Evening settled over Greymire with a velvet hush, wrapping the town in a dusky purple shroud. Shadows lengthened in the alleys, creeping beneath doorways and swirling in the corners where light dared not reach.
From her window, Ellie watched the darkness seep into the streets, a sense of unease coiling inside her. The oppressive quiet of the town felt unnatural, as if something unseen was drawing closer, tightening its grip on the day’s final light.
“It’s never this quiet,” Ellie whispered to herself, her breath fogging up the window. She leaned her forehead against the cool glass, frowning. "Not here, not in Greymire."
Her fingers absently traced the condensation. The usual hum of the village—the clatter of carts on cobblestones, the murmur of conversation drifting up from the streets below—was conspicuously absent. Even the wind seemed to hold its breath.
There was something different in the air tonight—something different. The energy of the forest beyond the town pressed close, dense and heavy, as though it were watching, waiting. Her heart thudded in her chest, the unease stirring like a restless spirit.
A sharp knock interrupted her thoughts, followed by the door bursting open. The guildmaster stormed in, his face a strange mixture of excitement and something darker.
“Ellie!” His voice was urgent, sharp. “You need to come to the guild hall. Now.”
She turned slowly, her pulse quickening. “What’s happening?”
“You have to see it for yourself,” he said, striding forward and grabbing her wrist. His grip was iron. “It’s... something extraordinary.”
Ellie pulled back, reluctant. “Extraordinary how? What’s going on?”
“There’s no time for questions. Come,” he insisted, yanking her toward the door.
His urgency ignited a flare of alarm in her chest, and Ellie hesitated for a heartbeat. But the guildmaster didn’t stop, and she found herself being dragged into the dim hallway, past curious faces that flicked glances of fear and excitement. The tension hung in the air like a suffocating fog—everyone could feel it, the weight of something looming just beyond the edge of their understanding.
They reached the guild hall. Outside, a crowd had gathered, their hushed conversations rising in a tense murmur. Ellie could make out snippets of their whispers: “He’s here...” “A dark sorcerer...” “What does he want?”
Her breath caught as she entered the main chamber. The familiar wood-paneled walls, usually warm and welcoming, now seemed ominous under the flickering lanterns. And in the center of the room, a figure stood, tall and cloaked in shadow. His presence radiated power, a darkness that made the hairs on her neck rise.
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The murmurs fell to silence as Ellie stepped further inside, her heart pounding in her throat. The figure turned slowly, and the light caught his face—a sharp-edged mask of intensity, cold and calculating. His dark robes shimmered like black silk in the dim light, the air around him charged with an unnatural energy.
“Who...?”
“I am Kael Thorne.” The sorcerer smiled, but it was a smile with an undercurrent of menace instead of warmth. “I have come for the one who dares to call herself a mage.”
Ellie’s breath hitched. Kael Thorne. The name rang through her like a death knell. She had heard the stories—whispers of his ruthlessness, his mastery of dark magic, his ability to command forces that others feared to even speak of.
He primarily operated within Lorthrain's territory after committing a most foul act—attempting to teach crabs how to read, which had led the authorities of Velsorin to declare him public enemy number two. Now, he stood before her in her guild hall, seeking her out.
Her mind raced, but she forced herself to speak. “Why me?”
Thorne’s gaze flickered with amusement as he stepped forward, his presence overwhelming the space between them. “Your reputation has spread, young one. I have heard of your exploits—tales of your supposed power. But tales can only take you so far. I seek to test your mettle.”
“A test?” Ellie swallowed, her voice quivering despite her effort to keep it steady. “What kind of test?”
“A duel,” Thorne said simply. His lips curled into a smile, but it was all teeth. “An exhibition of power, for the guild to witness.”
Ellie shook her head, stepping back. “I’m not ready. I can’t—”
The guildmaster stepped between them, his eyes wide with excitement. “This is your chance, Ellie! A chance to prove yourself against one of the most renowned sorcerers in the land. If you succeed, the guild will rise in prestige—”
“I’m not interested in prestige,” Ellie snapped, her voice rising. “This isn’t what I signed up for.”
Thorne’s eyes darkened, his tone turning icy. “You do not have the luxury of refusal. To deny me now would brand you a coward. Is that the name you wish to carry?”
Coward. The word hit her like a blow. Ellie could almost hear the whispers that would follow her if she refused—the laughter, the mockery, the doubt that would cling to her like a second skin. She couldn’t bear it. But to face Kael Thorne in a duel? That could be the end of her, and she knew it.
She closed her eyes, her mind swirling with panic, but when she opened them again, she found herself speaking before she could stop. “Very well, I accept your challenge.”
The hall erupted in a flurry of gasps and murmurs, the crowd’s excitement crackling in the air like a live wire. Ellie felt the walls closing in, the enormity of what she had just agreed to crashing down on her.
Kael Thorne’s eyes gleamed with a sinister satisfaction. “At dawn, then.” He turned to leave, his words dripping with finality. “Prepare yourself, Ellie Liddell. Show me what power you truly possess.”
As his figure vanished into the night, the weight of her decision settled on her shoulders, heavy as lead. The guildmaster placed a hand on her arm, his voice low with forced optimism. “You’ll do fine, Ellie. This could be the moment you’ve been waiting for.”
Ellie pulled away from him, her gaze fixed on the door where the dark sorcerer had disappeared. “Or it could be my last.”