The Voidshard map pulsed softly in Tavin's hands, its blue glow cutting through the fading violet lightning as the Runestorm finally started to break apart above Stormgathering Plaza. It was getting close to 10:30 PM now and the temperature had warmed up to maybe 10°C, which felt almost tropical after the bone-deep cold they'd been dealing with during the worst of the storm.
This thing is worth at least two hundred Silverweaves just for the navigation data, but if it really shows everything about Eloha's defenses it might be priceless.
Alucent reached for the crystal with hands that were still trembling from the Runeforce exertion of the battle, but as his fingers brushed the smooth surface, he could feel something resonating with his newly advanced Thread 3 abilities. The Voidshard wasn't just storing information, it was actively interfacing with magical systems and trying to connect to his Runeforce.
"Careful with that" Raya said sharply watching him handle the crystal "We have no idea what manner of safeguards or traps Eloha might have built into his navigation systems"
"I know what I'm doing" Alucent said. Though honestly he wasn't entirely sure "Thread 3 mastery gives me better insight into how these things work and this crystal seems stable enough"
The Runewell at the center of the plaza was still glowing faintly with amber light, its 3-meter diameter providing a steady source of magical energy that he could tap into for whatever advanced techniques he wanted to try, The amplification network they'd set up during the storm was still active too, those storm-binding inscriptions channeling residual energy from the fading lightning.
Perfect conditions for trying something really advanced, maybe a detection rune that can reveal hidden information in the crystal.
He pulled out his Runequill, the gold-inscribed tool still warm from the battle and trembling slightly in his grip, Thread 3 abilities were opening up all kinds of possibilities he'd never had access to before, combat runes and healing inscriptions and complex detection patterns that could reveal secrets hidden in magical artifacts.
"What are you planning" Gryan asked flexing his enhanced mechanical arm and checking the systems where Alucent had inscribed the shield rune "That arm integration worked better than expected, performance actually improved permanently from the process"
"Multi-layered detection rune" Alucent explained starting to etch the pattern in the air above the crystal "Should amplify the map's existing information and reveal tactical details that might be hidden or encrypted, Thread 3 mastery means I can handle much more complex inscriptions than before"
This is gonna be incredible, full tactical intelligence on Eloha's entire operation, everything we need to plan the perfect assault.
But as he worked on the detection pattern, trying to integrate eight different layers of information-gathering runes into a single cohesive design, his overconfidence started getting the better of him, The borrowed memories were showing him techniques that master scribes had used, but they were also warning him about the precision required and the risks of rushing advanced work.
The pattern covered about 8 square centimeters of really intricate lines and symbols, each layer designed to reveal a different type of hidden information, but in his excitement about the new abilities he was moving too fast and not double-checking his work, The violet glow was building nicely but there was something slightly off about the alignment.
"Alucent" Sir Vorn said, his monocle glinting as he watched the rune taking shape "I fear you may be proceeding with excessive haste, Advanced detection work requires considerable precision"
"I've got this" Alucent said not slowing down, even though part of him knew Sir Vorn was right "Silverline mastery, remember? I can handle complex patterns now"
But even as he said it he could feel something going wrong with the inscription, The alignment was off by maybe half a degree and that tiny error was propagating through all eight layers, The detection rune was still building power but it was getting unstable, sparks starting to arc between the different layers.
Shit, this is gonna backfire, but I'm too far into the pattern to stop now.
The rune completed with a brilliant flash of violet light that lit up the entire plaza for about 2 seconds, but instead of the smooth integration he'd been expecting the energy discharged in a crackling arc that sparked across the surface of the Voidshard crystal, The feedback hit him like a slap, singeing a 1-centimeter square patch of skin on his right hand and sending a jolt up his arm that made his teeth ache.
"By the gears" Gryan muttered watching the sparks dance across the crystal's surface "That did not appear to proceed according to plan"
"Most decidedly not" Raya snapped, her voice sharp with irritation and genuine concern "Your overconfidence nearly corrupted the entire navigation system, We cannot afford such recklessness when the stakes are this high"
The sparking died down after about 5 seconds leaving the crystal intact but pulsing with an unstable light that flickered between blue and violet, Alucent could feel faint whispers at the edge of his mind, remnants of Void corruption that had tried to seep in through the misaligned rune, It wasn't serious contamination but it was a warning about what could happen if he kept pushing his luck.
