The forest was quiet again.
Too quiet.
Aether stood beneath the remains of a broken tree, eyes locked on the fading ruins of the temple. Smoke curled upward, thin and gray, blending with the clouds.
Selene leaned against a boulder nearby, nursing a shallow cut across her arm.
"You think that was it?" she asked.
"No," Aether replied. "That was just the Seer's first move."
He looked toward the horizon. In his last life, the temple hadn't fallen until months later—right before the world started tearing apart.
This time, it had crumbled early.
Time was shifting.
Which meant the Herald was adapting.
---
Later That Night – The Campfire
They set up camp deep in the woods. The fire crackled as Viktor roasted skewers of dried meat, while Lena sat cross-legged, sharpening her daggers.
Darius sat near the edge of the light, eyes on the trees, still twitchy from the fight.
Selene sat across from Aether, arms folded, gaze steady.
"So what now?" she asked. "We sealed one of the Herald's eyes. But you said there are more."
"There are four," Aether said. "Each hidden in a temple built during the old empire. We have to destroy them before they awaken."
Viktor frowned. "And where's the next one?"
Aether hesitated.
"In Serath."
The fire crackled. Viktor's expression dropped.
"That's a war zone," Darius muttered.
"And my home," Lena added quietly.
They all looked at her.
Lena stared into the flames. "My father died in that city. During the siege. If something is buried there… it won't be easy to reach."
Aether nodded. "Which is why we go now, before the next faction gets involved."
Selene raised a brow. "Faction?"
He sighed. "The Crimson Blades."
Viktor blinked. "Aren't they mercenaries?"
"Used to be," Aether said. "Now they work for whoever pays the most. And they've been hired to find the next eye."
Selene looked up sharply. "And how do you know that?"
Aether met her gaze. "Because their commander was my rival in the last timeline. He's fast, ruthless, and always two steps ahead. If we don't move now, we'll be too late."
---
The Road to Serath
The next morning, they traveled through the cliffs overlooking the coast. Storm clouds churned in the distance, casting long shadows across the crags. Wind howled, strong enough to knock loose stones into the sea.
Lena walked ahead, silent.
Aether caught up beside her. "You okay?"
She didn't answer at first.
Then: "You ever wonder if we're doing the right thing?"
Aether glanced at her. "I don't wonder. I know."
"But how do you know?" she asked. "What if the eyes are keeping something worse sealed?"
Aether stopped walking. The others paused too.
He spoke quietly. "Because I've seen what happens if we don't stop them. The sky tears open. The sea turns black. The dead walk, and cities burn. That's not a maybe—it's a certainty."
Lena looked down. "…Okay."
They continued in silence.
---
Serath – City of Smoke and Stone
By the time they reached Serath's outskirts, night had fallen.
The city walls were covered in vines, cracks splitting through the old stone. Fires burned in distant alleys. War banners still hung from broken towers.
It was a city caught in the grip of old wounds.
"This place hasn't healed," Selene whispered.
"Because no one ever let it," Aether replied.
They snuck in through a collapsed aqueduct, slipping past patrols and makeshift camps. The city was still occupied—by mercenaries, scavengers, and worse.
Lena led them through twisted streets to an old church, half-buried under rubble.
"This is it," she said. "Beneath the altar, there's a path into the old catacombs. That's where they built the Eye's vault."
Before Aether could answer, a shadow dropped from above.
Steel flashed.
Selene blocked the strike with a roll and kicked the attacker back.
More figures appeared—six of them, armored in red.
Crimson Blades.
Their leader stepped forward. A tall man with pale hair, eyes like cold steel, and a jagged scar across his left cheek.
"Been a long time, Aether," he said.
Aether's hands clenched. "…Kane."
Kane smiled. "Didn't expect to see you here. But I should've known you'd crawl out of whatever hole you died in."
Selene moved beside Aether. "Friend of yours?"
"Old rival," Aether said. "He used to fight for the kingdom. Now he fights for himself."
Kane twirled his blade—a curved weapon etched with red runes. "I don't fight for anyone but victory. You should try it sometime."
Viktor raised his staff. "We don't want a fight."
Kane smirked. "Too bad."
He vanished.
Aether barely had time to parry. Kane appeared right behind him, slashing at his side. Aether blocked, but the strike left a pulse of energy that numbed his arm.
Phantom Step.
"He's fast!" Selene shouted.
"Cover me!" Aether shouted, leaping back.
Lena threw daggers, forcing the other mercenaries to scatter. Viktor cast a ward to hold the street. Darius charged, spear clashing with one of the Blades.
Aether stared at Kane.
"You can't win," Kane said. "Not against me. Not this time."
Aether slid his dagger into a reverse grip. "Let's test that."
They clashed.
Blades sparked. The air rang with steel and footwork. Every move Kane made was unpredictable—appearing behind, beside, above.
But Aether had one thing Kane didn't.
Memory.
He started anticipating Kane's steps—countering the Phantom Step with footwork from the future.
Finally, he landed a cut across Kane's arm.
The mercenary stepped back, grinning despite the blood. "You've gotten better."
Aether breathed hard. "You're still reckless."
Kane narrowed his eyes. "You still don't understand, do you? The world is ending, Aether. The only side that matters is the one that survives."
Then he turned—and vanished into the shadows.
The rest of the Blades scattered.
---
Aftermath
The street was wrecked. Stones cracked. Smoke in the air.
Selene exhaled. "That was close."
"He's not done," Aether said. "Next time, he won't go easy."
Lena knelt by the church steps. "We don't have time. If they found this place, they're already looking for the vault."
Aether nodded. "Then we go in now."
They pushed open the broken doors.
The altar loomed in the darkness, worn but untouched. Aether pulled the hidden lever behind it.
A passage opened.
Cold air rushed out.
And the sound of whispering began.