They continued their journey through the forest, unaware of the storm brewing in the magical communication networks. Sarah Nightwind's recording crystal had captured every moment of Draven's fight with the ice serpent, and the images were spreading faster than wildfire through guild halls across the kingdom."That was some fight back there," Marcus said as he guided the wagon through a particularly narrow part of the trail. "Where did you learn to fight like that?""Practice," Draven replied, walking alongside the wagon. "Lots of practice.""Practice doesn't create techniques like that," Lady Celestine said. "What you did with those fire petals... I've never seen anything like it in any magical text.""Neither have I," Lady Evelyn added, studying Draven with renewed interest. "And I've read extensively about combat magic."Jin shot Draven a warning look. They'd agreed to keep the pendant's secrets, but the questions were getting harder to deflect."Maybe I'm

The journey back to civilization took three days of steady travel through forest paths that seemed friendlier now that they were heading away from Shadow Moon territory. The wagon was lighter without all their excavation equipment, but heavier with the weight of Valdris's recovered journals and scrolls."I still can't believe someone got there before us," Lady Celestine said as she carefully wrapped another ancient text. "Three years of research, and we arrive to find empty pedestals.""At least we got the scholarly materials," Lady Evelyn pointed out. "Those journals might contain information more valuable than any artifact.""To academics, maybe. But not to treasure hunters."Marcus guided the wagon around a fallen log. "Could have been worse. We could have run into whoever looted the place while they were still there.""True," Robert agreed. "Tomb robbers aren't usually the friendly type."Draven walked alongside the wagon, lost in thought. The pendant had

They spent the rest of the day at the guild, processing Draven's promotion paperwork and gathering information about their next potential destinations. By evening, Draven wore a new silver badge and carried detailed maps of both Draconus hunting grounds and the route to Gavin Gettay."Still can't believe you jumped straight to Mythril-class rank," Jin said as they sat in a tavern near the guild hall. "That's unprecedented.""George seemed more interested in making a point than following protocol," Draven replied, studying the battlefield map. "He wants to shake up his complacent high-rankers.""Think it'll work?""Probably. I noticed some gold-rank adventurers giving me dirty looks when we left the guild hall.""That could be a problem.""Could be. Or it could be useful. Angry people make mistakes, and mistakes create opportunities."Jin raised his mug in a mock toast. "To opportunities and angry gold-rankers.""To finding answers," Draven replied, touching his mug to Jin's.They were

Draven stood alone at the edge of the hills overlooking Gavin Gettay, the legendary battlefield spread out in the valley below him. The morning sun cast long shadows across the scarred landscape, highlighting the unnatural patterns in the grass where ancient magic had forever changed the earth.He had sent Jin back to the academy the day before, insisting he needed to explore this place alone. The pendant around his neck had been growing warmer with each step toward the battlefield, pulsing like a second heartbeat against his chest.From his vantage point on the hillside, Draven could see the full scope of what had happened here decades ago. Scorch marks from massive spells still darkened the cliff faces. Trees grew in perfect circles around impact craters. Streams flowed uphill in defiance of gravity, their courses permanently altered by the magical forces that had been unleashed during the battle.But it was the tactical layout that caught his attention. Even without military traini

As Draven moved, he encountered a thick fog. The fog was thick as soup. Draven could barely see his own hands as he picked his way through the rocky mountain path. Every step felt wrong, like the mist itself was trying to turn him around and get him lost.He stopped and crouched down, studying the muddy ground. Fresh footprints. Multiple sets. All heading in the same direction he'd been walking."Well, that's not good," he muttered, running his fingers over the deep boot marks. At least four different people, maybe more. And they were following his trail.Draven stood up slowly, his hand moving to the pendant under his shirt. It was warm against his skin, but not in the usual way. This felt different. Warning him."Come out," he called into the fog. "I know you're there."For a moment, nothing happened. Then shadows moved in the white mist. Black-clad figures stepped out of the fog like ghosts becoming real. Three of them that he could see, but he heard more movement in the mist behin