"It seems what we feared is happening." "How could that be? We have lived in unison with the dungeons for forever. Why now?" The voices were faint, blurred by the heavy oak door of the guild conference room.
Jax and Mira stood just outside it, Alexander lingering a few steps behind. The hallway was narrow and dim, torchlight trembling against carved stone.
"We cannot let them know the full truth." Silence followed. Not the comfortable kind. The kind that meant silent agreement.
Mira's jaw tightened. "They have to know something Jax."
The latch turned and the door flung open revealing an elderly man with silver hair and a spine that had never bent stepped out. His eyes swept over them once, assessing before speaking. "You may enter." He said, gesturing them into the room.
The room inside was smaller than Ravelin's council chamber. Three elders sat behind a long table etched with guild sigils. No one smiled or even looked at them until the door closed.
"What you witnessed were anomalies," the silver haired man said. His voice was calm, rehearsed. "The guild will handle further investigation."
"That's it?" Mira asked. "We fought a mutant bear with some creepy egg implanted in it, and that's all you're going to tell us?"
The room went silent.
"That is all we are choosing to share with you at this time."
"This isn't normal... do you plan on keeping it covered?"
"We are aware," another elder replied. "Keeping it to known people is more what we are doing, not covering it up."
A brief glance passed between the elders.
"Your concern is noted," the first man said. "However, speculation is dangerous. Leave the matter to us."
"And if we don't?" Mira asked leaning forward, her eyes locked on the man speaking. Her glare could almost be felt from across the table.
The air cooled.
"Then your standing as registered adventurers may be reevaluated."
Silence swallowed the room.
Jax inclined his head. "Understood."
They were escorted out without further explanation.
The main hall greeted them with noise and warmth. Adventurers laughed near the quest board. Steel clanged somewhere deeper inside. It felt unreal after the sterile chill of the council room.
"What do we do now?" Mira muttered. "The shop owner mentioned a place called April's."
"We need to talk to Alexander," Jax said quietly. "He was holding something back earlier."
As if summoned by the statement, the front doors slammed open.
Alexander stumbled inside, arms full of journals, ink smudged across his fingers.
"There you are," he breathed. "I apologize. I had to smooth things over with a colleague."
Mira crossed her arms. "You knew something."
Alexander hesitated. That was enough to answer.
"Walk with me," he said.
They left the guild and headed toward the Hearthward district. The streets shifted from stone and sigil to lanternlight and market chatter. The scent of bread and roasting meat filled the air. It should have been comforting.
It felt thin.
"April's inn is ahead," Alexander said. "She will take care of you."
"That armor merchant sent us there too," Jax said. "I nearly shot him with stone spikes, I'm lucky I heard him talk before it was too late."
"Oh, Takeo." Alexander allowed a faint smile. "He means well, He mentioned something about a girl and a broken chalice. Were you perhaps the girl he was talking about Mira?"
"Let's never speak of that again please…" Jax muttered.
"You were terrified," Mira said brightly. "He had my arms tied, I thought I was dead because of a stupid cup."
April stood behind the counter of the inn, broad shouldered and steady eyed. The place buzzed with evening conversation. "Here to rent some rooms?" she asked.
"And food… please," Jax added. "Though I'll be honest we don't have much coin."
"You brought the doctor back," she said, nodding toward Alexander. "You get to stay free." "I'll feed you too, order whatever you like while you're here.
Mira smirked. "One room it is then."
Jax's face flushed red instantly. "Are you sure about that?" "It's been a long journey, don't you want some alone time?"
"You said I'll get my way." "This is it, one room for the both of us… hopefully one bed too." She said, blinking her eyes at him. "You can sleep… on the floor." She let out an evil laugh with the words.
They sat at a heavy wooden table. Plates of meat and potatoes were set in front of them, steam rising in soft spirals. The weight of the day melted off as the aroma sank into them.
Mira leaned forward first. "The weird black egg thing, did you figure anything out?"
Alexander did not answer immediately. He set one journal down and opened another, fingers brushing carefully across aged parchment.
"I wasn't able to find anything on that… but the anchors you spoke of, I think it appears only once in recorded history," he said quietly.
"What does it say?" Jax asked.
"Ash across the world. Mighty beings walking the earth. The sky darkened. And at the center, a black pillar."
Mira's humor faded. "That truly is not comforting." Shivering from the thought. "What mighty beings?
"What does that mean Alexander?" Jax asked.
Silence settled at the table.
"The guild told us to leave it alone," Mira said.
"I would take their advice if you enjoy being an adventurer," Alexander replied. "This is larger than any of us." "Who knows what kind of punishment would follow if you got caught."
"Are you going to leave it alone?" Jax asked, his eyes meeting the doctors. "It doesn't sound like you are Alexander, why do you get to help but we can't?
"I'm not but you two should stay away from this until we have more details." "You both are still new adventurers, leave it to the big dogs to take care of it. Go have fun while you can."
They finished eating quieter than when they had started.
Upstairs, the inn room was modest but clean. Mira closed the door and leaned against it, watching Jax. "So," she said softly, "how would you like me to repay you for saving me?"
"You don't owe me anything Mira," Jax replied. "I'm just happy you're safe."
"Maybe I will let you peek again," she teased. "I'm sure you'd love that wouldn't you." Finishing the statement off with a wink.
His face warmed from embarrassment. "You are impossible."
She stepped closer anyway, the warmth between them was real. Earned through shared danger. They laid down together, shoulders touching, heartbeats racing.
The mattress dipped in the center beneath their combined weight. For a moment, the world outside did not exist.
"Jax," she whispered.
"Yes?"
"Thank you."
He exhaled slowly. "Always.
Her breathing steadied beside him. But sleep did not come easily. Jax stared at the ceiling. The boards above creaked once. Twice. No footsteps followed. He told himself it was settling wood.
Beside him, Mira shifted in her sleep. Occasionally letting out a sigh or a snore.
That night something stirred within Jax, the sense that something ancient had noticed them and the problems it would bring.
The silence that followed felt more deliberate than chance.
Somewhere beyond the inn walls, beyond the warmth and lanternlight, the world turned slightly colder.
Infection spreading.