[Location: Azistile Mansion – Night– Year: 1092 Ad Felicitas]

Suddenly, the mist creature lunged toward Drifter, Luna, Jaxon, and Alina, unleashing a barrage of black-and-purple pulses from all directions. The energy waves struck with force, triggering their natural barriers to form a protective shield around the group—their final line of defense.

Amid the chaos, Vellya approached Drifter slowly. Her small smile twisted into a sharp, eerie grin, her laughter echoing like a haunting breeze.

"Hihihi," she giggled, the sound unnatural and chilling.

"You can’t hurt them..." she said coldly, her tone devoid of the playful innocence from before.

Raising her small hand, sigils of deep crimson light appeared around her, glowing like embers in the dark. With a sharp motion, she released Blood Bolt, a crimson projectile that shot straight into the mist creature's core. A small rupture formed on its surface, but Vellya didn’t stop.

She followed up with Bloodstorm, summoning swirling crimson sigils in the air. A storm of sharp, blood-colored darts rained down relentlessly, tearing through the mist creature. In moments, the dark figure dissolved into nothingness, reduced to a void of emptiness.

But before they could catch their breath, the black fog around the walls shifted. The same mist creature reformed, whole and undamaged, as if the destruction had never occurred.

Drifter turned to Vellya, his expression serious and questioning. The small girl stood upright, her face devoid of emotion. The cheerful spark that had once filled her eyes was gone, replaced by a cold, calculating intensity.

Lifting her head slightly, Vellya spoke, her voice low, steady, and sharp.

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

The weight of Vellya's words seemed to thicken the air in the room as the dark shadows continued to shift around them, their presence oppressive and unrelenting.

In an instant, Alina activated Enchanted Sight, her eyes glowing brightly as they scanned the space. She spotted thin threads of dark energy stretching upward. Without hesitation, she sprinted toward the upper floor, with Drifter, Luna, and Jaxon close behind.

In the dimly lit bedroom, a figure stood motionless. They wore a featureless white mask, smooth and expressionless, and a black cloak that trailed to the floor.

The masked figure began to move, raising both hands high. Suddenly, glowing red sigils appeared, radiating crimson light into the air. From the ground, dark shadows began to emerge, their forms shifting and indistinct but moving quickly. The creatures filled the room, circling the masked figure, with some lunging at Alina with outstretched black claws.

Alina swiftly activated Cerulion Dash, her body shrouded in icy layers as she darted through the room at incredible speed. She unleashed Blauzorn Tempest, swinging her greatsword in a wide arc to summon a swirling ice storm that obliterated the surrounding shadowy creatures.

Behind her, Drifter, Luna, and Jaxon sprang into action. Luna raised her hand, summoning Glacialis Lanzaris. Floating magical sigils formed in the air, launching spears of ice with blistering speed, cutting through the cold air and targeting the masked figure.

Jaxon, with a quick pull of the trigger, activated Heat Seeker. He fired a barrage of large, blazing projectiles that streaked across the room, locking onto the masked figure with searing intensity. Meanwhile, Drifter deployed Exalt Storm, igniting three glowing blue sigils in the air, which rained down energy blasts toward their enemy.

The masked figure lifted its hands, and a pulsating wave of blackness enveloped its body. The darkness throbbed like a living entity, creating a shadowy barrier that absorbed each incoming attack. Exalt Storm, fire, and ice collided with immense force, resulting in a blinding explosion that shattered the barrier into fragments of shadow, scattering them across the room before they vanished.

The masked figure was now exposed, its white mask cracked in several places, small pieces falling to the floor. As its hood shifted, a strand of pink hair slipped free, glinting faintly in the dim light.

Suddenly, the walls around them began to change. The oppressive blackness melted away, replaced by beige tones that felt unsettlingly out of place. Without hesitation, Drifter activated Exalt Shift, teleporting in a flash of blue light directly toward the masked figure. He swung his blade with precision, but his strike passed through empty air.

The masked figure vanished into the shadows, moving too quickly to track. The nearby window shattered violently, the sound reverberating through the room. Alina rushed to the broken window, glancing outside. Under the pale moonlight, she spotted the figure riding atop a massive winged shadow beast, soaring away into the night sky and disappearing into the darkness.

Breathing heavily, the group regrouped in the large hall below. Vellya was there waiting, her cheerful demeanor intact as though nothing had happened. She sat calmly, arranging her two skeletal companions with care. Despite the tension in the air, she seemed completely at ease.

Drifter approached her, his expression serious and filled with unanswered questions.

"Vellya… those monsters. We saw someone in a black cloak upstairs. Who are they?"

Vellya tilted her head curiously, touching her finger to her lips, her wide eyes innocent.

