Inside the hall, the atmosphere was as lively as ever. Pyers crowded around the quest boards, guild merchants, and training areas. The hum of excitement for the next big raid or dungeon filled the air. Mason and Fi immediately headed for the tavern, Fi dragging him by the arm with her usual boundless energy.

  “We need celebratory drinks!” she decred loudly. “Mason’s buying!”

  “Why is it always me?” Mason groaned, though he didn’t resist.

  Selene chuckled softly, shaking her head. “They’ll be occupied for a while.”

  “Good,” Devon said, his voice low as he stepped closer to me. “You need a break after today.”

  I gnced at him, catching the faint worry in his expression. “I’m fine,” I said, smiling faintly. “Really.”

  “You say that a lot,” he said, his hand brushing mine briefly. “But you don’t have to do it all alone, Kiera.”

  Selene gave me a knowing look, her eyes softening. “He’s right. Take a minute to breathe. We’ll handle anything that comes up.”

  The three of us settled near one of the quieter corners of the guild hall, away from the main bustle. Devon unfolded the map from our recent quest, ying it across the table. “If the Ashen Warden was tied to the anomalies, we should look into simir zones.”

  “And the fragments?” Selene asked, her gaze flicking to me.

  I hesitated, the weight of the Binary Fragment still fresh in my mind. “... it almost seems like collecting them is one endless goal.”

  Devon’s brow furrowed. “That’s why it’s called a fail safe. They were already suspicious of UNKNOWN and had pnned this for months, maybe years, or since the games development.”

  The mention of UNKNOWN sent a chill down my spine. I hadn’t heard from them directly since our st encounter, but their presence lingered like a shadow over everything we did.

  “What’s the next move, then?” Devon asked, looking between Selene and me. “Another corrupted zone? A dungeon?”

  “Both, probably,” Selene said. “But first, we need more intel. Let the guild spread out and gather reports. We can’t rush into the next zone blind.”

  I nodded, feeling a pang of relief at her pragmatism. “Agreed. Let’s take a day to regroup. I’ll handle the guild’s report system and see if anything stands out.”

  Just as we were settling into our pnning, Fi’s voice rang out from across the hall. “Kiera! Get over here!”

  I sighed, standing reluctantly. “I’ll be back.”

  Selene smirked. “Take your time.”

  I made my way to the tavern, where Fi and Mason had somehow gathered a small crowd around their table. Several guild members were ughing and cheering as Fi stood on her chair, dramatically reenacting our fight against the Ashen Warden.

  “And then,” she said, twirling one of her swords for emphasis, “I charged in like the hero I am, and bam! Took out three mobs in one go!”

  Mason groaned, his head in his hands. “She’s never going to let me live this down.”

  “You mean when I saved you?” Fi shot back, her grin mischievous. “Because I definitely remember saving your butt.”

  “Sounds accurate,” I said, joining the table.

  “See? Kiera gets it!” Fi said triumphantly.

  “You’re impossible,” Mason muttered, though there was no real frustration in his voice.

  As the group dissolved into ughter and chatter, I caught sight of Ethan leaning against the far wall, his dark eyes watching me with quiet intensity. When our gazes met, he gave me a small nod, as if to say he’d been keeping an eye on everything.

  I walked over, lowering my voice. “You didn’t join in?”

  “Crowds aren’t my thing,” he said with a shrug. “Besides, I prefer watching from here. Easier to keep an eye on you.”

  “Me?” I asked, raising an eyebrow. “Why?”

  “Because someone has to,” he said, his smirk softening into something more genuine. “You have a habit of running yourself into the ground, you know.”

  I smiled faintly. “Thanks, Ethan.”

  “Don’t mention it,” he said, his voice lowering slightly. “And hey—if things get too heavy, you know where to find me.”

  By the time the evening settled into a comfortable rhythm, the guild was buzzing with new quests and pns for the next adventure. But I couldn’t shake the weight of the way Lyra had looked at me.

  As I slipped away from the crowd and logged out for the night, my mind churned with possibilities. The fragments were leading us somewhere, and UNKNOWN’s shadow loomed rger with each passing day.

  ?????°???°?????

  I logged back into Eidolon Nexus the next day, greeted by the familiar hum of the Emberhold guild hall. The bright chatter of pyers, the glow of the quest boards, and the constant movement of adventurers preparing for their next mission were as lively as ever. My boots hit the polished stone floor as I made my way toward the quest board, where Devon and Selene were already waiting.

  “Morning,” I said, my HUD adjusting to show the day’s notifications.

  “Morning?” Devon smirked. “You’re te. Half the guild’s already out.”

  “Late?” I raised an eyebrow. “I’m here exactly when I need to be. Besides, you could always come and wake me, you know.”

  Devon grinned. “Then, we’d both te.”

