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Chapter 23: Shadow of Azistile Part II

  The mist creature lunged, unleashing a barrage of bck-and-purple pulses. The energy waves struck with force, triggering the group’s natural barriers to form a protective shield—their final defense. Amid the chaos, Vellya approached Drifter, her small smile twisting into an eerie grin. Her ughter echoed, unnatural and chilling.

  “Hihihi,” she giggled, the sound sending a shiver down Drifter’s spine. “You can’t hurt them...” Her tone was cold, devoid of the pyful innocence from before.

  Raising her hand, crimson sigils fred around her like embers in the dark. With a sharp motion, she unleashed Blood Bolt, a crimson projectile that pierced the mist creature’s core. A small rupture formed, but Vellya didn’t stop. She followed with Bloodstorm, summoning swirling sigils that rained down sharp, blood-colored darts. The mist creature dissolved into nothingness.

  But before they could breathe, the bck fog shifted. The creature reformed, whole and undamaged.

  Drifter turned to Vellya, his expression serious. The girl stood upright, her face emotionless, the spark in her eyes repced by cold calcution. She lifted her head slightly, her voice low and sharp.

  “Find the controller... they’re here, somewhere. Fighting them is useless. They won’t stop coming.”

  The weight of her words hung heavy as the shadows shifted ominously.

  Alina’s eyes glowed as she activated Enchanted Sight. She spotted thin threads of dark energy stretching upward. Without hesitation, she sprinted toward the upper floor, the others close behind.

  In the dim bedroom, a figure stood motionless—a featureless white mask and a bck cloak trailing to the floor. The figure raised its hands, crimson sigils glowing. Dark shadows emerged, shifting and lunging with bck cws.

  Alina darted forward, her body shrouded in icy yers as she activated Cerulion Dash. She swung her greatsword, unleashing Buzorn Tempest, a swirling ice storm that obliterated the shadowy creatures.

  Behind her, Luna summoned Gcialis Lanzaris, unching spears of ice with blistering speed. Jaxon fired Heat Seeker, bzing projectiles streaking toward the masked figure. Drifter deployed Exalt Storm, igniting three glowing blue sigils that rained down energy bsts.

  The figure lifted its hands, a pulsating wave of bckness enveloping its body. The shadowy barrier absorbed the attacks, shattering in a blinding explosion. The mask cracked, pieces falling to the floor. A strand of pink hair slipped free, glinting in the dim light.

  The walls shifted, the oppressive bckness melting into unsettling beige tones. Drifter activated Exalt Shift, teleporting toward the figure, but his bde passed through empty air. The figure vanished, the window shattering violently. Alina rushed to the broken frame, spotting the figure riding a winged shadow beast into the night.

  Back in the hall, Vellya sat calmly, arranging her skeletal companions. Drifter approached her.

  “Vellya… those monsters. We saw someone in a bck cloak upstairs. Who are they?”

  She tilted her head, touching her finger to her lips, her wide eyes innocent. “Monsters? There are monsters here, big brother?”

  Luna frowned. “She’s hiding something.”

  Jaxon shook his head. “Look at her eyes… her movements. She doesn’t know.”

  Drifter crouched beside Vellya. “Vellya… would you like to come with us? Back to the academy?”

  Her eyes widened, her smile spreading. She cpped her hands but hesitated, gncing at her skeletal companions. “Really? But… Mama and Papa… what about them?”

  Jaxon grinned. “They can come too. The academy’s got room for all three of you.”

  Vellya’s cheer returned, her eyes sparkling. “Mama? Papa?” She froze, her gaze distant, as if listening to something only she could hear. Then her face lit up. “They said yes! Let’s go!

  Alina shot a sharp gre at Drifter and Jaxon, her voice rising. “Have you two lost your minds? What if something happens? Can you handle the consequences?”

  Luna, calm but doubtful, added, “I agree with Alina. This is too dangerous. You’re being reckless.”

  Drifter gnced at Vellya, her shoulders slumping under their words. Her bright demeanor faded, repced by uncertainty. He exhaled slowly, his voice steady but tinged with empathy. “She’s just a kid. Don’t you feel anything for her? No home, no family, no one to keep her safe…”

  Deep down, Drifter felt a connection to Vellya. Her loneliness mirrored his own. Memories of Paxluma, his lost home, flickered faintly—voices, faces, a sense of belonging now gone.