"Monsters? There are monsters here, big brother?"

Luna Sabriel narrowed her eyes, her tone soft but warning.

"She’s hiding something..."

Jaxon Virelli glanced at Luna, his voice low and sharp.

"I don’t think she’s pretending. Look at her eyes… her movements. She doesn’t know."

Alina ran a hand through her hair, her frustration boiling over.

"We barely made it out alive, and she…" She gestured toward Vellya, who was calmly arranging her skeletons like nothing had happened.

"—she’s just sitting there, playing like it’s all a game! And now she doesn’t even remember? What the hell is going on?!"

Drifter let out a slow breath, his tone steady but resolute.

"Maybe so, but without her, we wouldn’t have made it at all."

Luna turned her gaze to Drifter, her expression wary.

"She’s dangerous, Drifter. We can’t trust her."

Ignoring the tension, Drifter stepped closer to Vellya, his voice soft but steady.

"Vellya… would you like to come with us? Back to the academy?"

Vellya's eyes widened, her smile spreading with excitement. She clapped her hands gleefully but hesitated for a moment, glancing at her skeletal companions. Her joy dimmed slightly.

"Really? But… Mama and Papa… what about them?"

Jaxon, crouching beside her now, grinned warmly.

"They can come too. The academy’s got room for all three of you. I bet Mama and Papa would love it there."

Vellya's cheer returned, her eyes sparkling.

"Mama? Papa?"

She froze momentarily, her gaze growing distant as though listening to something only she could hear. A few tense seconds passed before her face lit up, her smile slow but sure.

"They said yes! Let’s go!"

Alina shot a sharp glare at Drifter and Jaxon, her voice rising in frustration.

"Have you two lost your minds? What if something happens? Can you handle the consequences?"

Luna, her expression measured but filled with doubt, chimed in calmly.

"I agree with Alina. This is too dangerous. You’re being reckless."

Drifter glanced at Vellya, whose shoulders had slumped under their words. Her bright demeanor faded as Luna and Alina spoke, her expression clouding with uncertainty. He let out a slow breath, 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 within, Drifter felt a growing connection to Vellya. Her loneliness mirrored his own in ways he couldn’t ignore. Memories of Paxluma, the home he’d lost, flickered faintly in his mind, reduced to little more than a blurry shadow. Though he was learning to navigate this new world, the echoes of his past still haunted him—voices, faces, and a sense of belonging now lost.

Jaxon, with an easy shrug, spoke with a calm but pointed tone.

"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 Evocaier Order, plain and simple."

Alina sighed heavily, her frustration giving way to resignation. Drifter offered Jaxon a faint, appreciative smile. Meanwhile, Luna, biting her lip, seemed caught in an internal debate. After a long pause, she exhaled sharply, her shoulders slumping slightly.

"Fine… but we have to bring this to the Grandmaster. No exceptions."

Without another word, Alina and Luna turned toward the exit, with Drifter and Jaxon following behind.

As they walked, Jaxon, glancing over his shoulder at Vellya, gave her a teasing grin.

"Come on, kiddo. Let’s get moving."

Drifter nodded, adding softly,

"Let’s go, Vellya."

Vellya paused, her gaze distant as she murmured,

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

"A home… I wonder what that feels like…?"

The group left Azistile Town, heading toward the Translocator. As they walked, Drifter occasionally glanced back at the looming mansion atop the hill. Doubts swirled in his mind.

"Let’s hope… we’re not wrong about this. Let’s hope she isn’t the one behind all of this…"

In a flash of blue light, the Translocator enveloped them, and within moments, they arrived in Nethia. The glowing city greeted them with dazzling lights, crystal towers, and the gentle hum of life at night.

The Skyrail whirred softly as it carried them toward the Verm Evocaier Academy, its rails connecting the city to the grand campus. The calm night scenery provided a stark contrast to the tension that lingered between them. Jaxon, walking briskly beside Vellya, who looked around with curious eyes, led her to a room prepared for her. There, an instructor awaited to receive the young girl.

Meanwhile, Drifter, Luna, and Alina continued toward the Grandhall.

[Location: Verm Evocaier Academy – Grandhall – Night – Year: 1092 Ad Felicitas]

The hall was eerily quiet, the sound of their footsteps softly echoing off the marble floor. Suddenly, Lysander Everhart, the commanding Grandmaster, materialized in a projection of Evocyte energy. The soft glow from his form gave the room a calm but tense atmosphere.

Luna Sabriel stood at the forefront, maintaining a firm posture despite the tension evident in her eyes.

"Grandmaster, we’ve returned. The mission to Azistile Town… was far more complex than we anticipated."

