Ellie's heart pounded in her chest when the doors to the Amber manor slammed open, causing the chandeliers above to sway dangerously. Distressed cries and the rapid patter of footsteps echoed through the hall, drawing her attention.

"What on earth--?" Ellie began, but her words trailed off as her eyes widened in horror at the sight unfolding before her.

"Make way!" shouted Kraid, his voice strained with urgency.

Kraid and Valon moved to the centre of the hall, each gripping an arm of a heavily wounded man between them. The sight of two arrows jutting from his chest left Ellie breathless. The distant sounds of clashing steel and war cries signalled ongoing combat, suggesting other Kraven warriors were still outside, defending their position.

"Help him!" Valon's desperate plea echoed through the room.

“Serin?” Maze uttered as he appeared around a corner his eyes wide in alarm.

Without hesitation, Ellie and Maze sprang into action, their movements perfectly in sync. Ellie noticed a soft glow emanating from Kraid's ring, a feeble attempt to stem the bleeding. But it was clear it couldn't hold back the tide.

“Pop him up here quickly,” Maze commanded as they gently settled Serin onto the ornate table, his ragged breaths, laden with pain, filled the air. The old storyteller eyed Kraid’s green event and added, “don’t stop, whatever you’re doing.”

Maze received a series of wary glances from the Kraven’s, as he pulled out his green tome from the folds of his robe. But Ellie knew better. She had spent enough time with the old storyteller to know that when he opened an event book, it meant that he was about to tap into something ancient and he was particularly adept at moulding events to suit his need even in the direst situations.

Valon's eyes darted anxiously. "What's our next move?"

"Keep him steady," Maze directed without hesitation.

Valon then firmly placed his hands on the older Kraven’s shoulders to force him in place.

Ellie, watching Maze's adept motions, remembered the stories he'd told her about the Kraven’s. They were ancient creatures, blending human and raven traits, with storied pasts brimming with conflict and unique capabilities. A realization hit her: their dealings with Maze must have span decades at least.

Caught off-guard by Maze's deep focus, Ellie watched his fingers race over the pages. "Kraid," Maze's voice broke the heavy silence, "once the arrow is out, use your ring to seal the wound."

Kraid nodded, his ring's glow persistent, working to stem the blood flow. Maze, with precision, positioned his book next to Serin. His one hand rested on the page, while the other grasped the arrow's shaft. After whispering a few words, the arrow seemed to narrow, easing its extraction from Serin's flesh. Valon held Serin down as he writhed, Kraid's fiery touch sealing the resulting gash.

Ellie stifled a cry when blood spurted, only to be halted as Kraid's event charred the wound. The air was thick with the acrid stench of singed flesh. Fighting her revulsion, Ellie turned as a servant entered with a bowl of water.

"Has this water been purified?" she questioned urgently.

With a nod from the servant, she took the bowl and a clean cloth. She dabbed gently at the wound, removing any residue. But another arrow still jutted ominously from his chest. As Maze wrapped his fingers around it, his expression turned grave.

"It's splintered against the bone," he declared grimly.

Valon cursed under his breath while Serin winced, his face contorted in agony. Valon's hands firmly held him in place.

Kraid's voice, laced with concern, broke the tension. "Will he make it?" Ellie, despite not having witnessed their shared history, could sense the depth of Kraid's worry for the elder Kraven.

Instead of answering directly, Maze maintained his focus. "The moment I extract it, seal the wound. Only after it's out can we gauge the full damage."

With a nod from both, Maze repeated the event, contracting the arrow for easier removal. Kraid, swiftly following Maze's instruction, directed embers to the freshly exposed wound. All eyes gravitated to the bloodied arrow shaft, its tip still missing.

Kraid's voice, choked with anguish, resonated in the room. "Now what?"

The bond between the Kraven’s was obvious, and Ellie could feel the weight of their shared grief. The air thickened with their silent despair.

Maze's voice, though unsteady, commanded attention. "Maintain the event. We must find and remove that shattered tip."

Outside, the distant cacophony of battle served as a grim reminder. Valon muttered a frustrated oath, chastising himself for underestimating the cunning of their seemingly inept foes.

Kraid, however, remained engrossed in his task, his ring emanating an intense green glow. Ellie's gut churned with a dreadful premonition.

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Suddenly, Serin's body jerked violently. "What's happening?" Valon's voice edged with panic.

Maze, spotting the whole arrow on the table, picked it up, realization dawning in his eyes. As Serin lurched to the side, a thick, black bile poured from his mouth.

Ellie recoiled in horror, her gaze locking onto Maze's defeated expression. The inevitability of the moment weighed heavily in the room.

Valon, voice raw with desperation, grabbed Maze's arm. "There must be something you can do! Continue your dark spells."

Tears welled up in the old storyteller's eyes as he handed the fully intact arrow to Valon. Upon inspecting the tip, the grim realization hit Valon — it was coated in a dark, thick substance. The soldiers' intent in the Amber sector was clear: annihilation.

“The arrows are stained with Hawksbane,” Maze whispered.

Although Ellie's acquaintance with the Kraven’s had been brief, they had always exuded an enigmatic aura, their faces rarely betraying emotion. But now, raw anger flashed across Valon's face. That fury as brief as it was quickly giving way to profound grief. Valon sank to his knees beside Serin and murmured, "This is beyond our control."

Kraid's voice trembled with denial. "This can't be..."