  Jaxon shrugged, his tone calm but pointed. “We’re peacekeepers, aren’t we? Watching out for people like her is kind of the whole deal. Leaving her behind? That’d be us failing the Order, pin and simple.”

  Alina sighed. Drifter offered Jaxon a faint, appreciative smile. Luna, biting her lip. Finally, Luna exhaled sharply. “Fine… but we have to bring this to the Grandmaster. No exceptions.”

  Without another word, Alina and Luna turned toward the exit, Drifter and Jaxon following. Jaxon gnced back at Vellya, giving her a teasing grin. “Come on, kiddo. Let’s get moving.”

  Drifter nodded softly. “Let’s go, Vellya.”

  Vellya paused, her gaze distant. “A home… I wonder what that feels like…?”

  The group left Azistile Town, heading toward the Translocator. As they walked, Drifter gnced back at the looming mansion atop the hill. Doubts swirled in his mind. I just hope we’re not wrong… She can’t be the one behind all of this…

  In a fsh of blue light, the Translocator enveloped them, and they arrived in Nethia. greeted them with dazzling lights. The Skyrail carried them toward the Verm Evocaier Academy. Jaxon led Vellya to a room prepared for her, where an instructor awaited.

  Drifter, Luna, and Alina walked toward the Grandhall, the silence thick except for the soft echo of their footsteps. As they entered, Grandmaster Lysander Everhart materialized in a projection. Luna stepped forward.

  “Grandmaster, we’ve returned. The mission to Azistile Town… was far more complex than we anticipated,” she said.

  “What did you uncover?” Lysander’s voice was sharp.

  “We couldn’t determine the cause of the town’s disappearance, but we were attacked. Shadows and dark mist—creatures immune to our Evocyte abilities. They were controlled by a masked figure, cloaked in bck and wielding crimson sigils,” Luna expined.

  Alina added with a biting edge, “They were impervious to everything we threw at them. We only survived because of her.”

  Lysander’s gaze tightened. “Her? Who?”

  “A young girl. We found her in an old mansion overlooking the town, accompanied by two skeletons she called her parents. Her name is Vellya. She fought the creatures using crimson sigils,” Drifter said.

  Luna continued, “She’s unstable. Sometimes, she’s just a child—sweet and curious. But other times…”

  Alina interrupted, her voice sharp, “—she’s a threat. She needs to be closely monitored.”

  Lysander’s fingers tapped the armrest. “Crimson sigils… blood magic… Forbidden magic. And you brought her here? To the academy?”

  “Yes, Grandmaster. It wasn’t safe to leave her there. Not alone,” Drifter replied.

  Lysander leaned back, sighing. “I agree with your decision. The girl must be protected, but she cannot be left unsupervised. Assign two instructors to monitor her at all times.”

  Luna and Alina still seemed uneasy, their faces betraying their doubts.

  “Grandmaster, have you encountered creatures like these before?” Luna asked.

  “If they aren’t the usual undead, then it’s likely the bck mist—perhaps Nebelgeist,” Lysander said, his tone grave.

  Nebelgeist? Luna echoed.

  “Ancient beings, bound by Blood Magic, created long ago. They have no true form but wield influence over our world. If I’m correct, only Blood Magic can harm them,” Lysander expined.

  “For now, seal off Azistile Town. No one enters until we understand what we’re dealing with. This threat is too dangerous to underestimate.”

  They nodded.

  “One more thing. Blood Magic has stirred an old memory. Have you heard of the Eternal Keeper?” Lysander asked.

  “Eternal Keeper, Grandmaster?” Luna asked.

  “An ancient order obsessed with power that transcends death. They practiced Blood Magic. If the Nebelgeist and the disappearances are connected to them, we are facing something far older—and more dangerous—than we imagined,” Lysander warned.

  “Watch the girl. Protect her. But remember—knowledge is a double-edged sword. We cannot allow it to fall into the wrong hands.”

  “Understood, Grandmaster,” they all replied.

  As they returned to their quarters, Drifter's mind raced as he stared at the ceiling.