  Selene rolled her eyes, though there was a faint smirk on her lips. “We’ve narrowed it down to two quests worth taking. The others were either too low-level or not worth the effort.”

  She pointed at the glowing board, where two highlighted quests stood out:

  [Avaible Quests:]

  [Anomalous Rift – Crimson Vale] Difficulty: High Recommended Level: 30–40 Details: Unstable energy fields have begun spreading through the Crimson Vale. Investigate and neutralize the source. Rewards: 7,000 EXP, 3,500 Gold, +2 Rare Drops.

  [The Glitching Hive – Bleeding Pines] Difficulty: High Recommended Level: 35+ Details: Aggressive mobs and terrain glitches have made the Bleeding Pines a dangerous zone. Clear the area and retrieve the corrupted core. Rewards: 8,500 EXP, 4,000 Gold, +1 Legendary Drop.

  “Both high-stakes, both tied to anomalies,” Selene said. “Take your pick.”

  “Crimson Vale’s terrain is easier to navigate,” Devon added. “But Bleeding Pines has better rewards if we can handle the glitches.”

  Before I could respond, Fi bounded up, her twin swords clinking against her back. Mason followed close behind, looking mildly annoyed but no less prepared. “What’s the pn, boss?” Fi asked, grinning. “I’m ready to stab something.”

  “Of course, you are,” Mason muttered, adjusting his hammer.

  “I was just about to decide,” I said, scanning the quests again. “Any input?”

  “Crimson Vale,” Mason said firmly. “It’s more manageable, and we’re better off easing into today’s grind after yesterday’s chaos.”

  “Bleeding Pines sounds more fun,” Fi countered. “High risk, high reward. You know you love it, Kiera.”

  “Fi,” Devon said, his tone exasperated. “This isn’t about fun.”

  “Speak for yourself,” she shot back.

  “I’m with Mason,” I said finally, tapping the Crimson Vale quest. “Let’s not get reckless just yet.”

  Fi groaned but didn’t argue, and the others nodded in agreement. A notification popped up in my HUD as the quest locked into our party tracker.

  [Quest Accepted: Anomalous Rift – Crimson Vale] Objective: Investigate and neutralize the source of the unstable energy fields in the Crimson Vale.

  “Let’s gear up and head out,” I said. “We don’t know how long this will take.”

  The transition from Emberhold’s bustling warmth to the scorching ndscape of the Crimson Vale was jarring. The red-hued wastend stretched out before us, the air shimmering with heat and the occasional crackle of unstable energy. Jagged rocks and scorched earth marked the terrain, and faint pulses of corrupted energy radiated from fissures in the ground.

  “This pce is a death trap,” Ethan said, his voice calm but ced with humor as he walked beside me. His bow rested on his back, though I knew he’d switch to daggers the moment things got messy.

  Fi hopped up onto a nearby boulder, squinting at the terrain ahead. “No mobs yet. Kinda disappointing.”

  “They’ll be here,” Selene said, her voice quiet but certain. “They always are.”

  It didn’t take long for her prediction to come true. A low, guttural growl echoed through the vale, and from behind the jagged rocks, a pack of corrupted beasts emerged. Their glitching forms shimmered, their glowing eyes locked onto us.

  [Corrupted Fiends – Level 32.] HP: 3,000 each. Abilities:

  Phase Shift: Randomly teleports to avoid attacks.Corrupted Bite: Inflicts Bleed over time.“Finally!” Fi shouted, drawing her swords. “Let’s go!”

  “Stick to the pn!” I called, moving into position. “Fi and Mason, take the front. Selene and Lyra, fnk them. Ethan, cover us with ranged attacks.”

  The team moved like clockwork. Mason charged forward, his hammer smashing into the first fiend with a resounding crack that sent it staggering.

  [Mason uses Earthshatter.] 1,200 Damage dealt. AoE Stagger applied.

  Fi darted in next, her twin swords fshing in a blur of motion as she sliced through the fiends’ glitching forms.

  [Fi uses Bde Dance.] Multi-hit! 2,800 Damage dealt to Fiend #1. Enemy defeated.

  Selene’s dagger struck critical points as they darted around the pack.

  [Selene uses Shadowstep Barrage.] Critical Hits! 4,000 Damage dealt to Fiend #2.Ethan’s arrows rained down from above, each one finding its mark with deadly accuracy.

  [Ethan uses Rapid Volley.] Multi-hit! 3,000 Damage dealt to Fiend #4.

  The eerie hum of the glowing fissure ahead grew louder, the air crackling with energy. Devon gestured for the group to pause, his sword raised in caution. “Something’s wrong. Stay sharp.”

  I nodded, gncing at the others. Fi was perched on a rock, bancing one of her swords on her finger like a seesaw while Mason stood nearby, gripping his hammer tightly. Ethan hung back, his bow at the ready. Selene, as always, was scanning the terrain, missing nothing.