That was really stupid, Thread 3 doesn't make me infallible, just gives me access to more dangerous ways to screw up.
"The crystal appears undamaged" Sir Vorn observed, examining it carefully with his monocle "But the detection enhancement has rendered it somewhat unstable, We should stabilize it before attempting to extract the tactical information"
"I can build a brass frame for it" Gryan suggested already reaching into his pack for materials "Channel the unstable energy through a mechanical system instead of letting it discharge randomly, Should cost about five Copperweaves for the materials and maybe 5 minutes of work"
"Do it" Alucent said flexing his singed hand and trying to ignore the faint whispers that were probably gonna fade in a few hours "And next time I'll listen when people tell me to slow down"
Gryan set to work with the brass frame, his mechanical fingers moving with precision as he shaped the metal components around the pulsing crystal, The enhanced arm made the work go faster than normal, those residual energies from the shield rune integration giving him better control over his prosthetic, Within 5 minutes he'd constructed a simple but effective frame that could contain the crystal's unstable discharges.
As he worked, a Glowrose petal came loose from one of the nearby plantings, caught by the 10 km/h wind that was still swirling around the plaza from the storm's aftermath, It drifted past Alucent's head and he had to duck slightly to avoid getting it tangled in his curly black hair, Small reminders that the magical ecosystem was still recovering from the Runestorm's interference.
"There" Gryan said sliding the stabilized crystal into the brass frame with a soft click "Energy's contained now, should be safe to examine without risk of further discharge"
The Voidshard map immediately stabilized, its blue glow becoming steady and clear, and the moving images within the crystal sharpened into incredible detail, It was like looking at a three-dimensional tactical display that showed not just the route to Iron Vale but every defensive position, every patrol route, every weakness in Eloha's entire operation.
"Most remarkable" Sir Vorn breathed studying the display with professional interest "I have never seen intelligence of this quality, Every guard post, every weapon emplacement, even the duty schedules for individual sentries"
The map showed Iron Vale nestled in a mountain valley about three days' travel to the north, but it wasn't the peaceful mining town they'd expected, The entire settlement had been transformed into a fortress, with walls and towers and defensive positions that could hold off a proper army, And above it all, carved into the mountainside itself, was Eloha's stronghold.
"Look at the forge complex" Raya said pointing to a section of the display that showed massive workshops built into the rock "Those assembly lines, they are producing Rune-Armors at an incredible rate, Dozens per day by the look of it"
Dozens per day? that's much more than any normal forge could manage, he's got some kind of mass production system running.
But as Alucent studied the tactical information more closely he noticed something that made his stomach drop, The route to Iron Vale didn't just pass through other settlements, it passed through the remains of other settlements, Places that had been systematically destroyed and their populations either killed or corrupted into serving Eloha's cause.
"Tavin" he said his voice tight with the weight of what he was seeing "Your visions, can you tell us what happened to these other towns, the ones marked in red on the crystal"
Tavin's eyes went distant as he touched his Runetoken, the cheap copper disc pulsing with faint light as another vision took hold "I can see them" he whispered his voice filled with horror "Blackrock Ridge, Copper Falls, Thornwood Crossing, All of them attacked by coordinated strikes, Rune-Armors and corrupted Weavers working together to break their defenses"
His voice got even quieter as the vision continued "The survivors were given a choice, serve Eloha's cause or be fed to the Void corruption, Most chose service but some chose to resist and were transformed into things that are no longer human"
Jesus, this isn't just conquest, it's systematic genocide with a choice between slavery and corruption.
"The timeline shows this campaign has been proceeding for eight months" Sir Vorn said, his expression grim as he studied the crystal's data "Each settlement fell within days of the initial attack, suggesting considerable planning and overwhelming force"
"But there is something else" Tavin continued his Runetoken pulsing brighter "Eloha is not merely conquering territory, he is harvesting something from each settlement, Something connected to their Runewells and the Runeforce infrastructure itself"
"Harvesting what exactly" Raya asked, though from her tone she probably didn't want to know the answer.
