The night above Veylor was thick with secrets. As Kael, Ayesha, and Rylan emerged from the shrine's hidden vault, the city's skyline loomed in jagged silhouette—ancient towers and broken spires, all watched over by the monstrous shadow that seemed to coil through the mist.
Kael gripped the runed dagger, its blade shimmering with blue lightning. The crescent coin, now cold and heavy, pressed against his palm. Every step through the deserted streets felt like trespassing in a place that remembered every oath and every betrayal.
Ayesha led them through winding alleys, her cloak drawn tight. "The map from the vault points east," she whispered. "Beyond the city walls, into the ruins of Old Veylor."
Rylan glanced up, uneasy. "We're being watched."
Above them, the shadowy shape from the skyline seemed to shift, its eyes glowing faintly. Kael felt its gaze—a pressure in his mind, like a question left unanswered.
You carry the blade of silence and storm, the shadow seemed to whisper. You bear the price. Will you pay it?
They hurried on, passing shuttered windows and empty plazas. The city felt abandoned, but Kael sensed movement in the darkness: a flicker of lantern light, a glint of metal, the hush of footsteps not their own.
Suddenly, a figure stepped from the shadows—a woman in a silver mask, her cloak marked with the sigil of the Veilwalkers. She raised a hand, palm open.
"You're leaving the city," she said. Her voice was calm, but her eyes—visible through the mask—were sharp and wary. "The Order has closed the gates. The Lantern Guild hunts the streets. Why risk the ruins?"
Kael met her gaze, the dagger pulsing in his grip. "There's something out there. Something my father tried to seal away. The answers we need aren't here."
The Veilwalker studied him for a long moment. Then she stepped aside. "The eastern postern gate is unguarded for now. But beware—the ruins remember. And the price of shadows is never paid in full."
As they slipped past her, Kael glanced back. The shadow above the city seemed to smile, its form swirling through the mist.
They reached the crumbling city wall just as dawn's first light touched the rooftops. The ruins of Old Veylor stretched before them, a wasteland of toppled stones and broken statues. Somewhere within, the source of the Echoes—and the truth of the silent price—awaited.
Kael took a deep breath, the storm within him stirring. With Ayesha and Rylan at his side, he stepped into the ruins, the dagger's runes glowing brighter with every stride.
Behind them, the city watched—silent, patient, and hungry for secrets.