The woods were silent save for the crunch of boots on damp soil as Cain, Callum, and Calanthe made their way back toward Caerwyn. The shattered monolith's residual magic still tingled on their skin, a faint reminder of the battle they'd won. Yet Cain's mind was elsewhere—focused not just on the recent victory, but on the deeper implications.
The leyline had cracked on its own, Marta had said.
But magic didn't rupture without cause.
Someone, or something, had been stirring forces that should have been left alone.
"We need to find the source," Cain muttered.
Callum, brushing dirt from his cloak, gave a lopsided smile. "We just killed a leyborn wraith, brother. You want to keep going tonight?"
"He's right," Calanthe said. Her voice was calm but firm. "We contained the surface threat. But if the underlying cause isn't dealt with... this will happen again. Maybe worse."
Cain gave a small nod. "We rest tonight. Then we dig deeper."
They reached Caerwyn by sunrise, the village now stirring with cautious hope. Children peeked from behind doorways. Farmers bowed their heads in gratitude.
Elder Eddric met them at the well once more, eyes misty.
"The spirits are silent," he said simply. "The fields feel lighter."
Cain handed him the farmer's amulet, a simple token they had found after the fight.
"Bury this at the chapel," Cain instructed. "It will anchor the village's protection."
Eddric bowed deeply. "Thank you. All of you."
Later that morning, back at the keep
The trio slumped into chairs at their private table in the Stone Bell Tavern. Plates of fresh bread, cheese, and roasted meat appeared before them.
Cain barely touched his food, deep in thought.
Callum, always the more easy-going, shoveled food into his mouth like a man starved.
Calanthe nursed a goblet of dark wine, watching Cain carefully.
"You're thinking about the Heartstone," she said finally.
Cain looked up. "It wasn't random. That much I'm sure of."
"You think someone tried to fracture it?" Callum asked around a mouthful of bread.
Cain nodded. "Or used it. Twisted the leyline energy for another purpose."
He unfurled a crude map of the region, marking the Heartstone's location, the flow of the ley lines, and nearby settlements.
Calanthe leaned over, tapping a spot northeast of Caerwyn.
"There's an abandoned watchtower here. Rumors say it was once used by rogue mages during the last border skirmishes."
Cain's golden eyes sharpened. "Good place to hide. Good place to experiment."
Callum groaned. "No rest for the wicked."
Cain smirked. "You can stay here if you want."
Callum drained his mug and wiped his mouth. "Not a chance, brother. If you're jumping into the abyss, I'm right behind you."
Calanthe stood, cloak swirling. "Let's go see what monsters still play in the dark."
The old trade road had long since given way to overgrown trails and broken stone. Crows circled overhead, their cries sharp in the still air.
Cain led the way, senses stretched outward. Every snap of a twig, every rustle in the underbrush prickled against his instincts.
As they crested a ridge, the ruined watchtower came into view—a crumbling cylinder of blackened stone, leaning precariously to one side. Strange red glyphs marked its walls.
Cain's medallion vibrated harder.
"This is it," he said quietly.
They approached cautiously. Calanthe whispered spells of detection, her hands weaving invisible sigils in the air.
"Wardings," she confirmed. "Old, broken. Recently tampered with."
Cain drew his silver blade.
They entered.
Inside, the air was thick with the stench of decay and burnt incense. Shelves lined the walls, cluttered with broken glass, melted candles, and torn tomes.
In the center of the floor, etched into the stone, was a massive ritual circle—partially incomplete.
"Someone was building a leyline conduit," Calanthe whispered. "To siphon raw magical energy."
Cain knelt, running a gloved hand across the carved lines. "And they failed. The Heartstone cracked under the pressure."
A sound echoed from deeper within the tower—footsteps.
Cain rose silently, signaling the others to spread out.
From the shadows emerged a figure—hooded, robed, clutching a crooked staff pulsing with residual magic.
A rogue mage.
He froze when he saw them.
Then sneered.
"You shouldn't have come."
Cain stepped forward, blade low. "You tampered with the Heartstone."
The mage laughed bitterly. "Fools. The Heartstone was a prison—a lock against the old power. I sought to free it."
Calanthe stepped to Cain's side, power crackling around her fingertips. "And you nearly destroyed this entire region."
The mage snarled and thrust out his staff.
The floor erupted in flame.
The battle began.
Cain ducked the first blast of fire, rolling to the side and launching a Spiritbane Bomb. The mage countered with a shield spell, the explosion deflecting harmlessly.
Calanthe unleashed a volley of magic missiles, weaving through the air like silver knives. Callum circled wide, flanking the mage and forcing him to split his attention.
Cain closed the distance, trading blows—sword against staff, steel against raw magic. Sparks rained down with every clash.
The mage was powerful—desperate.
But he was alone.
And Cain fought with unity.
He baited the mage into overextending, allowing Callum to sweep his legs from behind while Calanthe severed the staff with a slicing spell.
Cain drove his pommel into the mage's temple, knocking him cold.
> [Quest Update: Rogue Mage Neutralized]
They bound the mage in enchanted irons.
"We bring him back to Captain Farwin," Cain said. "He'll know what to do."
Calanthe nodded grimly. "And the ley lines will heal. Slowly."
Cain looked up at the fractured tower.
"One threat ended," he said.
"For now."
The sun dipped low as they returned to Caerwyn, the rogue mage slumped over a horse, and the weight of another victory heavy but satisfying.
And Cain knew, deep in his heart, that this was only the beginning.