Morning arrived in Valeshroud with a solemn hush. The sky was painted in the soft hues of dawn, streaks of lavender and peach stretching beyond the forested canopy. The air held a cool stillness, as though the world itself was holding its breath. Birds sang, but even their melodies were quieter today, reverent of what was to come.
Shin stood at the eastern gate of Valeshroud, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon where the hills of Kharzad rose like jagged teeth. His hand rested on his hip, and the crystal orb in his pocket vibrated faintly, sensing the anticipation that stirred within him. The Crest on the back of his left hand pulsed with dim light, not as fierce as before but steady.
Behind him, his companions gathered one by one.
Laverna stepped forward first, her expression composed but resolute. Crimson sparks flickered around her fingers as she adjusted the straps on her vambraces. Her orange hair was pulled back tightly, her kunoichi garb immaculate. Her heart aflutter as she looked toward Shin.
"We're not walking into Kharzad blind," she said. "We're walking in together."
Zera followed, her cape-like skirt fluttering as she moved with sharp, precise grace. The sun gleamed off the polished steel of her armor, her silver blade sheathed at her back. Her crest glowed faintly at her chest, and her eyes met Shin's with steady fire.
"The crown may have fallen, but the people haven't," she said. "I swore an oath to protect Aethelmar. That hasn't changed."
Tessara stood between them, the Moonflower Mask on her face. Her golden hair caught the morning light like threads of fire. Though her eyes remained clouded, there was no hesitation in her posture. Her ethereal tails shimmered with faint moonlight, and the purified mask resonated quietly.
"The corruption ends with us," she said. "No more running from what my ancestors left behind. No more shadows."
Shin turned to face them, heart swelling. He took a breath, grounding himself.
"I know what we're walking into," he said. "King Tristan controls more than just armies. He has turned fear into a weapon. But we aren't afraid of the shadows anymore."
His voice carried in the quiet air, and the glow of his Crest intensified. The golden hue spread to his veins like sunlight breaking through storm clouds. Despite the exhaustion gnawing at him, his light refused to dim.
"I never asked any of you to follow me," Shin continued. "But you did. And now, I ask one thing—not for me, but for everyone still waiting for someone to fight for them. For every voice silenced by Tristan's rule."
He raised his hand, crest flaring.
"Will you stand with me?"
Laverna was the first to step forward. She extended her hand, her aura erupting with a surge of crimson lightning. "I'm with you. All the way."
Zera followed, placing her hand atop Laverna's. "For Aethelmar."
Tessara placed hers next. "For the foxes who lost their home. For the moon that still shines."
The moment their crests aligned, a radiant glow enveloped the group. It pulsed outward, forming a ring of light that rose into the sky. Guild Master Davis and Yuri arrived just in time to witness it.
"Well, I'll be," Davis murmured. "It's like watchin' legends rise from the pages."
Yuri stepped closer, her voice quiet. "They're not just fighting for themselves. They're fighting for us, too."
Davis nodded. "Then we give them everything we can. Safehouses. Intel. Even old contacts from the border cities. They'll need it."
From the ramparts, Captain Mira of the Fourth Talon narrowed her eyes as she watched the party disappear into the distance. She pointed to two lean warriors beside her—Rynn and Dalen—who had once trained under Shin during the early days before Laginaple's fall.
"They've come far," Mira muttered.
"Too far," Tove, her twin sister, added with a smirk. "Look at that party. All women. That fox must be living in a dream."
Rynn let out a low whistle. "Remember when he sparred with Olga? He's a beast. Good thing he taught us back then."
Dalen nodded. "Now he's got lightning flying out of his girlfriend's fingers and the moon making out with his aura."
Lyssa groaned. "He doesn't even glance at us anymore. Like we're invisible. I wore eyeliner today, Tove. Eyeliner. For what?"
Tove patted her on the shoulder with mock sympathy. "For disappointment, clearly."
"Oi, don't act like you didn't sketch 'Mrs. Shin' in your notebook last winter," Lyssa shot back.
"I sketched Commander Shin, thank you very much," Tove huffed. "There's a difference."
Olga, who leaned against the stone wall, chewing on dried ginger root, snorted. "Would you, if you had her?" She nodded toward Laverna, who had just sent a ripple of crimson lightning through the air with a casual flick of her wrist. "She's terrifying. Beautiful, but terrifying."
"I sparred with her," Olga added after a beat. "She didn't even last six seconds. She saw stars. She tasted stars. Now, look at her, brimming with power."
Tove exhaled sharply, brushing a strand of wind-tossed hair from her face. "Still, I hate that we're just... watching."
Mira crossed her arms. "Yeah, I didn't join the Talon to become a cheerleader."
"You? You'd end up pelting him with flowers and demanding he call you 'Captain Mira' in public," Tove muttered.
"Don't tempt me," Mira grinned. "Might spice things up around here."
They all laughed softly, wry and wistful.
Then came a low chuckle behind them. Father Grent stepped forward, his thick brows lifted in amusement as he joined the idle gossip brigade.
"Stars above, you lot sound like a pack of lovesick geese." He chuckled again, the laugh low and weathered. "Let the lad walk his path. You think destiny's kind enough to let you all swoon around him forever?"
"We can dream," Tove said dramatically.
"We do dream," Lyssa added, sighing.
Father Grent only shook his head with a smile. Then he faced the eastern gate, the same path Shin's party had taken.
"The future belongs to the brave," he said, eyes shining. "And for better or worse, that boy's carrying the hopes of more than just wide-eyed warriors and blushing admirers."
He bowed his head and whispered a quiet prayer.
"May the light guide you, Shin… and may your fire burn long enough to cleanse this land."
Behind him, the Fourth Talon fell silent again—but this time, the weight of their envy gave way to something steadier.
Pride.
Because even if Shin was beyond reach now, he had once stood beside them.
And they would stand ready when he returned.
Shin turned back toward the gate, where supplies were being loaded into wagons. The group had opted to travel lightly, but they carried enough provisions to reach the outskirts of Kharzad.
"We're heading into the Ebon Veil," Shin said. "It's the last place Tristan's corruption still festers. If we don't cut it off now, it'll spread east, across Coralis, and into the heartlands."
Yuri approached him, arms folded. "You'll be walking into territory we abandoned a decade ago. We lost entire legions trying to hold it."
"We're not a legion," Shin replied. "We're a spark. All we need to do is light the fire."
She studied him, then nodded. "Then go. And don't look back. We'll keep this place standing until you return."
Davis clapped Shin on the shoulder. "Give that bastard Tristan a taste of Laginaple steel. And if ye ever need reinforcements, send word. Valeshroud's gates will open."
With parting words said, the party departed under the rising sun.
Valeshroud's walls faded behind them, but its light remained within them. Each step brought them closer to Kharzad—and the final bastion of the Ebon Veil.
Their march was not just a journey.
It was a promise.
A promise to end the darkness.
To protect what still remained.
And to never again let tyranny rise unchecked.
Even if it meant facing hell itself.
They had chosen their path.
And together, they would walk it.
All the way to the end.