Night had fallen like a velvet shroud over Valenport, swallowing the city's cluttered rooftops and twisting alleyways in deep shadow. The gas lamps flickered weakly, their amber flames struggling against the encroaching darkness.
Even the ever-present hum of merchants and townsfolk had dwindled to a distant murmur. Tonight, the city seemed to hold its breath — as if waiting for something to break the fragile calm.
I moved swiftly through the maze of narrow streets, the leather soles of my boots barely making a sound against the cobblestones. Ryn's words echoed in my mind: "The Silent Serpents are only the beginning. You're tangled in a web far thicker than you realize."
Her warning wasn't idle fear-mongering. I'd felt it — the unseen eyes tracking my every move, whispers trailing behind me like ghosts. This was no mere hunt. It was a calculated purge.
I glanced at the small satchel slung across my shoulder — inside, a few potions, herbs gifted by the old herbalist, and the crude map Merchant Loran had given me weeks ago. Tonight wasn't about quests or coins. It was about survival.
I rounded a corner and slipped into the shadowed doorway of a rundown tavern named The Broken Compass. The heavy wooden door creaked softly as I entered, and the warmth — thick with smoke, spilled ale, and the buzz of whispered conversations — enveloped me.
Ryn was already there, seated in a dark corner, her hood drawn low. Her sharp eyes flicked up as I approached.
"Glad you came," she murmured, voice barely above the tavern's murmur. "Time is short."
I slid into the seat opposite her, watching the room carefully. Every face seemed a mask — some worn with fatigue, others hiding sharper intentions.
"Tell me everything," I said.
Ryn took a slow breath, glancing around before she spoke. "The Silent Serpents aren't just assassins. They're the enforcers for a powerful coalition — guild leaders, merchant princes, and corrupt nobles. They've been consolidating control over Valenport's underworld for years, eliminating threats quietly."
I nodded grimly. "And me?"
She leaned in closer, voice dropping to a whisper. "You're a threat because of what you were… and what you could become again. Your Soul Resonance is rare. And while you try to stay hidden, the coalition's spies are everywhere — in taverns, markets, even the Guild Hall. They've reported every strange blade of energy, every unexplainable escape. Your power doesn't stay secret for long."
Her words cut deep. I was no longer just a hunter struggling to regain rank — I was a symbol. A potential catalyst.
"Why help me?" I asked.
Ryn's eyes flickered with something almost like regret. "Because I owe you. The same people who want you dead took someone from me."
The weight of that unspoken pain settled between us.
She slid a small parchment across the table. "There are others like us — people who don't trust the guilds or nobles but want to see change. If we want to survive, we need to find them. Build an alliance."
The thought was daunting. Trust was a luxury, and alliances could fracture at the slightest crack. But isolation was a death sentence.
Before I could respond, the tavern door slammed open, and a group of rough-looking men entered, their eyes scanning the room. The air shifted — a silent warning.
Ryn stiffened. "We're not alone."
I rose smoothly, hand going to the hilt of my sword beneath my cloak.
The leader of the men, a burly figure with a jagged scar across his cheek, locked eyes with me. "Kael Draven."
My blood ran cold.
"They sent you after me?" I hissed to Ryn.
Her face was unreadable. "Not all of them."
The scarred man stepped closer. "You're fast, but not fast enough. The Silent Serpents want a message delivered."
I tightened my grip. "You'll have to kill me first."
Before anyone could move, the tavern's back door exploded inward, and a blur of steel and shadow swept through the room.
Ryn moved like a phantom, blades flashing. I joined the fray, energy crackling along my sword's edge as Soul Resonance flared to life.
The fight was brutal but swift. When the last assailant fell, silence returned — broken only by heavy breaths and the creak of settling wood.
Ryn looked at me, eyes fierce. "This is just the beginning."
I wiped blood from my blade and nodded. "Then we better be ready."
As we slipped out into the night, the city's shadows seemed to pulse around us — alive, watching, waiting.
The war for Valenport's soul had begun.