Lysander raised an eyebrow, his deep, composed voice cutting through the stillness.

"What did you uncover?"

Luna took a deep breath, choosing her words carefully, her tone steady but strained.

"We couldn’t determine the cause of the town’s disappearance, but we were attacked."

Her voice tightened as she continued, the memories of the mission clearly weighing on her.

"Shadows and dark mist… creatures immune to our Evocyte abilities. We couldn’t touch them. They were controlled by a masked figure in a black cloak, wielding crimson sigils."

Standing beside her, Alina Walsh, visibly tense, added sharply,

"They were impervious to everything we threw at them. We only survived because of her."

Lysander turned his piercing gaze to Alina, his tone now sharp.

"Her? Who?"

Drifter stepped forward, his expression firm and his voice unwavering.

"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, and she fought the creatures using crimson sigils."

Luna spoke again, her tone soft but resolute.

"She’s… unusual. Her power is unstable. Sometimes, she’s just a child—sweet and curious. But other times…"

Alina interrupted abruptly, her voice cutting through with precision.

"—she’s a threat. She needs to be closely monitored."

Lysander, tapping his fingers on the armrest of his chair, kept his gaze locked on them. His voice was calm but laced with authority.

"Crimson sigils… blood magic… Forbidden magic. And you decided to bring her here? To the academy?"

Drifter held his ground, his voice steady.

"Yes, Grandmaster. It wasn’t safe to leave her there. Not alone."

For a moment, Lysander remained silent, his face unreadable as he processed their words. Finally, he sighed, leaning back slightly in his seat.

"I agree with your decision, Drifter. The girl must be protected," Grandmaster Lysander said, his tone calm but resolute. "However, she cannot be left without supervision. Assign two instructors to monitor her at all times."

Despite the clear instructions, Luna and Alina still seemed uneasy. The tension in their faces betrayed their underlying anxiety, even as they stood straight and composed.

Luna, her expression thoughtful but concerned, spoke carefully.

"Grandmaster, have you ever encountered shadow creatures and mist like these before?"

Lysander paused, his gaze distant, as though searching through long-buried memories. When he finally spoke, his voice carried a weight that stilled the room.

"If these creatures aren’t the usual undead… then… it’s likely…"

He let the words linger, the silence heavy before he continued, his tone dropping to a grave murmur.

"The black mist—perhaps Nebelgeist."

Luna frowned, the unfamiliar term deepening her concern.

"Nebelgeist?"

Lysander nodded slowly, his expression darkening.

"Ancient beings, bound by Blood Magic, created in a time now almost forgotten. They have no true physical form, but their influence in our world is undeniable. If I’m not mistaken, they can only be harmed by Blood Magic."

His explanation hung heavily in the air, leaving the room suffused with a quiet dread. Despite her attempt to appear calm, Alina's voice trembled faintly as she asked,

"What do we do, Grandmaster?"

Lysander fixed his sharp gaze on them, his voice cutting through the tension like steel.

"For now, seal off Azistile Town. No one is to enter until we understand the full extent of what we’re dealing with. This threat cannot be underestimated."

The team exchanged solemn glances, nodding as they absorbed the gravity of his decision. Their steps felt heavier as they turned to leave the chamber, the weight of responsibility pressing on their shoulders.

Just as they reached the door, Lysander's voice called them back, quieter now, but laced with mystery.

"One more thing. Blood Magic has stirred an old memory. Have you ever heard of the Eternal Keeper?"

The question stopped them in their tracks. Luna and Drifter exchanged uneasy glances, a flicker of fear crossing their faces. Finally, Luna turned back, her voice hesitant, almost reluctant to hear the answer.

"Eternal Keeper, Grandmaster?"

Lysander nodded again, his expression hardening further. It was as though the weight of the past bore down on him with each word.

"An ancient order, driven by an obsession with knowledge and power that transcends death. They practiced forbidden arts—Blood Magic among them. If the Nebelgeist and the disappearances in Azistile Town are connected to them… then we are facing something far older, and far more dangerous, than we imagined."

The silence that followed was heavy and suffocating, the air thick with unease. Lysander scanned their faces one last time, his piercing gaze leaving no room for doubt. As his Evocyte projection began to dim, he gave his final command.

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

With that, Lysander vanished, his image fading into the darkness of the room. Drifter, Alina, and Luna stood still for a moment, their faces marked by both resolve and uncertainty. When they finally spoke, it was with the same word, firm yet shadowed by doubt.

"Understood, Grandmaster."

As they exited the chamber, silence lingered between them. Each of them carried the weight of Lysander’s words in their hearts. Drifter, walking alone, found his thoughts in turmoil.

