The Guild Hall. Morning.
Ben stood at the window of his room, looking out at the city.
The sun was rising, painting the rooftops gold and red. The streets were waking—merchants setting up stalls, servants running errands, soldiers patrolling. Life continued. The people didn't know about the hunters in the forest, about the red eyes watching from the shadows.
He could feel them.
His blessing sharpened his senses, made him aware of things others missed. The hunters were out there. Not close—not yet—but watching. Waiting.
A knock at the door.
"Enter."
Grog stepped inside. His face was still, his eyes sharp. He had been awake all night, same as Ben.
"You feel them too," Ben said.
Grog nodded. "Mirena detected them. In the forest."
"How many?"
"At least three. Maybe more."
Ben turned from the window. "They're not attacking."
"They're waiting."
"For what?"
Grog shook his head. "That's what we need to find out."
---
They gathered in the great hall.
The fire was low, the room empty. The adventurers were training, eating, sleeping. Garret was at the front desk, Grace was in her corner, Sera was watching the door.
Lira sat at the long table, her bow across her knees. Ken stood near the fireplace, his hood down, his eyes on the shadows. Mirena sat across from Ben, the artifact in her hand.
Tina stood beside Ben, her staff in her grip. Davin sat at the end of the table, his legs swinging, his eyes darting.
"The hunters are here," Ben said. "We need to decide what to do."
Lira leaned forward. "We fight."
"We've been fighting for years." Ben's voice was flat. "We've been running for years."
"This world is different."
"Is it?" Ben met her eyes. "The hunters are here. The Vargr are massing. The King is dying. Your world is not safe."
Lira's jaw tightened. "Then we make it safe."
---
Tina spoke. Her voice was quiet, steady.
"We can run. The artifact has enough power for a dozen more jumps. We can find another world. Hide again."
Davin looked at her. "I'm tired of running."
Tina met his eyes. "So am I."
Ben looked at Grog. "If we stay—if we fight—we need to destroy the hunters before they report back to Vorlag."
Grog nodded. "Mirena can track them."
Mirena held up the artifact. "The spatial echoes are faint, but I can follow them. I've been mapping their movements for days."
"They know we're here," Ben said. "They're watching us."
"Then we stop watching back." Grog stood. "We hunt them."
---
Davin raised his hand. "What about the artifact?"
Mirena looked at it. "It's degrading. The internal structures are cracking. Each use weakens it."
"How long?"
"A dozen jumps. Maybe less."
Davin was silent for a moment. "Then we can't use it to escape. Not if we want to save it."
Ben looked at him. "You want to save it?"
Davin met his eyes. "It's all we have left of our world."
The room was silent.
Tina reached out. Touched Davin's shoulder. "We'll save it."
---
Grog stood at the head of the table.
"Then it's settled. We stay. We fight. We hunt the hunters."
Lira nodded. Ken said nothing. Mirena held the artifact.
Ben stood. "There's one more thing."
Grog looked at him.
"The hunters aren't here for the artifact. They're here for us. For our blessings." He paused. "If they kill us, they absorb our strength. They become stronger. Vorlag takes our blessings."
Grog's jaw tightened. "Then we don't let them kill you."
---
The meeting ended.
Ben walked to the window. The sun was higher now, the streets crowded, the city alive.
Tina stood beside him. "You're scared."
Ben nodded. "I'm always scared."
"So am I."
They stood in silence.
Davin appeared beside them, his teleportation silent. "The hunters. Can we beat them?"
Ben looked at the city. At the people who didn't know what was coming.
"I don't know."
Davin nodded slowly. "Me neither."
---
Mirena's lenses flickered.
She was in the tower, the artifact on the table, the map on the wall. The spatial echoes were faint, but there. The hunters were moving.
Not toward the guild.
Toward the tower.
She stood. Grabbed her staff.
She ran.