"Threads" Tavin said simply "He is stealing the threadpaths potential from entire populations, draining their ability to use Runeforce and channeling it into his own power base, Every person he corrupts or kills makes him stronger"
That explains how he's maintaining Thread 4 level power while supporting an entire army, he's literally feeding off the Runeforce essence of everyone he conquers.
The implications were staggering, Not only was Eloha building a military force capable of conquering the entire region, he was also growing stronger with every victory, Every settlement that fell increased his personal power and his ability to corrupt the Rune Path network itself.
"The Loom of Threads" Sir Vorn said, his voice heavy with understanding "He is not merely using it to corrupt Voidshard crystals, he is using it to steal and concentrate Runeforce essence from across the entire network, The four-day countdown is not just for completing his control, it is for a ritual that will drain every connected settlement simultaneously"
Every connected settlement, that's tens of thousands of people who'll lose their magical abilities or worse.
As they studied the crystal's revelations, one of the plaza merchants approached with news that made the danger feel immediate and personal "Found old Henrik's body near the eastern cottages" he said his voice shaken "Storm debris, big piece of Ironvine trunk caught him in the head, Must have happened during the worst of the lightning"
The peddler had been a fixture of the plaza for years, gray-bearded guy, about 5'5" who sold travel supplies and local crafts to anyone passing through, Now he was dead because of the Runestorm that Eloha's corruption had intensified, Another casualty in a war that most people didn't even know was happening.
"Henrik was a good man" Maeva said quietly "Helped establish trade routes between here and the northern settlements, His death reminds us that this conflict affects everyone, not just those who choose to fight"
The reminder hit harder than Alucent expected, They weren't just fighting to stop some abstract threat, they were fighting for real people with real lives, people like Henrik who just wanted to make an honest living and help their communities thrive, Every day they delayed meant more settlements falling and more innocent people dying or being corrupted.
"We need transport" Gryan said after a moment of respectful silence "Iron Vale is three days by foot but only one day by Steamwagon, and speed might be the only advantage we have"
"The settlement has a cargo hauler" Maeva offered "Not built for passenger comfort but it is reliable and fast, Worth about one thousand Silverweaves new but we could arrange charter terms, Say twenty Silverweaves for the journey and ten Silverweaves compensation for analyzing the tactical intelligence"
Ten Silverweaves just for looking at a map, that's pretty good money for basically doing what we'd do anyway.
"Deal" Alucent said pulling out the coins though it would leave him with seventy-five Silverweaves instead of the eighty-five he'd been planning on "What can you tell us about the Steamwagon's capabilities"
"Cargo capacity two tons" the merchant explained "Steam engine rated for about sixty kilometers per hour on good roads, brass reinforcement on the boiler and defensive plating that might stop small arms fire but nothing heavier"
The Steamwagon was basically a mobile fortress, built for hauling valuable cargo through dangerous territory, It had thick Ironvine wood sides reinforced with brass plates and a steam engine that could maintain decent speed even over rough terrain, Not comfortable but definitely functional for their purposes.
"Range is about 400 kilometers on a full coal load" the merchant continued "Iron Vale is roughly 200 kilometers north so you should have fuel to spare, Driver's experienced with mountain roads and knows the safe routes that avoid the worst bandit activity"
As they examined the vehicle and planned their route, Alucent found himself drawn back to the Voidshard crystal, The tactical display was incredible but there were layers of information that his botched detection rune hadn't been able to access, Hidden data that might contain critical intelligence about Eloha's true capabilities.
"I want to try another detection approach" he said moving toward the Runewell with the crystal "More careful this time, use stable energy instead of trying to rush the work"
"Absolutely not" Raya said stepping in front of him with her arms crossed "You nearly corrupted the entire crystal with your last attempt, We cannot risk losing the only intelligence we have"
"But there's more information hidden in there" Alucent protested "I can feel it, layers of data that the standard display isn't showing, Details that could make the difference between success and failure"
"And if you botch another rune we lose everything" she shot back, her green eyes flashing with anger "Your overconfidence nearly got us all killed during the construct battle and now you want to risk our only advantage because you think Thread 3 makes you infallible"
The accusation stung because it was probably true, His advancement had given him access to incredible new abilities but it had also made him reckless, Too eager to test his limits without considering the consequences of failure.