  “Fi, focus,” I said, my tone sharper than usual.

  She groaned but hopped off the rock. “I am focused. Just waiting for something interesting to happen.”

  “Try to look like it,” Mason muttered under his breath, adjusting his stance.

  Fi’s head snapped toward him, her grin turning teasing. “What’s that supposed to mean, big guy? Afraid I’ll outshine you again?”

  Mason didn’t respond immediately, but the tightness in his jaw was hard to miss. “Maybe if you spent less time showing off and more time paying attention, you wouldn’t keep putting the rest of us in danger.”

  That stopped her in her tracks. The grin faltered for a moment, repced by something unreadable. Then, with a shrug, she ughed it off. “You’re no fun, Mason. Loosen up a little.”

  I gnced between them, the tension palpable. Devon caught my eye and gave a subtle shake of his head, as if to say, Not now.

  “Alright, let’s keep moving,” I said, breaking the silence. “We’re burning daylight.”

  As we pressed deeper into the Crimson Vale, the team’s usual synergy felt... off. Fi kept darting ahead, her movements more erratic than usual, while Mason hung back, uncharacteristically quiet. Even Devon’s steadying presence didn’t seem to be enough to smooth things over.

  Selene fell into step beside me, her voice low. “What’s going on with them?”

  “I don’t know,” I admitted, keeping my gaze forward. “But whatever it is, it’s messing with the flow.”

  “Talk to them ter,” she suggested. “We can’t afford distractions if things escate.”

  We didn’t have to wait long for things to escate. The ground beneath us rumbled, and another fissure opened, spilling corrupted energy into the air. From the glow emerged a massive, glitching creature that let out a bone-shaking roar.

  [Glitchfire Elemental – Level 35.] HP: 10,000 Abilities:

  Fire Burst: AoE fire damage.Phase Shift: Teleports to avoid attacks.Corruption Fre: Reduces party mana over time.“It’s huge,” Ethan said, his bow already drawn.

  “And glitchy,” Selene added, readying her daggers.

  “Fi, Mason—take the lead,” I ordered. “Devon, cover them. Ethan, keep your distance and hit weak points. Selene, you’re with me—fnk it.”

  Fi charged in without hesitation, her twin swords spinning in a flurry of strikes that nded solidly against the Elemental’s glowing core.

  [Fi uses Bde Cyclone.] 3,200 Damage dealt to Glitchfire Elemental.

  Mason followed closely, his hammer swinging down with a resounding crash that sent sparks flying.

  [Mason uses Earthshatter.] 2,800 Damage dealt. Enemy staggered.

  The Elemental roared, releasing a Fire Burst that engulfed the area in fmes. I activated Shadow Embrace to bind it in pce, giving the others a chance to recover.

  [Kiera uses Shadow Embrace.] Glitchfire Elemental immobilized for 5 seconds.

  “Keep hitting it!” I called, but something was wrong. Fi and Mason were still working together, but their movements weren’t as seamless as usual. Mason’s swings were slower, more hesitant, while Fi’s strikes seemed overly aggressive, almost reckless.

  “Watch your left, Mason!” Devon shouted, stepping in to shield him from a sudden attack.

  “I’ve got it,” Mason snapped, though his voice cked its usual steadiness.

  Fi scoffed. “Do you? Because it looked like Devon had to bail you out.”

  “Not now, Fi,” I warned, but she didn’t back down.

  “What’s your deal today, anyway?” she pressed, even as she delivered another spinning strike to the Elemental. “You’ve been weird since we started.”

  “Maybe I’m just tired of your joking about. Not taking things seriously,” Mason shot back, his hammer smashing into the Elemental with a burst of energy.

  [Mason uses Radiant Smash.] 3,000 Damage dealt to Glitchfire Elemental.

  “Enough!” Devon barked, his voice cutting through the tension. “Focus on the fight.”

  The Elemental let out another roar, its Corruption Fre draining our mana as it prepared for a final attack.

  “Finish it!” I shouted, activating Eclipse Bde to deal the killing blow.

  [Kiera uses Eclipse Bde.] Final Blow! 5,000 Damage dealt. Glitchfire Elemental defeated.

  The Elemental shattered into shards of glowing data, and the air grew still once more.

  As we regrouped, the tension between Fi and Mason was still palpable. Devon gnced at me, his expression unreadable, before stepping forward.

  “Alright,” he said firmly. “What’s going on?”

  “Nothing,” Mason muttered, avoiding Fi’s gaze.

  “Nothing?” Fi echoed, her tone sharper than usual. “Because it seems like you’ve got a problem with me.”

  Selene sighed, stepping in before things could escate further. “Save it for ter. We’re not out of the Vale yet.”

  Reluctantly, they both fell silent, though the tension lingered as we continued toward the next fissure.