behind, their conversation from earlier now replaced with quiet determination. Cole, always the watchful one, lingered at the back, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword as if expecting an ambush at any moment.“We’ve checked every main street,” Jace said, his voice tight with frustration. “The market, the old barracks, the citadel ruins... he’s nowhere.”“Maybe he left,” Riven suggested, though his tone lacked conviction. “

The group stood under the vast, star-lit sky on the outskirts of Valloria, where the Phantom King's power no longer lingered. Despite the beauty of the restored city, there was a heavy weight among them. The ritual to access the veil was no small endeavor, and none of them were certain what the price would be. But the thought of leaving Brannen to his fate was unthinkable.Jace held Aila’s hand tightly as they walked to the prepared site. Her golden staff glowed faintly, a beacon of hope and reassurance in the dark. Erynn and Riven followed closely behind, the leather-bound book clutched tightly in Erynn’s hands. Cole brought up the rear, his expression unreadable as he carried a bundle of necessary items for the ritual.The spot they’d chosen was secluded, a quiet glade far enough from the city to avoid disturbing it's recovering citizens. Aila carefully set her staff in the center of a sigil they’d etched into the ground with painstaking precision. The symbols glowed faintly, respon

The quiet streets of Valloria were drenched in the soft hues of twilight as Caelum stood alone in the grand hall of what was once the city’s seat of power. The towering stained-glass windows, though cracked and dulled from years of disrepair, still cast faint shards of colored light onto the marble floor. The hall bore the echoes of a long-forgotten era, a time when Valloria had thrived as a beacon of beauty and peace before the Phantom King’s curse corrupted it's splendor. Now, with the city freed, Caelum lingered, his dark staff resting in the crook of his arm as he poured over ancient texts and relics, searching for a way to end the war.The others had left that morning, setting out to regroup and fortify their strength after rescuing Brannen from the veil. Jace and Aila were confident Caelum would rejoin them soon, but he knew the answers he sought might require more time than they were willing to wait. The war stretched far beyond Valloria’s borders, a web of darkness and despa