The night was still, but the air carried a supernatural weight, as if the sky itself were holding its breath. The Eternal Tavern stood alone atop a mist-shrouded hill, its windows glowing with a warm light that defied the darkness. It was a place that shouldn't exist—a structure of wood and stone, both ancient and new, with pulsating runes etched into its beams and a simple sign that read: "Welcome, Traveler." No one knew how to find it, yet those in need of refuge, answers, or a good fight always ended up at its door.
Elias Varn, the tavern's master, stood behind the counter, polishing a crystal goblet with an impeccably white cloth. He looked young, with tousled brown hair, emerald eyes that held secrets of forgotten ages, and a smile that blended charm with danger. He wore a black shirt with rolled-up sleeves, revealing arms covered in faintly glowing scars, like cracks of starlight across his skin. He hummed an ancient, half-forgotten tune as he surveyed the night's patrons.
The tavern was lively, as always. At one table, a group of mercenaries laughed loudly, their armor clinking as they clinked mugs of mead. At another, a silver-haired elf pored over an arcane tome, her brow furrowed in focus. In the darkest corner, a hooded man with fiery eyes drank alone, the air around him shimmering with restrained power. And in the center of the room, a young woman with crow-like wings argued with a goblin over the price of a mana potion.
Elias loved this. The organized chaos, the stories converging in his tavern, the lives intertwining under his roof. He was more than a mere tavern keeper. He was the guardian of a nexus, a point where the threads of fate wove together. But above all, he was a man running out of time.
Ping!
A metallic chime rang in his mind, and a translucent screen appeared before his eyes, visible only to him. Golden letters pulsed with an energy that felt alive.
Vitality System: New Mission Available!
Mission: "The Unwelcome Guest"
Objective: Identify and neutralize the hidden threat among tonight's patrons.
Reward: +10 Vitality Points, [Mystic Brew Recipe].
Penalty for Failure: -50 Vitality Points.
Time Limit: Until dawn.
Elias's smile didn't falter, but his eyes narrowed slightly. The system had been with him for years, ever since the curse took root in his soul. It was both a lifeline and a leash, granting him the means to extend his fading existence while demanding he dance to its tune. Vitality Points were his currency for survival—each point bought him hours, maybe days, of life. But losing them? That was a death sentence accelerated.
He set the goblet down and leaned forward, scanning the room with a casual air that belied his focus. A hidden threat? In his tavern? The idea was almost amusing. The Eternal Tavern was a sanctuary, but it wasn't immune to trouble. Its neutrality was enforced by Elias's reputation—and his power. Few dared to challenge the man who could shatter mountains with a thought. But someone here was foolish enough to try.
"Oi, Elias!" called one of the mercenaries, a burly man with a scarred face and a grin full of missing teeth. "When you gonna join us for a round? Or you too busy playing lord of the manor?"
Elias chuckled, his voice smooth as honey. "Tempting, Gorran, but someone's gotta keep this place from burning down. You lot are worse than a dragon with indigestion."
The mercenaries roared with laughter, and the atmosphere lightened. But Elias's mind was elsewhere, cataloging every face, every movement. The elf? Too absorbed in her book, her mana signature steady. The hooded man? Dangerous, but his aura was stable, not hostile. The winged woman and the goblin? Too busy bickering to plot anything sinister.
Then his gaze landed on a figure he hadn't noticed before—a man sitting alone near the fireplace, nursing a tankard of ale. He was unremarkable at first glance: plain brown cloak, short black hair, and a face that seemed designed to be forgotten. But something was off. His mana signature was... muted, almost nonexistent, like a void where there should be life.
Elias's smile widened. Got you.
He moved with purpose, weaving through the crowd with the grace of a predator. Patrons parted instinctively, sensing the shift in his demeanor. He stopped at the man's table and leaned down, resting his hands on the edge of the chair.
"Evening, friend," Elias said, his tone light but laced with steel. "New face around here. Care to share your story?"
The man looked up, his eyes a dull gray that seemed to swallow the light. "Just passing through," he said, his voice flat. "Heard this was a good place for a drink."
"It is," Elias replied, his smile unwavering. "But I've got a rule: no trouble under my roof. And you, my friend, feel like trouble."
The man's lips twitched, almost a smirk. "You're paranoid, taverneiro."
"Maybe." Elias straightened, his eyes glinting. "But I'm rarely wrong."
The air grew heavy, the runes on the tavern walls pulsing brighter. The other patrons sensed the tension, their conversations faltering. The hooded man in the corner set his drink down, his fiery eyes narrowing. The elf glanced up from her tome, her fingers tracing a spell rune in the air.
Ping!
System Update: Threat Identified.
Target: Unknown Entity, Mana-Void Signature.
Recommended Action: Immediate Neutralization.
Elias didn't need the system's nudge. He could feel the danger radiating from the man, subtle but undeniable. This wasn't a simple troublemaker. This was something older, darker—a predator cloaked in human skin.
"Last chance," Elias said, his voice low. "Who are you, and what do you want?"
The man stood slowly, his movements deliberate. The cloak fell away, revealing a body that seemed to flicker, as if struggling to maintain its form. "You're not the only one with power here, Varn," he hissed. "The Eternal Tavern is a prize worth claiming."
Elias laughed, a sound that echoed with both amusement and menace. "Oh, friend," he said, cracking his knuckles. "You just made a very bad decision."
The tavern erupted into chaos.