The cloaked figure who had summoned us was named Elias Thorne. He moved with an unnerving grace, his features shadowed by his hood, but his voice, when he spoke, was like polished obsidian – smooth, cool, and hinting at unyielding depths. He wasn't an adventurer, that much was clear. His aura was different – disciplined, yes, but not in the chaotic, battle-honed way of Guild members. It was the quiet, coiled strength of a scholar, a keeper of secrets, or perhaps… an inquisitor.
The Drunken Dragon's revelry felt a world away as Elias led us through the darkening streets of Oakhaven. The usual evening bustle seemed to part before him, citizens instinctively giving him a wide berth. Elara, her earlier bravado deflated, kept shooting me nervous glances, as if seeking reassurance that I wouldn't suddenly decide to 'unplug' this new, unsettling development. Seris, ever the stoic, walked with a rigid posture, her hand never far from her rapier, her silver eyes scanning our surroundings, assessing potential threats.
"Where are you taking us, Thorne?" Seris finally asked, her voice cutting through the silence.
"To a place where questions can be asked and, perhaps, some answers might be found," Elias replied without turning. "The Lord Magistrate wishes to be… apprised of the situation in Whisperwind Woods. Directly."
"The Lord Magistrate?" Elara squeaked. "But… that was just a goblin quest! Well, mostly. Sort of."
"Void Heralds appearing on the outskirts of Oakhaven tend to elevate a situation beyond 'just a goblin quest,' Miss Lyra," Elias stated drily. "Especially when they are reportedly… neutralized… by unconventional means." His unseen gaze seemed to linger on me for a moment.
We arrived at a stern, grey stone building, far grander and more imposing than the Adventurer's Guild. Guards in polished steel armor, bearing the crest of Oakhaven – an oak tree entwined with a sword – stood sentinel at the entrance. They snapped to attention as Elias approached, their expressions impassive, but their eyes betraying a flicker of recognition, and perhaps a touch of apprehension, towards our guide.
The interior was all hushed corridors, tapestries depicting heroic, if somewhat propagandized, local history, and the faint scent of old parchment and beeswax. It was a place of power, of rules and hierarchies – concepts I found both quaint and occasionally necessary for fledgling civilizations to avoid immediate self-annihilation.
We were ushered into a spacious, wood-paneled office. A large mahogany desk dominated one end, behind which sat a man who could only be Lord Magistrate Valerius. He was older, perhaps in his late fifties, with greying hair swept back from a high forehead, and eyes the exact same shade of intense silver as Seris's. His face was stern, etched with lines of authority and worry, but there was an underlying intelligence, a sharpness that was undeniably familiar.
Seris stiffened beside me. "Father."
Lord Magistrate Valerius looked up. His gaze, initially focused on his daughter, was stern but held a flicker of something softer. Then his eyes moved to Elara, a brief nod of acknowledgement, and finally, to me. His silver eyes narrowed, an unnervingly perceptive scrutiny that seemed to try and peel back the layers of my unassuming facade. It was a more potent gaze than Vorlag's brutish stare, more insightful than Garon's bewildered gape. This man was accustomed to dissecting truths from lies.
"Seraphina," he said, his voice a low rumble. "Elias has reported a… highly unusual incident. One that stretches credulity, even for the Whisperwind Woods." He gestured to the chairs before his desk. "Sit. And tell me everything. From the beginning. And spare no detail, no matter how… improbable."
Seris recounted the events, her voice steady and precise, detailing the mission, the discovery of the Void-touched creatures, the unexpected escalation, the appearance of the Void Herald. Elara chimed in with occasional, wide-eyed confirmations, her descriptions more colorful and laced with a lingering terror. When it came to my… contributions… Seris hesitated, choosing her words with extreme care.
"…Rael's intervention was… critical," she said, avoiding my gaze. "He possesses abilities that are… not commonly seen."
"'Not commonly seen'?" Lord Magistrate Valerius leaned forward, his silver eyes fixed on me. "Elias's initial report, and the subsequent… vibrations from the Adventurer's Guild, suggest something far beyond 'uncommon.' They speak of impossible feats. Of a power that defies known magical theory. Mr. Rael," his voice was deceptively mild, "who, or perhaps what, are you?"
The directness was refreshing. Mortals so often danced around the uncomfortable truths.
"I am Rael," I replied, my tone equally mild. "A traveler, as I've mentioned. And, on occasion, a resolver of unforeseen complications."
"A traveler who can dissipate the power of a Void Herald with a gesture?" Valerius pressed, his fingers steepled. "A traveler who can make corrupted beasts… unravel? These are not the acts of a mere wanderer, no matter how skilled."
Elias, standing silently by the door, spoke. "My Lord, the arcane signatures, or rather, the lack thereof, during the… events… described are perplexing. There was no discernible mana expenditure, no ritualistic components, no channeling of external energies that our seers could detect. It was as if… reality itself simply… complied with his intent."
The Lord Magistrate's eyes narrowed further. "Complying with intent. That sounds… alarmingly like the domain of… well, let us not speak of such things lightly." He looked back at me. "There are legends, Mr. Rael. Ancient, forgotten tales of beings who walked the worlds before mortals rose to prominence. Beings who shaped the firmament. Are you one of these… Progenitors?"
Elara gasped audibly. Seris looked like she'd been struck. The term 'Progenitor' was archaic, laden with myth and a terrifying, almost blasphemous implication of power beyond mortal comprehension. It was closer to the truth than they knew, though still a woefully inadequate descriptor.
