Morning was getting much warmer and it was eleven in the morning now, sun shining brighter through the clouds and making the cobblestones gleam. It had been hours since Alucent had that thought about everything being connected to Veyris's plan, he couldn't shake it off no matter how hard he tried.
But then what if he was right, what if all of this corruption and possession and mysterious messages was part of some bigger scheme he'd been planning for who knows how long?
Raya walked closer to the Runewell, investigating it carefully but that was when she felt it, a low hum from deep inside that made her teeth ache. "Wait why is that happening, that shouldn't be happening at all" She bent closer to look directly into the well, her auburn hair now loose from the fight with the peddler earlier, tiny strands covering her forehead and making her look younger.
"It seems this well is affected by a Voidshard fragment, if that's correct I'd advise being really careful around it"
Is she assuming or does she actually know what she's talking about, what's going on in there exactly? Alucent thought as he stood up from examining a Glowrose, started walking closer to her and his frock coat was now dusted with pollen from all the flowers he'd been checking.
"Are you sure the well is possessed or contaminated with a Voidshard, what can we actually do about something like that"
"Yes but it's really dangerous" Raya said, standing up and brushing dirt off her knees. "If it truly is a Voidshard, we can't go in or else we can become its food, do you want to die early now that you just joined the Scribe-Weavers"
She was smirking when she said it, like she actually enjoyed the idea of him being scared and that was really annoying.
"No who would want that" Alucent said, he didn't like her attitude but what could he do about it, he could only hope to get his own revenge later. What's she feeling like, must be nice to feel like she's got everything figured out, spoilt brat.
Tavin was walking behind them now with little steps making soft sounds on the cobblestones, about to join in on the conversation but he felt something shift in the air around them. His hazel eyes showed genuine fear like there was something terrible he could see that they couldn't.
"The whispers, they're way stronger here" It was as if the words couldn't leave his mouth properly when it hit him hard.
A vision, fast and sharp like a knife through his brain, a massive Loom but not clear at all, covered completely by thick shadows that moved like they were alive.
Alucent noticed the pause in Tavin's movement and looked back immediately, he went straight to the boy and knelt on one knee. "Tavin are you alright" he said while touching his left shoulder gently. "Did you hear anything new, the whispers, what did they say this time"
But it wasn't whispers this time, it was a full vision but how would Alucent know that?
Tavin jerked back to reality with the help of Alucent's voice cutting through the darkness, he could trace his way back to the present. "I saw a Loom, I haven't seen anything like it before, I couldn't see it clearly because a huge dark shadow covered the whole thing"
His fear from the vision leaked out like oil from a malfunctioning engine, his voice shook like someone who had seen something absolutely terrifying that shouldn't exist.
What did Tavin see exactly? a Loom covered by massive dark shadows? what could this possibly mean for all of us?
Alucent was still lost in his thoughts when Raya broke through them. "A Loom with a dark shadow covering it, could it be the Loom Shadow, might be a hint about what we're dealing with"
"Loom Shadow, what even is that supposed to mean?" Alucent said immediately, turning to face Raya with confusion written all over his face.
But before Raya could answer properly, a footstep was approaching, measured and direct, then followed by a voice from somewhere behind them. "Excuse me" It was a female voice, worried and breathless.
"My brother, he was in the Steamcottage but then he went outside to check on some strange things, I don't know what they were exactly but he got up and went outside after hearing the commotion you were causing fighting that possessed peddler"
She said this while walking towards them with confusion and worry written all over her face, she looked like a thirty-year-old woman, probably five-seven with olive skin and black hair tied in a neat bun. Her brown eyes showed fear like she had lost something really precious to her, she wore a rune-stitched blue apron around her waist that looked well-made and expensive.
Alucent and Raya looked in the direction she was coming from, she was walking quickly but not running exactly.
"Liora, what are you doing here?" Raya recognized the woman but confusion showed all over Alucent's face since he'd never seen her before.
"It's about Lorian, I don't know where he is and I'm really worried, have you seen him anywhere"
She said this while rubbing her face in despair and sadness, her hands looked calloused from years of weaving work and her fingertips were stained black from dyes.
She must be a really experienced weaver because why else would her fingerprints be so dark and her hands so rough from the work?
"No I haven't seen him, are you absolutely sure he came outside?" Raya replied, looking around the plaza for any sign of the missing brother.
Then suddenly a sharp sound came from a nearby forgepit, the distinctive clang of an active hammer hitting metal. Each clang was precise but really slow, not like fast urgent work but like someone was taking their sweet time with whatever they were making.
Clang!
And then it stopped completely, Alucent stared directly at where the forgepit was located and the sound had definitely stopped. But then a man came out from the building, six feet tall and really muscular, walking towards them with slow graceful steps that made the cobblestones echo.
Each step was heavy and deliberate like he was carrying something invisible and dangerous.
What the hell, who is that guy and why does he look so intimidating?
He kept walking closer and closer, Alucent clenched his fists and positioned himself to fight if necessary. Raya's hand moved instinctively to her Weaveblade, ready to unsheath it at a moment's notice.
Tension built up more and more as he approached, now standing directly in front of them but mainly he was facing Liora with those strange eyes.
