Adrian sat by the cracked window of a dilapidated inn, watching the rain splatter against the glass. His hands, rough and calloused, turned the pages of an old ledger. It had been a week since he’d arrived in the bustling port city of Ravencall, and every step had been a test of patience and grit.The ledger wasn’t his—it belonged to the innkeeper, a shrewd woman named Lorna who had taken pity on Adrian after seeing him fend off a gang of thugs preying on weary travelers. In exchange for shelter and scraps of food, she tasked him with organizing her chaotic records. It was tedious work, but Adrian welcomed the distraction.Each entry told a story of debts unpaid and dreams dashed. Ravencall was a city of opportunity, but it demanded tribute from the weak. Adrian saw himself in the desperate numbers, a man clawing for a foothold in a world that thrived on power and wealth.But power wasn’t something Adrian had ever lacked.That evening, after the rain had subsided, Adrian stepped outsi

The first light of dawn filtered through the cracks in the inn’s shutters, bathing the room in a pale glow. Adrian sat at a wooden table, a map of Ravencall spread before him. The city was sprawling, chaotic—a maze of opportunity. The deal with Rolan was a victory, but it was only one piece of the puzzle. To truly rise, Adrian needed more than alliances. He needed a foothold in the city’s underworld—a seat at the table where power was bartered and sold.Callen burst into the room, his face alight with excitement. “You won’t believe what I’ve found,” he said, dropping a stack of parchment onto the table.Adrian raised an eyebrow. “What is it?”“Information,” Callen replied, grinning. “Details on the Dagger Syndicate’s operations. Smuggling routes, hideouts, even their payoffs to the city guard. It’s all here.”Adrian scanned the notes, his mind racing. The Syndicate was Ravencall’s most powerful criminal faction, controlling everything from illicit trade to mercenary contracts. Challen

The moon hung high over Ravencall, casting silvery light across the cobbled streets. Adrian moved like a shadow, his cloak blending with the darkness as he navigated the twisting alleys of the merchant district. Tonight was critical. After weeks of planning, Adrian was ready to strike a decisive blow against the Dagger Syndicate.Callen was waiting for him near a disused fountain, his face tense with anticipation. “Everything’s in place,” he said as Adrian approached. “Celia’s spies confirmed the target’s schedule. If we move now, we’ll catch them off guard.”Adrian nodded. “Good. Let’s not waste this opportunity.”The target was an underground auction hosted by the Syndicate, a secretive event where rare artifacts and magical relics were sold to the highest bidder. Among the items was a relic Adrian desperately needed—a warlord’s sigil, said to enhance the bearer’s power and influence.The Syndicate had no idea what they were guarding.---The auction was held in a hidden chamber ben

The city had always seemed distant, its towering buildings like a dream too far out of reach. Adrian had once watched from the shadows of the slums, his gaze tracing the delicate lines of wealth and power that separated him from the life he wanted. But that was before. Now, with every step, every decision, the city felt smaller, its edges more defined, its promise more tangible.He stood at the edge of a high balcony, overlooking the sprawling metropolis below. The air was crisp, the setting sun casting long shadows across the stone streets. The lights from the lower districts flickered weakly, struggling to fight the encroaching darkness, while the upper levels gleamed like jewels under the last rays of daylight. Adrian had climbed from the gutters, but the journey ahead promised only more challenges.His transformation from a forgotten war god to a man with ambition had not been without struggle. The underworld, once his only ally, was now a place he visited with caution. His power

The city had always been a place of shadows, but now, it seemed as though the darkness was closing in around Adrian. Every street, every alley, every quiet corner of the metropolis felt like a potential trap. The unseen enemy that Malek had warned him about wasn’t just a ghost—Adrian could feel their presence, lurking just beyond the veil of the city’s pulse.Despite his growing unease, Adrian knew better than to act impulsively. He had learned the hard way that power was a slow, patient game. You didn’t rush in with swords drawn, hoping to cut down every threat. No, you waited. You observed. And when the time was right, you struck with precision.But this enemy was different. Whoever they were, they were moving with a quiet efficiency that made it nearly impossible to trace them. Adrian had sent Malek on a dozen new tasks—tracking anyone who might have unusual access to Lysandra’s network, looking into movements within the higher echelons of the city’s political structure. Nothing co