Ashenreach. The name stuck with him. Ghosts, wandering lights, or whatever it really was—it finally felt like they’d stepped into a world of fantasy. The thought brought a smile to Adrian’s face.

  When he glanced at Alex, his friend was already smirking. Adrian almost laughed aloud. He’s thinking the same thing.

  For all the scars the slums had carved into them, for all the hardness they wore like armor, they were still kids at heart. The Nexus had given them safety, food, and a chance to breathe—and with that, a piece of their old selves had come back.

  “Where is Ashenreach?” Alex asked suddenly, grinning wide. “That’d be one hell of an excursion.” He laughed like it was the best idea in the world.

  Sylmara’s expression soured, her brow creasing as though she was staring at a lunatic. “From what I’ve heard, it’s a day or two from Ashfall.” Her eyes lingered on them. “You’re not actually thinking of going there, are you?”

  “Maybe,” Alex said, his grin never faltering.

  She shook her head. “Your funeral.”

  Adrian leaned forward. “So… what other ruins are around here?”

  “There are plenty,” Sylmara admitted, though her voice softened. “But I don’t know much about them.”

  They spent the next hour drawing what scraps of knowledge she had. It wasn’t much—half-remembered stories, but it was more than they’d had before. When she finally left them, Adrian and Alex stayed behind, their minds buzzing with possibilities.

  The ruins, from what little they’d pieced together, were the bones of an ancient civilization. And the artifacts? Relics of that lost world. Strange devices that could be anything—tools, weapons, luxuries. Things that seemed magical because nobody understood how they worked or how to make them.

  “Are we going to the ruins?” Alex asked.

  “I want to,” Adrian admitted. “But we need more information first. No point in dying just after our luck finally turned for the better.”

  “Yeah, you’re right. Maybe we should take it slow,” Alex said with a reluctant shrug.

  Adrian nodded. “Let’s talk to Luminara about it first. Then we’ll see.”

  There was silence for a few minutes.

  “Artifact monopoly?” Alex smirked.

  Adrian chuckled. “Could work. But we need someone to sell them for us.”

  “Exactly,” Alex said, grinning wider. “We find some merchant—or whatever they call them here—and let him handle it. We sit back, get rich.”

  Adrian shook his head, though the smile wouldn’t leave his face. “We could sell any piece of tech for a hundred times its worth here, or any other equipment.”

  Alex raised his cup. “We market them as relics. But first, we need to see a real one—make sure we don’t do something stupid.”

  “First thing in Ashfall,” Adrian said, grinning. “Relic shopping. Then we’ll figure out the rest.”

  “Damn, if this works, we’re gonna be rich.”

  “Only if we can convert the gold into denars,” Adrian chuckled. “But that’s still easier than selling food.”

  “Pretty much,” Alex agreed with a smirk.

  Adrian leaned back, shaking his head but smiling. “We’re buying a mansion out of the slums after this.”

  They spent the rest of the day lost in daydreams of wealth, talking themselves into a future that sounded more plausible with every cup of bitter coffee.

  The next few days slipped by in a blur. Each morning, they sat with Sylmara over a cup of coffee, pressing gently for details, trying to draw out whatever scraps of knowledge she carried. But there wasn’t much to glean. She had spent most of her life tucked away in the woods, far from the currents of the world. And when she did venture into the city, it was only for a few hurried hours—enough to gather supplies before retreating again, careful not to risk exposing the village.

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  Adrian also kept trying to convince her to guide them to the city, and little by little, he was making progress. Now and then, she let slip a hint of interest—an extra question, a look that lingered too long. Maybe she just wanted a break from the village. Maybe the thought of earning an artifact tempted her. Most likely, it was both.

  The other hunters joined them from time to time, but the rest of the village still kept their distance. When Alex tried to start a conversation with one of the children, the boy hurriedly ran off. The isolation was hard to ignore, but Adrian didn’t mind. At least Sylmara made sure they never went hungry.

  Every day she brought something different—hearty stews rich with root vegetables, dried strips of spiced game, and once even a roast bird with a golden glaze that smelled faintly of citrus. The meals were simple, but fulfilling.