"Sister, you talk way too much" His voice was thick and certain, completely unwavering like he was stating an absolute fact.
He lifted his right hand in a smooth arc motion, holding a massive Steamwrench that was half a meter long and looked incredibly heavy. Shouldn't be possible to wield something that big with just one hand but he was doing it anyway like it weighed nothing.
He swung the wrench in a vicious arc, the movement took about three seconds but felt like slow motion. Alucent threw himself sideways, tackling Liora to the ground to avoid the swing that would have crushed her skull.
They both fell to the cobblestones in a sharp turning motion that knocked the wind out of both of them.
What the hell is wrong with this man? is he also possessed like the peddler was, this is getting really dangerous really fast.
Raya moved with incredible speed, the possessed man swung again and this time it was a three-and-a-half-second wide arc aimed at her head. But his Steamwrench met Raya's Weaveblade with a satisfying clang that rang across the entire plaza.
"No please, that's Lorian, what's happening to him" Liora screamed from the ground, her voice breaking with terror and desperation. "He's my brother, he would never hurt anyone"
Lorian turned his head in a sharp unnatural motion to look at his sister on the ground, his eyes were bleeding bright red, like liquid fire that glowed with malevolent energy.
Damn, that's her brother? is this how fast anyone can be possessed and turned into a weapon, if anyone can be corrupted this quickly then this situation is extremely dangerous and I definitely didn't sign up for any of this.
Alucent was already back on his feet beside Raya, breathing heavily from the adrenaline. "Can you keep up with him in a fight?"
"I think so" Another wide arc swing from possessed Lorian, but he targeted Alucent this time and the wrench whistled through the air. Raya jumped in front of him and parried the blow perfectly, sparks flying from the impact.
It was a split-second decision that probably saved my life, this is really serious and I can't be playing around with something this deadly.
Alucent ran to where Tavin was standing near the Runewell, grabbed the boy's hand firmly. "Stay right here, don't go anywhere no matter what happens, and stay completely silent"
"Okay, please be careful" Tavin said with a low worried voice, clutching his Runetoken tighter.
Raya and the corrupted Lorian kept fighting and it was absolutely brutal, their movements were calculated and precise. Each dodge from Raya felt like watching a blur of motion, the combat was way too fast for Alucent to follow properly.
I can't even see what's happening, it's moving too fast and I've never seen anything like this kind of fighting before.
But then he thought about what he could actually contribute, a purification rune, yes that's exactly what this situation needs.
He pulled out his Runequill from his coat pocket, started etching a new pattern on the cobblestones. The design this time was completely different from anything he'd done before, his borrowed memories were supplying the knowledge and his hands moved automatically to create the beautiful intricate etching.
He felt the Runeforce building up inside him like a dam about to burst, it was kind of overwhelming and made his head spin. But then he released it from within himself, sending the energy out in a wave that swept through the cobblestones toward where Raya and corrupted Lorian were fighting.
The moment it washed over the possessed man, it was like a wave of pure cleansing energy hitting him.
He fell down in slow motion like a feather drifting to the ground, completely subdued and cleansed of whatever had been controlling him.
Wait, it actually worked, I wasn't sure it would but thank goodness it did because I didn't know what else to try.
Alucent's eyes felt relieved and tired, Raya stared at him in complete shock like she couldn't believe what she'd just witnessed.
"How did you do that" she said without any stutter, but breathing heavily from the intense battle she'd just been fighting.
"I don't really know, it was a purification rune but I didn't think it would actually work on something that strong"
"What? you didn't think it would work and yet you tried it anyway, are you completely reckless" She shook her head but then her expression softened slightly. "Well nonetheless you did it, that was Thread 1 level work and you excelled at it"
Oh wow she actually praised me, I thought I was about to get scolded for being reckless, I'm not understanding her personality at all.
"Ah thank you, I don't really know how I—"
Liora burst into tears but they were tears of pure joy and relief. "How can I ever reward you for saving my brother" She reached into a pocket on her apron and pulled out twenty Copperweaves. "Here please take this, I would have given much more if I had it"
"Oh thanks but it's really okay, I appreciate the offer but you should keep your money" Alucent said, though part of him was thinking differently.
This is really nice of her and I should probably take this money, but I don't know what Raya would think about me accepting payment. Moreover isn't that like two dollars worth, well it's something and she's giving all she has right now.
"No please, I insist you take it" She forced the copper strips into Alucent's hand, twenty Copperweaves rested in his palms and they felt warm and substantial.
"Thanks Ma'am Liora, I really do appreciate your generosity"
Tavin walked over to him and leaned close to his legs. "The whispers, they're saying the Runewell is still dangerous and we need to be careful"
Oh right, they had completely lost focus on the corrupted well during the fight.
"Erm Liora, do you know anything about something called the Loom Shadow?" Raya asked with obvious caution in her voice.
"Not really much, but I heard it's connected to the Forge Coalition somehow" Liora said, her mood brightening after her brother's recovery. "The Loom Shadow is what they call whoever heads the organization, I heard it's a person named Eloha"
Eloha, is that supposed to be an important figure in all this, who could that be and I really hope Raya has more information.
