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Chapter 4
The city awoke under a veiled sky, soft light filtering through heavy clouds that promised rain. The tension within the walls was palpable, as if the very air was holding its breath.
Kael moved through the narrow streets with the same cautious gait he had perfected over the months. His body remained fragile, but now his aura had grown stronger in the eyes of the Heralds of Dawn. To them, he was a reliable ally; to himself, a predator lurking within the flock.
He arrived at the meeting hall where the main heroes gathered. Ser Aelric, Eldrin, and Lyra were already there, their faces marked by fatigue and worry.
Kael greeted them with a nod, sitting near Lyra, who cast him a wary but fleeting glance. The room was heavy with unspoken fears.
"The reports from the northern border have become increasingly alarming," Eldrin began, her fingers nervously tracing the edges of the map spread before them. "The cultists seem to be stirring. They may be preparing something big."
Ser Aelric grunted. "Our patrols have seen shadows moving in the forest at night. Too organized to be mere bandits."
Kael's eyes gleamed with calculating light. This was the perfect moment to strike.
"Perhaps," Kael said softly, "the cultists are exploiting divisions among us. We cannot afford to be fractured."
His words hung in the air, subtle yet heavy with meaning.
Lyra shifted uneasily. "What divisions? We are united."
Kael's smile was thin, almost pitying. "Really? Or are we hiding our doubts and fears behind forced smiles? I have noticed… hesitations, whispers in the shadows."
The group exchanged glances, the first cracks appearing.
Later, away from prying eyes, Kael approached Ser Aelric.
"There are whispers among the men," Kael said quietly, "that you favor some over others. That not everyone shares your trust."
Aelric's jaw tightened. "Rumors travel fast. But I do what's best for the group."
"Of course," Kael nodded. "Yet perception can be as dangerous as any blade."
Each carefully planted seed was growing in the shadows.
That evening, Kael found Lyra alone on the ramparts, gazing into the dark forest.
"I spoke with Aelric today," Kael said softly as he approached.
She didn't turn. "What did he say?"
"That trust is fragile. And some wounds are invisible."
Lyra's fingers tightened around her bow.
Kael added quietly, "Be ready. Shadows gather where the light falters."
As days passed, the atmosphere grew heavier. Friends looked at each other with suspicion; alliances wavered.
Yet no one suspected the silent man weaving their fate.
In the dead of night, Kael stood alone, eyes closed, feeling the pulse of his infinite mana flow within him.
The real game had begun.
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