Shadowfell
Under the moonlight, Nimora, Rylan, and Rowan walked along the narrow path cutting through the open field. In the distance, a massive structure loomed—exactly where they were headed.
"Nim, can I ask you something?" Rylan said.
"Just ask," she replied, twirling a rose she'd picked along the way.
"Why didn't you use that power again? You handled those three orcs on your own before."
"I told you—I can't use it on purpose. Everything that happened back then only showed up because I was cornered."
"But you said your sister taught you how to fight like that, right?"
"Yeah. She only taught me the techniques—how to attack and defend. But the rest… there's something inside me I can't control when it happens. And I don't want a repeat of what happened before."
Her eyes suddenly dimmed as she looked down.
"What happened?" Rylan pressed.
"Forget it. Let's just focus on what we're here for. I need to get that cure."
Nimora didn't want to dig any deeper. She didn't want to reopen a wound she'd buried for years. She hated that part of herself—hated the memory tied to it.
Rylan dropped the topic, switching to their current plan instead.
Meanwhile, Rowan stretched his arms as he walked. After such an intense battle, his strength was nearly drained—especially his hands, which had been playing the violin nonstop.
"You alright, kiddo?" Rylan asked.
"Yeah, just a little sore after that ambush."
Once they cleared the field, three riders on horseback approached from the front. Rowan lifted his violin defensively. Rylan rested his hand on his sword.
"Guys, relax. Don't attack first," Nimora said.
The three guards, clad in heavy armor with an intimidating presence, pointed their spears at them.
"Who are you? How did you get here?" one of them asked.
"We're just passing through. We're trying to get to Mythren, and we know the entrance is inside the kingdom. Please, just let us through," Rylan said.
"And what business do you have there?"
"A cu—"
"An expedition," Nimora cut him off. "We're doing an expedition to Mythren to observe the area."
The guards exchanged a look, as if silently speaking to one another. Then they lowered their spears and escorted Nimora, Rylan, and Rowan into the Shadowfell Kingdom.
The castle doors opened, revealing an interior drenched in black. It was clear the kingdom's entire theme revolved around death.
And just as they expected, a woman with curved horns and dark wings sat on the throne. Her stare was sharp enough to cut. Lilith Morwen—demon and Queen of Shadowfell.
Without small talk, she immediately demanded their purpose. Nimora gave the same explanation she had earlier.
"LIAR!" the queen roared, startling the three of them. "Seize them!"
"What? Hey—what are you doing? We're not lying!" Nimora protested as guards grabbed them.
But resistance was pointless. They were already deep inside a demon queen's territory. Even if they managed to escape the guards, there was no way they'd escape her.
They were thrown into an underground prison, all shoved into the same cell. Two other women were already sitting inside. One of them stood up.
"Guess who ran into us again," she said to her companion.
When Nimora and the others looked closely, their eyes widened—the two prisoners were the same women who had attacked them before: the harpist and the twin-axe wielder.
"Oh, great. Guys, step back," Rylan said, moving in front protectively.
"What are you doing? You think we're gonna attack you?" the harpist asked.
"You attacked us before," Nimora shot back.
"We're not hunters. We were paid to kill," the harpist said plainly.
"You didn't need to tell them that, Nyssara," said the axe user—Thyra.
"It's fine, Thyra. I don't think they're a threat. We could use them as allies."
"No. They're weak. They wouldn't last a minute in there."
"And who would want to be your ally anyway, ugly," Rowan muttered.
"Watch your mouth, kid."
Thyra stood up and began walking toward him.
Rylan immediately stepped in front of Rowan. "You got a problem? Deal with me first."
Thyra scanned him from head to toe, eyes sharp. "Watch yourselves in front of me, or I'll crush all of you right here."
"Try me," Rylan replied coldly.
"Whoa—whoa—hey! Enough! What are you two doing?" Nimora stepped between them, trying to stop the fight before it exploded inside the cell.
Thyra told Nyssara the trio was not worth taking as allies. Rylan also refused to cooperate with the two killers if that was their only way out of the kingdom.
Nyssara, however, believed there was no better option—they'd need allies soon.
Hearing their small argument, Nimora finally asked, "What game are you even talking about?"
"Project V: Survival Protocol," Thyra answered. "It involves seven regions. Each region must send a team of five of their strongest members. In the end, only one team survives. The rest die."