I allowed a faint smile. "Labels can be so restrictive, Lord Magistrate. They tend to invite preconceptions, and often, unwanted worship. Let us just say I have a… vested interest in the continued harmonious existence of this particular corner of the cosmos."
Valerius was silent for a long moment, his gaze unwavering. I could almost see the gears turning in his astute mind, trying to reconcile the impossible youth before him with the implications of such power.
"A 'vested interest'," he finally said. "And this 'interest' led you to assist my daughter and her companion?"
"Their potential for positive contribution to the aforementioned harmony is… noteworthy," I replied. "And they were in imminent danger of becoming a rather discordant note."
"He saved our lives, Father," Seris interjected, her voice firm, a hint of defiance in her tone. "Multiple times. Without him, we would not be here."
Valerius's gaze softened slightly as it rested on his daughter. "I am aware of my debt to you for that, Mr. Rael. And Oakhaven is in your debt for neutralizing a threat that could have devastated us. However, power of this magnitude, unaccounted for, unregistered… it is a concern."
"All power is a concern if wielded without wisdom, Lord Magistrate," I agreed. "Rest assured, my intentions are not disruptive. Annoyances, however, will be… addressed." The faint chill in my voice was subtle, but Valerius, a man accustomed to subtle threats, did not miss it.
"The Void Herald," he pressed on. "Was it an isolated entity? Or part of a larger incursion?"
"A tendril," I said. "A probing feeler from something vaster. The source is… elsewhere. But its influence is spreading. This world is like a fruit with a bruised spot, attracting flies. The Herald was merely one such fly."
"And you are the… exterminator?" Elias Thorne queried from the doorway, his voice still unnervingly calm.
"I am a… gardener, who dislikes pests," I corrected. "Sometimes pruning is necessary. Sometimes, more… comprehensive measures are required."
A heavy silence descended. The implications of my words hung in the air, thick and foreboding. Lord Magistrate Valerius looked older suddenly, the weight of his office, and now this new, incomprehensible variable, pressing down on him.
"This… 'influence'," he said finally. "Do you know its target? Its purpose?"
"The purpose of the Void, in its corrupted aspect, is simple: consumption. Unmaking. It seeks to return all to nullity. As for its immediate targets… any place where the veil between realities is thin. Any place where ambition, despair, or corrupted power creates an opening." I paused. "Oakhaven, for all its charms, sits atop… interesting confluences of energy. Old ley lines. Forgotten relics. It is, shall we say, a potentially appealing snack."
Elara hugged herself, looking distinctly ill. "A snack? Our home is a snack?"
"A potential one," I clarified. "With diligent gardening, even the most appealing snacks can be made… unpalatable to pests."
Lord Magistrate Valerius stood, walking to the window and looking out at the lights of Oakhaven twinkling in the night. "For years, we have dealt with mundane threats. Banditry. Border skirmishes. The occasional rogue mage. But this… this is something else entirely. Something ancient. Something that threatens the very foundations of our world."
He turned back, his silver eyes burning with a grim resolve. "Mr. Rael, I will not pretend to understand what you are. But if your 'vested interest' aligns with the survival of Oakhaven, and indeed this world, then perhaps… perhaps we can find common ground."
"Cooperation can be… efficient," I acknowledged.
"However," he continued, his tone hardening, "I cannot simply allow an entity of unknown origin and untold power to roam unchecked within my domain. You will be watched, Mr. Rael. Not as a prisoner, but as… an associate of extreme interest. Elias will be your primary point of contact. He will provide you with lodging, resources, and any information we possess that might aid your… 'gardening'."
A gilded cage, then. Or at least, a very closely observed guesthouse. Amusing.
"And in return?" I asked.
"In return," Valerius said, his gaze intense, "you keep Oakhaven safe. You share any pertinent information regarding these… 'cracks in reality.' And you refrain from any actions that might destabilize this city, or this kingdom, further." He paused. "And perhaps, in time, you might enlighten us further as to the true nature of the game being played."
"The game is as old as time itself, Lord Magistrate," I said, a hint of ancient weariness in my voice. "And its rules are… complex. But I will endeavor to keep the local board from being overturned."
"See that you do," Valerius said. He then looked at Seris and Elara. "You two. You have shown courage, if questionable judgment in your choice of E-Rank companions." A rare, faint smile touched his lips. "You are confined to Oakhaven for now. Rest. Recuperate. And stay close to Mr. Rael. It seems he is now your… unofficial, highly overpowered bodyguard."
Seris bristled slightly at the 'confined' part, but nodded. Elara just looked relieved that no one was suggesting she be locked in a dungeon for associating with a cosmic entity.
Elias Thorne stepped forward. "If you will follow me, Mr. Rael. Accommodations have been prepared."
As I rose, Lord Magistrate Valerius spoke one last time, his voice softer, almost pleading. "Rael… whatever you are fighting… ensure it does not consume the light of this world."
I paused at the door, looking back at the worried father, the resolute leader. "The light," I said, my own eyes seeming to capture and reflect the distant starlight, "has a surprising resilience. It merely needs to be… reminded of its own brilliance."
Leaving the Lord Magistrate's office, I felt the subtle shift in the currents around me. I was no longer an anonymous traveler. I was a known quantity, a power to be accounted for, to be wary of. The game had indeed changed. The whispers of the Void were growing louder, and the mortals were beginning to listen. This 'vacation' was rapidly evolving into something far more… engaging. And as Elias Thorne led me through the silent, echoing corridors, I couldn't suppress a faint, anticipatory thrill. The scent of an ancient game was in the air, and I, its oldest player, was ready for the next move.