---
Dawn crept through the dense canopy like a hesitant secret.
Kael woke to the soft hum of the forest stirring to life. His thoughts were tangled in the echo's final words: You're not the only one.
Around the camp, his team stirred—Lyria sharpening her daggers, Thorne stoking the embers of their dwindling fire.
"Any idea who 'they' are?" Lyria asked, not looking up.
Kael shook his head. "No. But whoever controls the Shards controls the game. And it's a game with high stakes."
He lifted the Shard of Origin again. Its glow faint, but unmistakably alive.
---
[System Notification]
New Intel: "Players of the Architect's Game"
Potential allies and enemies revealed. Caution advised.
---
As if summoned, Thorne unrolled an ancient map across a rock, tracing scars and symbols with a grim expression.
"The Guild suspects others have begun moving too," he said. "Fragments are turning up in places marked 'lost.' Old battlegrounds, ruins, forgotten temples."
Lyria's eyes flickered with worry. "That means we're not just chasing power—we're chasing rivals who'll kill for it."
Kael's jaw tightened. "Then we need to find them first."
---
Later That Day – Ruins of Eldravar
The party crept between shattered stone pillars and moss-covered statues. The air was thick with history and danger.
A flicker of movement caught Kael's eye—a shadow darting behind a fallen obelisk.
He gestured sharply. "Prepare yourselves."
Suddenly, a group of figures stepped into the light—cloaked, faces obscured. Their weapons glimmered with strange magic, and their leader stepped forward.
"Kael of the Shardbound," the stranger's voice was calm, almost amused. "We've been expecting you."
Kael's grip tightened on his bow. "Who are you?"
The leader pulled back their hood, revealing sharp eyes that burned with icy blue fire.
"I am Seris," she said. "One of the Players."
---
[New Character Introduced: Seris – Player of the Architect's Game]
Role: Unknown
Abilities: Frost Wielding, Illusions
She smiled thinly. "And like you, I seek the Shards. But unlike you, I intend to win."
Lyria's daggers gleamed as she stepped forward. "Then it's a good thing we don't intend to lose."
---
[Conflict Triggered: Negotiation or Combat]
Choose wisely. The future of the game depends on your moves.
Kael's mind raced.
The game was no longer just survival—it was a battle of minds, alliances, and betrayals.
And the first real player had just stepped onto the board.
---
End of Chapter 13