The horseless wagons were one of the marvels of Arathis, a testament to the ingenuity born from the collective consciousness. To the untrained eye, they appeared ordinary—wooden frames adorned with polished brass fittings, large enough to carry goods or passengers comfortably. But there were no horses hitched to them, no visible means of propulsion. Instead, embedded within each wagon was a small crystalline device known as a "Quartz Core," crafted from rare quartz mined deep beneath the Kaelian Ridges.
These Quartz Cores emitted a steady stream of energy when properly attuned, capable of powering everything from wagons to lanterns to intricate machinery. The knowledge of how to create such devices had been discovered centuries ago by a noble Seeker named Lady Serava Callindor. She had pulled the threads of understanding directly from the void during a meditation so profound that it left her bedridden for weeks afterward. Her discovery revolutionized transportation across Veyrith, transforming caravans into self-propelled machines and reducing reliance on animals for labor. Over time, Quartz Cores became ubiquitous, mass-produced in workshops where artisans combined magic-infused quartz with intricate mechanical designs.
But not all wagons were created equal. The wealthiest nobles commissioned custom-made vehicles outfitted with enhanced cores capable of greater speeds, durability, and even defensive enchantments. These high-class wagons weren't just symbols of status—they were fortresses on wheels, designed to protect their occupants at any cost.
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It was one such wagon that caught Kael's attention on a foggy night as he wandered the dimly lit streets near the outskirts of Arathis. He often took these nocturnal walks, using the cover of darkness to practice his growing abilities. The mist clung to everything, muffling sounds and distorting shapes until reality felt like a dream. It was perfect for what he called "experiments"—testing how far he could manipulate fear while remaining unseen.
He heard them before he saw them: rough voices cutting through the haze, followed by the unmistakable clatter of boots against cobblestones. Peering around the corner of a crumbling building, Kael spotted a group of thugs surrounding a sleek, ornate wagon. Its surface gleamed faintly even in the gloom, etched with swirling patterns that marked it as belonging to someone important. One thug rapped his knuckles against the side of the wagon, shouting demands.
"Come out, whoever you are!" he barked, brandishing a rusted blade. "We ain't got all night!"
The others laughed, emboldened by the anonymity the fog provided. They didn't know who—or what—they were dealing with. And neither did Kael, though something about the scene made his instincts prickle. Whoever was inside that wagon clearly wasn't meant to be harassed lightly.
For a moment, Kael considered walking away. This wasn't his problem. What did he care if some noble brat got robbed? But then he remembered Mira's voice, sharp and scolding, telling him he spent too much time hiding in shadows. Maybe she was right. Or maybe it was the thrill of having a chance to test his powers in a real-world scenario without risking exposure.
Whatever the reason, Kael stayed.
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Slipping deeper into the alley, he let the darkness envelop him. The "Codex Umbrae" had taught him well: fear thrived in uncertainty, in the unknown. And few things inspired terror quite like the suggestion of something lurking just beyond sight. Closing his eyes, Kael focused on the memory of his own childhood nightmares—the monsters under his bed, the faceless figures watching from the corners of his room. He let those images swell, feeding them with the ambient dread that seemed to seep from the very stones of the city.
When he opened his eyes again, the air around him felt heavier, charged with an unnatural energy. Shadows stretched unnaturally along the walls, twisting into jagged forms that resembled clawed hands reaching toward the thugs. The lamplight flickered violently, casting erratic beams that danced across the ground like living flames. A low, guttural growl echoed through the street, bouncing off buildings in a way that defied logic.
One of the thugs froze, his laughter dying abruptly. "Did you hear that?" he whispered, gripping his blade tighter.
Another scoffed, though his voice wavered. "Hear what? Stop being a coward."
But the growl came again, louder this time—and closer. The mist thickened, swirling erratically as if stirred by an invisible force. Shapes began to form within the haze, indistinct but menacing: glowing eyes, elongated limbs, gaping maws filled with rows of teeth. None of it was real, of course—not physically—but to the terrified minds of the thugs, it might as well have been.
"What the hell is that?!" one of them shrieked, stumbling backward. His companions followed suit, panic spreading like wildfire. Within moments, they were running, their shouts fading into the distance as they fled into the night.
Kael watched them go, his chest heaving as the effort of maintaining the illusion drained him. When the last echoes of their footsteps disappeared, he stepped forward cautiously, approaching the wagon. For a brief moment, he considered knocking on the door, asking if its occupant was unharmed. But caution won out. Whoever was inside likely wouldn't take kindly to being rescued by someone like him—a scruffy outsider with dirt under his nails and secrets clinging to him like a second skin.
Instead, he melted back into the shadows, vanishing as silently as he'd arrived.
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Inside the wagon, Lady Elira Valmere sat trembling, her hands clutching the edge of her seat. She had been traveling home from a social gathering when the attack occurred, lulled into complacency by the quiet streets and the comforting hum of her wagon's Quartz Core. Now, her mind raced with questions. What had saved her? Had her wagon's enchantments somehow repelled the attackers? Or had something else intervened?
She pressed her face against the window, peering into the foggy night. There was nothing to see now, only the faint outline of buildings and the occasional flicker of lamplight. Yet she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched—that someone, or something, lingered just out of sight.
Elira wasn't accustomed to mysteries. As the daughter of one of the most influential families in Arathis, she lived a life meticulously planned and controlled. But this… this was different. This was a puzzle she intended to solve.
And somewhere, hidden in the depths of the city, Kael Veylin remained unaware of the ripple he had just sent through the lives of the elite.