"She raises valid concerns" Sir Vorn said diplomatically "Perhaps we should focus on the intelligence we already possess rather than risk losing it in pursuit of additional details"
But even as they argued, the crystal was responding to their proximity to the Runewell, Its blue glow intensifying and the moving images within becoming more detailed, Almost like it wanted to reveal its secrets but needed the right kind of magical interface.
"Wait" Tavin said his eyes going wide as another vision hit him "I can see something, not in the future but in the crystal itself, There are additional layers of information but they require Thread 4 access to unlock safely"
Thread 4 access, that means Sir Vorn could potentially retrieve the hidden intelligence without the risks that come with my overconfident approach.
"The crystal appears to have progressive security protocols" Sir Vorn observed examining it more carefully "Information revealed based on the Thread level of the person accessing it, Quite ingenious actually"
"Can you access the Thread 4 protocols" Alucent asked "Safely, without risking corruption or system failure"
"I believe so" Sir Vorn replied approaching the crystal with considerably more caution than Alucent had shown "Thread 4 mastery provides better understanding of Void-touched systems and the safeguards necessary to interface with them securely"
He touched his cane to the brass frame that Gryan had constructed, channeling Thread 4 energy through the mechanical stabilizers and into the crystal's security systems, The response was immediate and dramatic, the tactical display expanding to show layers of information that had been completely hidden before.
"Remarkable" he breathed "Complete strategic intelligence, not merely tactical details but Eloha's entire campaign plan, Alternative targets, backup facilities, contingency protocols for every conceivable scenario"
The enhanced display revealed the true scope of Eloha's operation, Hidden workshops scattered throughout the mountains, supply caches filled with corrupted weapons and Void-touched equipment, Communication networks that let him coordinate attacks across hundreds of kilometers simultaneously.
"The Forge Coalition outpost" Raya said studying a new section of the display "Iron Vale was never his primary target, it was a staging ground, The real objective is the Central Confluence where all the major Rune Paths converge"
The Central Confluence, that's where the entire continental network connects, if he corrupts that he can spread Void influence across thousands of kilometers in a matter of hours.
"The four-day countdown" Tavin said his voice filled with new understanding "It is not for a ritual at Iron Vale, it is for a massive assault on the Confluence itself, Iron Vale is just the launching point"
"But that means" Alucent started to say then stopped as the full implications hit him.
"Yes" Sir Vorn said grimly "We are not racing to stop a ritual, we are racing to prevent the beginning of a continental war, And we have even less time than we thought"
The crystal continued revealing strategic details, showing the forces Eloha had positioned near the Central Confluence and the specific magical techniques he planned to use to corrupt the entire network simultaneously, It was a plan of incredible complexity and scope, years in the making and approaching its final implementation.
"Equipment cache at Copper Falls" Gryan said pointing to a section that showed supply depot locations "Void-touched Runesteel weapons and Thread 4 resistant armor, exactly what we need to have any chance against his enhanced forces"
"The detour adds half a day to our journey" Sir Vorn calculated "But considering what we now know about the true scope of the threat, enhanced equipment seems essential"
"What kind of defenses are protecting the cache" Raya asked.
"The crystal shows automated sentries" Tavin replied studying the display "Constructs designed to eliminate unauthorized personnel but programmed to respond to specific authorization codes"
"Authorization codes that we now possess" Alucent realized "The crystal contains complete access protocols for Eloha's entire supply network"
So we can walk into his equipment cache, take whatever we need, and he'll never know we were there until it's too late.