  Is this reted to the Cult of Shadronis? Or something else entirely? Or worse... both?

  The next morning, still lying in bed, Drifter's Lumina Core chimed. He reached for it and read the message from Luna.

  "Morning. Come to my quarters. Now."

  What does she want now? he thought. She’s never invited me to her room before…

  With that in mind, he got ready and left. As he walked toward Luna’s quarters, he spotted Jaxon in the distance and approached him.

  "Hey, pal… let me guess— they called you too, huh?" Jaxon said.

  "Yeah." Drifter replied.

  "What do you think they want? Don’t tell me it’s for a date?" Jaxon teased.

  "Keep dreaming." Drifter shot back.

  The two stopped in front of the door, and Jaxon knocked. When it opened, Luna stood there, dressed in a simple bck dress, without her usual coat. She gave them a curt nod.

  "Come in."

  The room was bathed in muted gray tones, dominated by a bck leather sofa and a minimalist gss coffee table. Alina sat on the sofa, her expression bnk as she regarded them in silence.

  "Took you long enough." Alina said, looking at them.

  "There’s something you both need to know. We found a lead." Luna said.

  "A lead?" Drifter echoed.

  "Last night, Alina and I went through the Vytros Seal Database. We scoured the entire Arcane Network. There’s nothing—no trace of the Eternal Keeper. Not a single mention." Luna expined.

  "So… we’re chasing a ghost, huh?" Jaxon muttered.

  "Either it’s a story that’s been deliberately erased, or one that’s been forgotten for centuries. I don’t know which is worse." Luna admitted.

  She hesitated before adding, "But that’s not all."

  "The mansion in Azistile Town—it’s registered to an Elven couple. They owned a rge farming estate there, wealthy ndowners. There’s a strong possibility that… Vellya is their daughter. The resembnce between her and the woman in the records is too strong to ignore."

  Raising her Lumina Core, she projected a holographic image into the air. It showed a silver-haired man with pointed ears and crimson eyes standing beside a pink-haired woman with shoulder-length hair. The two were ughing, their faces radiating warmth and joy.

  "Anything unusual in their records? About their work or connections?" Jaxon asked.

  "Nothing. No history of Blood Magic, no ties to the Eternal Keeper. They seemed like regur citizens… until they vanished without a trace." Luna said.

  She exhaled sharply. "I don’t know what’s worse… learning who her parents were and knowing they’re gone, or realizing she’s been living among their bones."

  Silence settled over the room.

  After a while, Jaxon cpped his hands together. "Hey, since it’s Lundas, how about we actually enjoy our day off for once? Let’s grab something to eat. Fair deal?"

  They exchanged gnces, but Alina was the first to smile.

  "Yeah, let’s go… I’m actually hungry too."

  "How about you two?" she asked.

  "Okay." Luna agreed.

  "I’m in." Drifter said.

  "Well then, let’s go!" Jaxon grinned.

  With Jaxon’s Alcherider, Efrenza, they traveled to Nethia City. Drifter had expected them to head to the Commercial and Entertainment District, but instead, they found themselves at a towering outdoor restaurant on the outskirts, where the breeze was crisp, and ice-capped mountains loomed in the distance.

  Alina and Jaxon kept the conversation lively, filling the air with chatter, while Drifter and Luna remained mostly silent.

  After their meal, they explored the city together—the grand theaters, the simuted opera reenacting the tale of Shining Virtue, the first Grandmaster and the hero of the Elysium Civil War. She was the one who established the Evocaier Order alongside the three greatest organizations of Elysium: the Mage Association, the Eye of Elysium, and the Holy Knight Covenant, which she herself had led.

  I’m still wondering why she lost her name… and only goes by her title.

  By the time they returned, night had fallen.

  Drifter couldn’t shake the feeling that this was Jaxon and Alina’s way of trying to make him ease up on Luna. As he gnced at her, guilt gnawed at him.

  What if I was wrong? he wondered. But the way she acts… it’s like nothing ever happened.

  Back in his quarters, Drifter’s Lumina Core chimed again. He checked the message. It was from Luna.

  "Meet me tomorrow at the research center… it’s about the cube."

  Excitement and curiosity stirred within him. What did they finally find?

  With that thought in mind, he drifted off to sleep.

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