Valoria's capital was a city under siege, not by armies but by shadows. Valorius's spectral warriors crept through the streets, their forms flickering like smoke, draining life from anyone they touched. Elian Valorian raced back from the Iron Peaks, his Epic Aetherial Blade glowing in the pre-dawn gloom. The city's bells tolled mournfully, and the air was thick with the scent of ash and fear. Liora's spellweavers struggled to maintain the Mythic Aetherial Core's ritual, the Crown of Dawn pulsing erratically in their hands. Sylvara's Fey mages wove silver barriers, but the shadows slipped through, relentless.
Elian found Liora in the central square, her face etched with exhaustion. "The Core's power is fading," she said. "Valorius's Void energy is countering it. We need a historical record to understand his betrayal."
Elian nodded, leading a team to the royal archives, a towering structure of marble and crystal. Veyra's rogues cleared spectral guards, their daggers swift. Inside, dust-laden tomes lined the shelves, their pages whispering of Valoria's past. Elian summoned the Faith System. [Current Belief Points (BP): 300]
The city's resistance boosted faith. [BP increased to 2,200.]
"Show me options for 2,200 BP," he thought.
[Gold: 220,000 gold coins] [Aether Crystals: 220 crystals] [Rare Lore Scroll: 2,000 BP]
"Convert 2,000 BP to Rare Lore Scroll," Elian decided. A glowing parchment materialized, its runes shimmering. Seraphine, guarding the entrance, frowned. "Another relic, sire? Your secrets weigh heavily," she said.
"Valoria's history guides us," Elian replied, unfurling the scroll. It revealed Valorius's betrayal: he had forged a pact with the Void to save Valoria, only to be consumed by it. A relic, the Heart of Valoria, could sever his tie.
The archives shook as shadows surged. Elian's Aetherial Crescent cut through them, and Veyra's traps slowed their advance. Sylvara's warning echoed: "The Heart is in the Crystalid Depths, guarded by their elders."
As Elian planned the journey, Korran burst in. "Sire, Ironhold's legions are a day away, and Krag's orcs are threatening to leave unless you meet their demands." Elian's alliance was crumbling, and Valorius's shadows tightened their grip.