"The timing becomes even more critical" Sir Vorn pointed out "Equipment retrieval, travel to Iron Vale, penetration of fortress defenses, and disruption of his coordination center, all before he launches the assault on the Confluence"
"Actually there might be a better approach" Alucent said studying the strategic intelligence more carefully "Instead of trying to stop him at Iron Vale, what if we hit him at the Confluence itself, disrupt the ritual just as he's beginning the corruption process"
"The Confluence is protected by Treaty Guards" Raya pointed out "Thread 4 weavers with decades of experience and defensive positions that have never been breached"
"But they don't know about Eloha's plan" Alucent said "The crystal shows he's been feeding them false intelligence for months, they think the threats are coming from bandit activity and rogue constructs"
"So we warn them" Sir Vorn said "Provide the tactical intelligence and coordinate a proper defense"
"If they believe us" Raya said skeptically "And if Eloha hasn't already corrupted key personnel in their organization"
The strategic complexity was getting overwhelming, too many variables and too many ways for things to go wrong, but as Alucent studied the crystal's intelligence he started to see patterns and opportunities that might give them an edge.
"The maintenance tunnel at Iron Vale" he said "Tavin's visions show it connects directly to the Loom chamber, If we could sabotage the Loom itself, disrupt his ability to coordinate the Confluence assault"
"The tunnel is filled with Void corruption" Tavin reminded him "Lethal to anyone without Thread 3 protection minimum"
"I've got Thread 3 now" Alucent said "And with the purified Voidshard from the equipment cache, I might be able to survive the exposure"
"Might being the critical word" Raya said "One mistake and you become another of Eloha's corrupted servants"
But the more he thought about it the more sense it made, A small team could infiltrate Iron Vale during Eloha's morning maintenance ritual, reach the Loom chamber through the tunnel, and sabotage his entire operation before he even knew they were there, It was risky but it was also their best chance of stopping him before he launched the assault on the Confluence.
"We'll need detailed intelligence on the tunnel's layout" Sir Vorn said "And precise timing for the infiltration"
"The crystal has construction diagrams" Tavin replied "Original plans from when the fortress was built, plus Eloha's modifications to accommodate the Loom installation"
As they studied the tunnel schematics and planned their approach, Alucent noticed something that made him pause, The crystal's display was showing energy readings from the Loom itself, massive power fluctuations that suggested the ritual preparation was already underway, Eloha wasn't waiting for the four-day deadline, he was starting early.
"Sir Vorn" he said pointing to the energy readings "Look at these power levels, The Loom is already active"
"Preparation phase" Sir Vorn confirmed, his expression growing more troubled "He is not waiting for the deadline, he is beginning the ritual sequence now"
"Which means we have even less time" Raya said "How much less"
Tavin studied the readings, his Runetoken pulsing as he tried to interpret the energy patterns "If these fluctuations continue at this rate" he said slowly "The ritual will reach critical phase tomorrow night, not in four days"
Tomorrow night, that gives us maybe 18 hours instead of four days, this changes everything about our approach.
"The Steamwagon departs at dawn" Alucent said, decision crystallizing in his mind "We hit the equipment cache at Copper Falls, grab what we need, and reach Iron Vale by evening, No time for scouting or careful planning, we go in fast and hit the Loom before he can complete whatever he's started"
"That is extraordinarily dangerous" Sir Vorn pointed out "No reconnaissance, no backup plans, everything depending on speed and surprise"
"But it's also our only chance" Alucent replied "If we wait for better conditions the ritual completes and the entire network falls to corruption"
As they finalized their desperate plan, the plaza around them seemed to settle into peaceful quiet, The Glowroses glowing steadily now that the storm interference had faded, the Runewell humming with gentle amber light, normal sounds of a magical community at rest, Everything they were fighting to preserve.
The disabled Siege-class Rune-Armor stood silent guard near the cottages, its brass armor gleaming in the starlight like a promise of protection, A reminder of what they could achieve when they worked together and evidence that even overwhelming odds could be beaten with the right combination of skill and determination.
"Dawn departure" Alucent said settling the storm cloak around his shoulders "Six hours to rest and then we find out if Thread 3 mastery and desperate courage are enough to save the magical infrastructure"
The Voidshard crystal pulsed softly in its brass frame, tactical intelligence compressed into crystalline memory that would guide them through the most dangerous mission any of them had ever attempted, Iron Vale awaited with all its defenses and dangers, but they had information and they had each other and maybe that was enough.