"Is this related to the Cult of Shadronis? Or are we dealing with something entirely different? Or worse… both?"

[Location: Verm Evocaier Academy – Residential Zone – Morning – The Next Day (Lundas) – Year: 1092 Ad Felicitas]

Drifter stepped out into the quiet morning air, the stillness of a day off hanging over the residential zone. As he walked toward Luna’s room, he spotted Jaxon in the distance and approached him.

Jaxon, strolling with a noticeable bounce in his step, flashed a playful grin at Drifter.

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

Drifter gave a slight nod, his expression calm and unreadable.

"Yeah."

Jaxon, never one to miss an opportunity for teasing, waggled his eyebrows as his grin turned mischievous.

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

Drifter shot him a brief glance, his tone flat.

"Keep dreaming."

The two stopped in front of a door, and Jaxon knocked. When the door opened, Luna appeared, her long black hair falling freely over her shoulders, dressed in a simple black dress without her usual coat. She gave them a curt nod.

"Come in."

The room was bathed in muted gray tones, dominated by a sleek black leather sofa and a minimalist glass coffee table. The warm glow of Evocyte lamps wrapped the room in a cozy yet professional atmosphere. Alina sat on the sofa, her expression blank as she regarded them with a silent gaze.

Alina broke the silence, her tone flat but carrying a weight of impatience.

"Took you long enough."

Drifter glanced at them, his sharp eyes catching the fatigue etched into both Luna and Alina’s faces. Their weariness was palpable—Alina’s eyes looked darker than usual, and her hair was slightly unkempt. Drifter tilted his head slightly.

"You two look like you haven’t slept."

Jaxon, ever the jokester, patted Alina lightly on the shoulder.

"What’s wrong, Alina? Bad dreams? Hey, you know you can always call me if you need someone to talk to."

Alina merely sighed, staring ahead with an unusual blankness, her usual sharp retorts absent. Jaxon's grin faltered slightly as he noticed something was off.

Before the silence could stretch too long, Luna straightened, her voice firm.

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

Drifter and Jaxon sat on the sofa, the room's atmosphere heavy with unspoken tension. Drifter leaned forward slightly, his elbows resting on his knees, his curiosity evident in the intensity of his gaze.

"A lead?"

Luna nodded, her expression sharpening as her tone steadied with focus.

"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."

Jaxon, his tone shifting to skepticism, leaned back.

"So… we’re chasing a ghost, huh?"

Luna sighed deeply, her frustration beginning to show through her otherwise composed demeanor.

"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."

She paused for a moment, her gaze locking onto Drifter, her expression growing more serious.

"But that’s not all."

Drifter’s tone remained calm but expectant as he asked,

"What else?"

Luna hesitated, her voice dropping slightly as uncertainty crept in.

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

She raised her Lumina Core, projecting a holographic image into the air. It showed a silver-haired man with pointy ears and crimson eyes standing beside a pink-haired woman with shoulder-length hair. The two were laughing, their faces radiating warmth and joy.

Drifter studied the image closely, his brow furrowing as he asked quietly,

"Anything unusual in their records? About their work or connections?"

Luna shook her head, the edge of frustration clear in her voice.

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

A heavy silence settled over the room, Luna’s words hanging like a dense fog. Drifter noticed her hand gripping the leather gauntlet on her arm, a small movement betraying her tightly wound tension.

Almost as if speaking to herself, Luna whispered,

"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."

Jaxon, always quick to lighten the mood, grinned broadly.

"Man, first it was the black cube, and now this?"

Luna didn’t respond, her lips pressing into a firm line as she turned and walked briskly toward the inner halls of the academy.

Jaxon, undeterred, flashed his usual grin as he turned to the others.

"Hey, since its Lundas, how about we actually enjoy our day off for once? Let’s grab something to eat. Fair deal?"

His laugh was lighthearted, but the tension lingered in the air. Drifter, arching an eyebrow, smirked faintly.

"Relax, I’ll cover for both of you—consider it a thank-you. But Jaxon? Yeah, he’s on his own."

Jaxon gasped in mock offense, his eyes widening dramatically.

"What? Since when did you turn into such a heartless spender, dude?"

Alina, quietly observing, finally cracked a small smile. Her grin grew into a soft laugh as she teased,

"Are you sure, Drifter? Luna and I don’t usually settle for cheap places, you know."

Despite her exhaustion, Luna allowed a faint smile to touch her lips as her eyes met Drifter and Jaxon. It was small, fleeting, but enough to lighten the mood for a moment.

For a brief instant, the weight of their discoveries faded into the background, giving them a fleeting reprieve before reality inevitably pulled them back.