Kael Varyn barely had time to process Anjali's words before the Ashen Forge soldiers charged into the Cog and Hammer, their molten armor glowing like embers in the dim tavern light. The leader—a hulking figure wielding a fiery mace that crackled with Essence—roared again, his voice shaking the walls: "The starlit relic is here! Surrender it, or burn!" The air in the Iron Crucible's Gearsmith's Quarter grew suffocating, the fiery Essence of this steampunk realm amplifying the heat of the soldiers' weapons. Kael's hand tightened around the Starlit Veil in his jacket, its glow seeping through the fabric, marking him as their target.
The tavern erupted into chaos. Patrons screamed, overturning tables as they fled, while others—hardened mercenaries and gearsmiths—drew glowing weapons, eager for a fight. Kael's HUD flashed in his vision, the System updating with its cold precision:
- ''Stats'': Strength 8, Smarts 16, Influence 5, Mystery 12
- ''Level'': Beginner
- ''Points'': 0
- ''Task'': Escape the Ashen Forge
- ''Reward'': 350 Points
Vox, the System's voice, added a chilling warning: 'Threat level: Critical. Essence output: Overwhelming. Recommendation: Flee or fight.' Kael's pulse raced. He wasn't a fighter—he was a hacker, a thinker—but the Veil, the System, and this multiversal mess had dragged him into battles he couldn't outsmart.
Anjali, the gearsmith who'd offered her help, was already on her feet, her dagger glowing with molten Essence as she flashed a fierce grin. "Guess we're fighting together," she said, her voice steady despite the chaos. "Let's move!" Toren, pale but determined, gripped his stun gun, its weak sparks flickering. Kael nodded, his mind racing for a way out. The tavern's main door was blocked by the soldiers, their fiery maces swinging, but a back exit near the bar might give them a chance.
"Back door!" Kael shouted, pointing. He thought, 'Shadow Cloak', hoping to vanish again, but Vox chimed in: 'Insufficient Points. Cost: 50. Current Points: 0.' Kael cursed under his breath—he'd used up his points opening the rift to the Crucible. He'd have to rely on his wits and whatever Anjali and Toren could do.
The Ashen Forge leader swung his mace, sending a wave of flames roaring across the tavern. Kael dove behind a table, pulling Toren with him as the fire scorched the air, singeing his jacket. Anjali rolled to the side, her dagger slashing at a soldier's leg, molten Essence sparking as she struck. The soldier grunted, his armor absorbing the blow, and swung his own weapon—a flaming axe—down at her. She dodged, but the axe grazed her arm, leaving a burn that made her hiss in pain.
"We can't take them head-on!" Toren shouted, firing his stun gun at a soldier. The weak spark barely made the man flinch, but it bought them a second. "Kael, we need to run!"
Kael peeked over the table, his mind mapping the room like a hack—entry, obstacles, exit. The back door was close, but three soldiers stood between them and freedom, their weapons blazing. The leader, his gilded mask glinting with fiery reflections, locked eyes on Kael, as if sensing the Veil. "The Contender will not escape," he growled, raising his mace. A fireball erupted from it, hurtling toward Kael.
Kael dove again, the fireball exploding against the table, splintering it into burning fragments. His HUD noted: 'Strength 7 (-1).' The pain in his shoulder burned, but he pushed it aside, grabbing a broken chair leg as a makeshift weapon. "Anjali, can you distract them?" he called.
She nodded, her eyes fierce. "On it!" She lunged at the nearest soldier, her dagger clashing against his fiery sword, Essence sparks flying. The other two soldiers turned to help, giving Kael and Toren an opening. "Go!" Anjali shouted, dodging a swing that melted the floor where she'd stood.
Kael and Toren bolted for the back door, shoving through the bar counter. The barmaid, her mechanical arm whirring, tossed them a bottle of glowing liquid—some kind of Essence-infused alcohol. "Throw it!" she yelled, diving for cover. Kael caught it, the bottle warm in his hand, and hurled it at the soldiers as they turned. It shattered, exploding into a burst of blue flames that made the soldiers stagger, their armor sizzling.