  The hunters had grown more friendly with them, likely because Adrian and Alex kept their heads down, followed instructions, and caused no trouble for the village. Adrian had half-expected Alex to lash out or say something reckless, but to his surprise, he didn’t.

  Alex and Adrian sat in their usual spot on the fallen trunk beside their hut when movement at the edge of the village caught their attention. A group of strangers was approaching—seven of them in all.

  Adrian frowned, raising a brow. “Who are they?”

  “We’ll see,” Alex muttered, his gaze sharp, following their every step.

  The newcomers stood out immediately. Their clothes were sturdier, better-made than anything the villagers wore, and each carried heavy packs strapped with gear.

  The villagers drifted toward them at once, murmurs rising as they surrounded the group. For a few moments, the voices stayed low, curious, cautious. Then, suddenly, the tone shifted. Fear rippled through the crowd like a spark catching dry grass. Faces twisted in panic. Words grew sharper, louder. A child started crying.

  Adrian straightened, uneasy. “Should we go see what’s happening?” The question left his mouth before his better judgment could catch it.

  Alex shook his head. “No. Wait. Sylmara will come to us when it matters.”

  Still, the tension was impossible to ignore. Some villagers looked pale and stricken, whispering frantically, while others wore masks of grim resolve, speaking in hushed voices as if afraid the children might overhear.

  Adrian felt his chest tighten, his heartbeat quickening. Whatever this was, it wasn’t just another hunting party returning. Something had shifted in the air, and he hated not knowing what.

  Soon, the villagers began moving toward the largest building in the settlement, filing inside one by one. No one emerged until late into the night.

  Adrian and Alex spent the entire day observing, trying to make sense of what was happening around them, piecing together snippets of movement and hushed conversation. But no matter how hard they tried, they couldn’t figure anything out. Every action seemed deliberate, every expression carefully guarded. By evening, they were left with nothing but questions and a growing sense that whatever had happened, it was important, and they were outsiders in the middle of it.

  A few minutes after the villagers finally emerged from the large building, Sylmara and Draveth made their way toward Adrian and Alex. The two boys straightened as they approached.

  Adrian couldn’t hold back. “What’s happening?” he asked, voice low but urgent.

  For a long moment, neither of them answered. The air seemed to thicken, heavy with unspoken tension. Finally, Draveth spoke, his tone grim.

  “The Ghast is back.”

  Adrian and Alex looked at each other, then Alex asked, "What do you mean it's back?"

  Sylmara was the first to speak this time. “Kavreth came back today,” she said, her voice tight, “and reported that two villages were hit by the Ghast.”

  Adrian let out a small breath. “So… what does that even mean?”

  All morning, he’d been worried and confused, but now that he had an answer, he felt a little foolish for panicking.

  “For you, probably nothing,” Sylmara said, her expression heavy with sadness, “but for us…it’s a lot. After the Ghast strikes, bounties are placed on the cursed.”

  “That sucks,” Alex muttered. “Who’s this Kavreth?”

  Draveth answered this time, his tone calm but firm. “The village elder.”

  Alex’s eyes lit up. “So that’s who we’ve been waiting to talk to,” he said, nodding once, then again for emphasis.

  Sylmara’s gaze cut to Alex. “Do you even take this seriously?”

  Adrian jabbed Alex lightly on the back of the head. “Idiot,” he muttered under his breath.

  Alex just shrugged. “Yeah… you’ll be fine. Don’t know about the other villages, though.”

  Adrian just shook his head, "So what's going to happen now?"

  Sylmara glared at Alex for a long moment before speaking. “Tomorrow morning, you will meet the elders. After that—if everything goes well,” she emphasized each word deliberately, her eyes sharp on them, “we’ll escort you to the city.” She motioned with her hand toward Draveth as she said it, making it clear the responsibility would fall on him as well.

  “Why the change of heart?” Alex asked, a smirk tugging at his lips.

  Adrian shot him a sharp look and jabbed him on the back of the head again. Alex just grinned, clearly enjoying the reaction; he was deliberately pushing buttons for no reason at all.

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