The roar of applause faded into the steady rhythm of drums and flutes as the next performers took the stage. Dancers in silken attire swirled beneath the banners of the Empire, their steps echoing tradition older than the very throne they honored. The colosseum glimmered in sunlight, yet behind the spectacle, Kael's mind was already elsewhere.
Behind the princesses' resplendent figures, Kael stood unmoving—a masked sentinel who seemed nothing more than a retainer. Yet in the silence of his thoughts, strategy brewed like a gathering storm. Gravemont. The sigil found in the warehouse burned in his memory like a brand. And that masked figure—whoever he was—was no mere conspirator. Together, they were moving pieces on a board that stretched far beyond today's celebrations.
Without turning his head, Kael spoke in the softest murmur, a voice only Umbra could hear as she slipped from the shadows behind him."Take the assassin leader. Move to the mining capital. Sweep its surroundings—every tunnel, every outpost, every gate. Gravemont is stirring something there. Find it."
Umbra's crimson eyes glowed faintly in acknowledgment."As you command, my lord."
With the grace of a ghost, she vanished into the fold of shadows, her departure unnoticed by the nobles and soldiers alike. Another piece set in motion.
Kael let his eyes drift back to the performers, the dancers' bright veils twisting like flame and silk beneath the sun. The crowd cheered, oblivious, basking in the pageantry of their Empire's strength. It was almost ironic—while their cheers reached the skies, a storm of betrayal was already taking root beneath their feet.
His gaze flicked toward Sara, who stood poised at the side of the princesses, her mask concealing her own quiet thoughts. Subtly, Kael shifted, raising a hand just enough to signal her with a slight curl of his fingers. A gesture meant for her alone.
She caught it instantly. For a moment, her brows furrowed beneath her veil, and then she followed as he stepped discreetly toward the quieter edge of the colosseum.
Her heart, however, betrayed her.Why is he calling me aside? In the middle of all this? In front of so many eyes?
Her pace quickened, not with fear, but with a confusing warmth. A part of her expected whispers of strategy, another part—against her will—imagined something far more personal.
When she reached him in the shadowed corner of the grand archway, the sounds of music and cheer still thundered outside, but here it felt muted, almost intimate. Kael stood tall, mask hiding his expression, the staff Branik had crafted still in his grip.
Sara's voice was soft, just above a whisper."You… wanted to see me?"
Her strange thoughts tangled with her words, her heart racing faster than she wanted to admit.
Kael's gaze, unseen beneath the mask, fixed on her with an intensity that held no hint of jest.
Kael's masked face remained unreadable, but the weight in his eyes was unmistakable. He lowered his voice so only Sara could hear, the noise of the Foundation Day festivities barely reaching their corner.
"Something's wrong," he said, his tone calm but edged with a subtle steel. "Gravemont… he's not here merely for appearances. I've sent Umbra and the assassin leader to check the surrounding districts, the warehouses, every alley. Whatever he's planning… it's big. Bigger than any one person can handle."
Sara leaned in slightly, compelled by his intensity. The closeness, combined with the masked secrecy of their conversation, made her pulse quicken. "Big… like an attack?" she asked, voice trembling with both worry and the thrill of being included in his confidence.
Kael nodded. "Yes. And more than that. I've learned that he's made a deal—magic crystals, bound to the Enemy Emperor himself. His goal… to eliminate all the empire's Backbones, and the princesses. If that happens, the Empire loses its pillars overnight."
Sara's grip tightened subtly on the edge of her mask, her eyes narrowing behind it. "Then… we need to stop it before it even starts."
Kael's hand instinctively brushed against hers, not touching but close enough to make her inhale sharply. The warmth between them was electric, their shared secrecy heightening every sensation. He whispered, "That's why I brought you here, close. I need you to understand the danger… and trust me with it."
Sara's breath caught, her heartbeat betraying her composure. "I… I trust you," she said softly, the words heavier than any sword or spell.
Kael's masked eyes lingered on her, the air between them charged, before he allowed himself a small, almost imperceptible nod. "Good. Because we won't have much time once the magic starts forming."
The shadows stretched long across the slums and warehouses. Umbra's crimson eyes glowed faintly in the darkened alleys, tracking Gravemont's movements with preternatural precision. The assassin leader moved silently beside her, his senses keen.
"There," Umbra hissed, pointing to a figure slipping into a warehouse. "He's not alone. There are several accomplices—symbols of abyssal energy are faint but rising."
The leader nodded, disappearing into the shadows as they followed.
In the hidden chamber beneath the mining capital, Gravemont's hands hovered above a glowing map. At the center of the capital, a massive magic circle was growing, intricate runes pulsing with malevolent light.
"Soon," Gravemont muttered, his voice low but filled with sinister satisfaction. "The princesses and the Backbones will fall… and the Emperor will reclaim his lost pride. With this circle, nothing in Greyspire will stop us, and neither will the masked man."
A crystal embedded in the center of the map shimmered violently as the ritual progressed, each pulse sending ripples across the chamber. Gravemont's eyes glimmered as he envisioned the chaos to come, completely unaware that Kael and Sara were already plotting steps to dismantle his plan.
Back in the corner near the stage, Kael's voice softened again, a subtle intimacy threading through his words.
"Whatever happens, stay close to me," he murmured. "I can handle armies, constructs, even dragons—but not if I don't have someone I trust by my side."
Sara swallowed hard, her cheeks warming beneath the mask. "I… I'll stay with you. Always."
Kael's gloved hand brushed hers once more, this time deliberately, a silent promise of protection—and perhaps more—before he pulled back and gestured toward the stage.
"Stay alert. Observe everything. Our window to act is small."
Outside, the festival continued, oblivious to the storm brewing beneath the glittering banners. The magic circle pulsed ever larger at the heart of the mining capital, and Gravemont's plot began to set the stage for a confrontation that would test not only Kael's strength but the loyalty and courage of everyone around him—including the masked woman who had captured more than his attention.