The back door slammed open, leading to a narrow alley behind the tavern. Kael and Toren sprinted out, Anjali right behind them, her coat scorched but her grin intact. The alley was a maze of steam pipes and brass scaffolding, the air thick with the clang of forges. The soldiers' shouts echoed behind them, their fiery Essence lighting up the night as they gave chase.
"We need to lose them!" Toren panted, his tablet beeping as it scanned for routes. "There's a market up ahead—lots of people, might throw them off!"
Kael nodded, his legs burning as they ran. The Veil pulsed in his jacket, its glow brighter, as if reacting to the danger. Vox spoke: 'Essence surge detected. Host, the Veil can channel Essence for defense. Cost: Host energy.' Kael's breath hitched. He didn't know how to use Essence, but the System seemed to think he could. "How?" he thought, desperate.
'Focus on the Veil. Channel intent: Protect,' Vox instructed. Kael gripped the Veil through his jacket, focusing on the word—'protect'. Warmth surged through him, draining his strength, and a faint shimmer of starry light erupted from the Veil, forming a barrier around them. A soldier's fireball struck it, the flames dissipating against the shield. Kael stumbled, his vision blurring, HUD updating: 'Strength 6 (-1). Essence ability unlocked: Starlit Barrier.'
"Holy—Kael, you did that?" Toren stared, wide-eyed, as the barrier flickered and faded. "You're full of surprises."
"Tell me about it," Kael muttered, his body heavy. The effort had drained him, but it bought them time. They reached the market—a sprawling maze of stalls lit by Essence lanterns, the air alive with the clatter of gears and the shouts of vendors. Kael pushed through the crowd, his dark jacket blending with the leather-clad locals, Toren and Anjali close behind.
They ducked behind a stall selling Essence-forged gears, the vendor too busy to notice. The soldiers stormed into the market, their fiery weapons drawing gasps from the crowd, but the dense throng slowed them down. Kael caught his breath, glancing at Anjali. "Thanks for the help back there," he said, voice rough. "You didn't have to fight for us."
Anjali smirked, wiping soot from her cheek. "I've got my reasons. You've got a System, don't you? That makes you a Contender. I've seen what the Ashen Forge does to people like you—they melt you down, use your Essence to fuel their rituals. I'm not a fan of their kind of fire."
Kael nodded, filing that away. "You said you can get us back to the Nexus. How?"
"There's a rift forge in the Crucible," Anjali explained, her voice low. "Gearsmiths use it to travel between realms—costs a lot of Essence, but I've got connections. Problem is, the Ashen Forge controls it now. We'd need to break in, and we'd need more than just us."
Toren frowned. "What about that Vikram guy? He seemed to know Kael, and he's got that fancy blade. Could he help?"
Kael hesitated, remembering Vikram's smirk, his starlit blade, and the System's warning—'Potential ally or threat.' "Maybe," he said. "But I don't trust him. He knows too much about the Veil, and he called me a Contender, like he's part of this… game."
Anjali's eyes darkened. "He probably is. Relic hunters like him—they're often Contenders too, or they work for them. The Aether Crown draws all kinds. If he's got a relic blade, he's dangerous, but he might be useful."
Before Kael could respond, a shadow loomed over the stall. He looked up, his heart sinking. Vikram stood there, his starlit blade sheathed but glowing faintly, his dark eyes locked on Kael. "You're harder to kill than I expected," Vikram said, his voice smooth. "Good. You'll need that resilience."
Kael stood, hand on the Veil. "What do you want, Vikram?"
Vikram's smirk returned. "The same thing you do—to get out of the Crucible. The Ashen Forge is closing in, and I know a way to the rift forge. But you'll need my help… and I'll need yours." His gaze flicked to the Veil, then back to Kael. "Deal?"
Kael's HUD flashed: 'Task update: Form an alliance. Reward: 400 Points.' Vox added: 'Decision point: Trust or decline.' The market buzzed around them, the Ashen Forge drawing closer, and Kael knew he had to choose—fast.