Greyhaven never truly slept. Even in the quietest hours of the night, something was always awake — the hum of traffic, the glow of neon lights, the whisper of rain against glass.
But below all that, beneath the city's heartbeat, was another world entirely.
A world that didn't belong to humans.
Rick followed Lira and Marrek down a narrow service stairwell behind an abandoned subway station. The metal door above them creaked shut, sealing out the noise of the surface world. What replaced it was silence — thick, cold, and alive.
A faint blue light pulsed from the rune stone in Lira's hand, casting strange shadows along the wet tunnel walls. The air smelled of earth and rust. Rick shivered and pulled his coat tighter.
> "You sure this is the only way?" he asked.
> "Unless you can walk through walls," Lira replied. "The Free Circles don't exactly have a front desk."
Marrek chuckled softly. "Don't worry, kid. You'll get used to the dark."
Rick didn't answer. The stairs seemed endless. As they descended, he noticed symbols etched into the stone — ancient markings that pulsed faintly, as if recognizing Lira's presence. Every now and then, the tunnel opened into wide chambers filled with broken pillars and dripping pipes, remnants of some forgotten architecture buried by time.
Finally, they reached a vast iron gate. It was covered in sigils that glowed faint red, and beyond it was only blackness.
Lira placed her palm on the gate. "By the old pact, I enter in peace," she murmured.
The gate shuddered. The sigils flickered, then flared. With a low, metallic groan, it swung open, revealing a cavern that stretched farther than Rick could see.
Lights shimmered in the distance — not electric ones, but lanterns filled with swirling green flame. Rick stepped forward and froze.
An entire city stretched beneath Greyhaven.
Stone bridges arched over dark rivers. Towers carved into the rock glowed faintly with runic energy. Market stalls lined narrow streets where creatures of every kind moved — vampires in long coats, fae with glowing eyes, and beasts half-hidden under illusion charms.
"The Underveil," Marrek said softly. "Welcome to where the forgotten still breathe."
Rick was speechless. It was like stepping into a dream — or a nightmare.
They walked through the winding streets. Everywhere they went, people stared. A human walking beside a mage and a vampire wasn't normal here. Rick could feel the distrust in their eyes, the way conversations stopped when they passed.
> "They don't like outsiders," he whispered.
> "They don't like anyone," Lira replied. "But they'll listen to Lady Sova. She owes me a favor."
They stopped before a wide temple-like building carved into the rock. At its entrance stood two massive stone statues — winged guardians holding swords made of obsidian. Inside, the air was heavy with incense. Torches burned with blue fire, lighting a long hall lined with symbols of the Free Circles.
Lady Sova was waiting.
She was tall and pale, her hair silver as moonlight. Her eyes gleamed like liquid metal. Though she smiled faintly when she saw Lira, Rick could feel the power in her presence — calm, but dangerous.
> "It's been a long time, Lira," Sova said, her voice soft but echoing through the hall. "You've brought a human into the Underveil. That's bold, even for you."
> "He's not just any human," Lira replied. "He's the one who can break the Silence."
The room grew colder. Even Marrek looked uneasy.
Sova studied Rick. "So, you're the one they call the Veil-Born."
> "I don't even know what that means," Rick muttered.
> "You will," she said. "If you live long enough."
She turned away, motioning for them to follow.
They entered a chamber filled with runes carved into the floor. At its center stood a pool of dark water that reflected no light.
> "This is the Mirror Well," Sova said. "It shows what hides beneath the surface. Look, and it will answer what words cannot."
Rick hesitated, then knelt beside the pool. The moment he touched the water, visions exploded behind his eyes — flashes of cities burning, winged shadows flying across crimson skies, and a man standing alone before an army of creatures made of mist and fire.
Then he saw himself, standing in the middle of it all, holding a blade that shimmered with both light and darkness.
He gasped and stumbled back. The vision was gone.
> "What did you see?" Lira asked.
> "I… I don't know," Rick said, breathing hard. "But I think it was me."
Sova watched him quietly. "The Veil is stirring. Whatever balance held our worlds apart is breaking. And when it shatters — both the Hidden and the humans will fall."
Marrek frowned. "So what do we do?"
Sova's silver eyes glinted. "You find the first key. Before the Shadow Court does."
Rick looked at Lira, confused. "The Shadow Court?"
> "They're what hunts the light," she said. "Old magic. Old hatred. And they've been waiting for someone like you."
A chill ran through Rick's spine.
Sova turned to him one last time. "The path ahead will break you if you're not careful. But if you survive it, the world may yet remember your name."
As they left the temple, the lanterns flickered. The streets outside were strangely quiet. And somewhere in the distance, deep in the dark tunnels, Rick thought he heard a whisper — faint, cold, and familiar.
> "We see you now, Veil-Born."
He froze, turning toward the sound.
But nothing was there — only the empty air and the slow echo of dripping water.
Lira placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't look too long into the dark, Rick. Sometimes…it looks back."
Rick nodded slowly. He didn't know what lay ahead, but one thing was certain — Greyhaven's shadows were no longer just shadows. Something had awakened, and it had his name on its tongue.