"Hmm I see, I know about the Forge Coalition but I'm just hearing about this Eloha person for the first time"
"So you don't know who that is either?" Alucent asked, trying to satisfy his curiosity even though he already knew what her answer would be.
"Unfortunately no I don't, when we get back to the tower I'll ask Sir Vorn about it, he might know about this individual"
Yeah how could I forget, Sir Vorn should definitely have information about important people like this.
Alucent moved toward the position of the corrupted Runewell. "So how exactly do we deal with this thing?"
"Can you use the purification rune technique again?" Raya asked, though her tone suggested she wasn't entirely confident about it.
"I think so, let me try" He walked over to the Runewell and knelt beside it carefully, rubbing his hand close around its rim but not directly touching the surface. More like hovering over it to feel the energy.
Then he took out his Runequill to etch the same pattern as before on the Runewell's outer rim, the geometric design flowing naturally from his hand.
He felt the Runeforce building up inside of him again, but that was when a wave of nausea hit him hard.
What's this feeling? overload from using too much Runeforce or something worse? I don't like this sensation at all and I need to be really careful about pushing my limits.
His eyes were almost closing from exhaustion, but something kept them open and focused, the release of Runeforce from his body toward the well. This time the energy was much more precise, flowing from his body directly into the Runewell's core.
The well hummed loudly like a thunderstorm, shook heavily for several seconds and then stopped completely, becoming calm and stable. The Voidshard fragment inside had been neutralized.
"Are you okay?" Raya was already leaning down toward him with genuine concern in her voice.
"Yeah, yeah I'm fine" He staggered slightly but managed to regain his balance. "I'm okay I think, just a little tired"
He tried to stand up and succeeded, dusting off his coat and checking that the Runequill was still working properly. Tavin seemed way calmer now, no more whispers bothering him, at least for the moment.
Raya looked at Alucent and it was almost like she actually cared about his wellbeing or something, couldn't quite place a name for the expression but it was there for a moment and then vanished.
"I know you'll be fine, you have to be or else we're all in serious trouble"
Haha what's she even talking about, that's not ominous at all.
It was a brief joyful moment despite everything that had happened, Alucent smiled at her and it felt nice and warm.
And then something made a sound that changed everything, the air around them shifted and became cold. Sunlight that had been warm and welcoming on his face just moments ago felt distant and weak.
Wait, it's getting cold really fast, why is it suddenly freezing when it was warm just a minute ago? there's definitely something wrong and this isn't supposed to be happening.
His thought wasn't even complete when from a nearby alley came the sound of hooves on cobblestones, fast and hurried like something was desperate and in terrible need of help.
A creature jumped out from the shadows between buildings.
It looked small, about the size of an average dog, with the elegant head of a deer but the sleek body of a fox. Its legs were way too long and delicate and majestic for its size, but what was most enticing and surprising was its coat.
The entire creature was covered with intricate clockwork, brass gears and copper pieces that ticked like an actual clock. The sound was loud enough for everyone to hear clearly, and it whirred with each labored breath the creature took.
What the hell is that thing, what am I even looking at right now, what kind of animal could this possibly be, can it be dangerous or could it maybe be kept as a pet?
Alucent couldn't stop staring because why would he take his eyes away from something so incredible, it was as if he was seeing something straight from his wildest dreams.
"What is a Clockstag doing here at this time of day?" Raya asked in complete confusion and bewilderment.
"That's what it's called? a Clockstag, what an amazing name for such a beautiful creature" Alucent said in genuine awe.
"And it's bleeding black blood, why is it bleeding at all, that's not even supposed to be possible" Raya couldn't understand what was happening right in front of her eyes. "Clockstags shouldn't bleed because they're rarely seen, this is only the second time I've ever seen one in my entire life"
"It's a creature of pure clean energy in physical manifestation, it should be completely perfect and unharmed"
"So why does it have that ragged gash cut across its left side?" Alucent asked with growing concern.
"That's exactly what I don't understand" She was getting angry now and it showed, the scar on her face was glowing faintly with contained emotion.
But the creature wasn't just bleeding, the black drops that fell to the cobblestones smoked instantly when they hit the ground. A tiny Voidshard fragment was glittering in the wound like a malevolent star, small but radiating pure evil.
The Clockstag stared back at them with eyes that were two perfect timepiece mechanisms, intricate as cathedral clockwork. They rolled with obvious pain and what looked like recognition, but recognition of what exactly, or of whom?
It started walking toward Alucent at a slow deliberate pace, each step making its gears click and whir.
Wait don't tell me it's coming specifically toward me, what should I do about this, what should I do, am I starting to panic over a wounded animal?
The creature stumbled as it approached him, its clockwork body behaving erratically and ticking in broken rhythms. The gears ground against each other making loud screeching sounds that formed a pattern, as if it was desperately trying to communicate something important.
Why is it behaving this way toward me specifically, is it trying to tell me something that only I can understand?
But then the Clockstag wheeled around suddenly and ran away from them, heading east toward the plaza's edge and the dark Ironvine forests where old dangerous things still moved in the deep places that civilized people avoided.