"I'm so, so sorry, uncle," Valon whispered, his voice laden with guilt.

Lifting his gaze, Serin met their sorrowful eyes. "Don't carry this burden. As the eldest, I should've seen the threat sooner."

Ellie's vision blurred with tears, the gravity of Serin's impending doom pressing heavily upon the room.

Mustering strength, Serin locked eyes with his nephews. "These soldiers and the ones who command them are upsetting the balance. You both remember what my sister said."

Both Kraven’s nodded solemnly.

"Do what must be done," Serin's voice was but a whisper.

Ellie sobbed quietly, hiding her face in her hands as the two Kraven’s bore witness to their uncle's final moments.

Maze cursed softly before whispering a farewell to his old friend. He then voiced the sentiment weighing on everyone's mind: "Things are escalating far too quickly."

Tears welled in Ellie's eyes as she watched the light fade from the old Kraven's gaze and his breathing come to a halt. Fighting back the urge to sob, her attention shifted to the nephews, Valon and Kraid. Their faces darkened with rage. Without a word, they left their uncle's side, heading purposefully towards the manor's exit. Outside, the sounds of an escalating battle beckoned, pulling them into a fray that seemed inevitable.

The doors slammed shut behind them, and the shouts of combat were quickly punctuated by anguished screams of pain. It became clear to Ellie that today, mercy would be in short supply.

She turned to Maze, finding his usually animated face etched with grief. "Who was he, exactly?" she whispered.

Maze looked down; his voice heavy. "To the Kraven, Serin here was akin to a father figure."

Ellie's heart sank further. "So, the Duke intended to eliminate the Ambers and the Kraven all along?"

Maze nodded; his eyes distant. "It seems they have a deep-rooted disdain for the Kraven, likely repelled by their presence within the city. Such prejudice," he sighed, "is bound to be their downfall."

Ellie furrowed her brow, "Hawksbane? What is that?"

With a heavy sigh, Maze responded, "It's a deadly potion, the result of forbidden alchemy. Extremely rare and especially lethal to the Kraven." His eyes settled on Serin's still body, sadness evident. "But crafting something like this is well beyond the duke’s capabilities. Someone else must have concocted it."

Ellie's voice wavered, "But who would commit such an atrocity?"

Maze met her gaze, determination burning in his eyes. "That's what we need to uncover."

The manor felt eerily silent after the clamour from outside faded. The opulent decor suddenly seemed lifeless, and the grandeur of the place was overshadowed by the weight of the situation.

Ellie's thoughts turned to her boyfriend. "Maze," she began, her voice barely above a whisper, "where's Charles?"

Maze looked away for a moment before meeting her eyes, his expression solemn. "I left him with Alec this morning. He was assisting Scarf and the younglings in the chambers beneath the King's old room."

Ellie felt her heart tighten in her chest. The palace would undoubtedly be one of the prime targets for the Duke and Duchess in their quest for control of the city. "If they're targeting the palace..." Ellie began, her voice trailing off.

Maze, trying to offer some comfort, replied, "The chamber is a secret, known only to those who can sense spirits."

Ellie felt a glimmer of hope. She recalled that the royals in class had struggled to communicate with spirits, a glaring deficiency in their otherwise formidable capabilities. But a new curiosity gnawed at her, one that had been there for some time. "Maze, how are the Elementlets and spirits connected? There's something we're missing, something Master Parlin never shared with us."

Maze hesitated for a moment, seemingly considering how much to divulge. "It's a tale that goes back ages, Ellie. One that intertwines the very essence of magic with the realm of spirits." He glanced at the lifeless body of Serin, a solemn reminder of the stakes at hand. "But it's a story for later. Right now, we need to act."

Ellie nodded, her resolve strengthening. She knew they had battles to fight and mysteries to unravel, but she was determined to see it all through.

Maze motioned for Ellie to follow, his eyes sharp and focused. "We need to find Karn, and quickly."

As they exited the manor, a horrifying sight greeted them. The once pristine gardens of the Amber sector were now littered with bodies, soldiers, and civilians alike. Ellie's breath caught in her throat as she took in the sheer number of fallen. Among the deceased, she recognized the uniforms of the soldiers.

Maze's voice, low and grim, echoed her thoughts, "It's the same lot. The ones who attacked Sorina."

Realization dawned on them simultaneously. Lord Amber had been deceived, sent on a wild goose chase while enemy forces infiltrated the city from within. "But how did they get through the southern exit?" Ellie questioned, confused.

"There are two exits to the south," Maze responded, his brow furrowing in thought. "One fortified by the city walls, and the other, less known, runs through the forest side. That leads into the Emerald sector."

"But surely, the Emeralds would have challenged an invading force!" Ellie exclaimed, her voice tinged with disbelief.

Maze nodded, "That's what I can't understand. It's unlike them to let an army pass without so much as a whisper of resistance."

As Ellie looked around, she realized the Kraven were conspicuously absent. "Where did the Kraven go?" she asked. "They were here, fighting, and now... there's only silence."

Maze closed his eyes briefly, listening to the whisper of the wind and the rustle of the leaves. "In times like these, the brothers would regroup, gather their people. They are not ones to face an enemy unprepared."

Ellie's eyes widened, a chill running down her spine as the implications hit her. Maze's gaze darkened, "The Duke, in his blind ambition, has roused a sleeping giant. He doesn't realize it yet, but he's now at odds with the full might of the Kraven nation. And they won't take this lying down."