Thorne awoke at the break of dawn, the first light of morning filtering through the heavy curtains of his opulent room. He stretched, feeling the stiffness of sleep in his muscles, then swung his legs over the side of the bed.

He dressed quickly, slipping into his travel clothes and packing a small bag with a few essentials—items carefully chosen for their utility and concealment. The only thing he was careful about, wrapping it with a thick towel, was a small vial. He slung the bag over his shoulder and made his way out, quietly exiting through the kitchen where Matilda was already hard at work.

"Leaving so soon?" Matilda asked, glancing up from a pot she was stirring.

Thorne offered her a brief smile. "Duty calls." He said picking up her small package of food and placing it inside his bag.

"Be safe," she said, her eyes lingering on him with a motherly concern that made his chest tighten ever so slightly. The other staff members barely glanced his way as he passed, accustomed to his comings and goings at odd hours.

He stepped outside into the crisp morning air, the sky painted with the soft hues of dawn. The sun was just beginning to peak over the horizon as he made his way to the designated meeting point at the Old District . As he approached the abandoned square, he could already see Jareth, Corwin, and Rhea waiting for him.

Jareth nodded in greeting, his expression as calm and unflappable as ever. Corwin, on the other hand, barely acknowledged Thorne's presence, his shifty eyes darting around the square as if he expected danger to spring from the shadows at any moment. He was almost hopping in place, his nervous energy palpable—like a rat cornered in a trap.

Rhea spotted Thorne and greeted him with a teasing smile. "Was your luxurious bed too comfortable to part with?" she asked, her tone light, but with an undercurrent that Thorne couldn't quite place.

Thorne had already activated his skill, Mask of Deceit, as he did every day now. He smirked, the expression practiced and easy. "No, but the breakfast was," he replied, the lie slipping from his lips without effort.

"What in the blasted dead gods are we waiting for?" Corwin grumbled, his voice tight with impatience.

Jareth, who had taken a seat on a low, crumbling wall, replied calmly, "For our handler. Is this your first time?"

Corwin's pacing grew more frantic as he looked around the deserted square. "Of course not! But the other times, I wasn't kept waiting in broad daylight!"

Thorne rolled his eyes and sat next to Jareth, pulling his bag onto his lap. He rummaged through it and pulled out the remaining slice of blueberry pie. As he bit into it, he noticed Rhea watching him. He held out the pie toward her. "Want some?" he asked through a mouthful of pie.

Rhea shook her head, her expression unreadable, before she turned away. Thorne shrugged and continued savoring the delicious pie, enjoying the last bit of normalcy before the mission began in earnest.

Suddenly, Corwin's voice rang out, sharp with tension. "They're coming!" He pointed down a long, deserted street lined with rundown buildings. Thorne wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and stood up, peering in the direction Corwin indicated.

The first thing he noticed was the sound—the slow, steady clop of hooves against the cracked pavement. Then he saw the cart, an old, rickety thing drawn by a stubborn-looking donkey. The cart creaked and groaned as it rolled closer, piled high with wooden crates. A wizened old man sat at the front, hunched over with age, his few remaining hairs white as snow. His back was bowed, and he seemed more a part of the cart than its driver.

"Are you sure that's him?" Jareth wondered aloud, his tone skeptical.

The cart drew closer, and they could see a pair of dusty boots propped up on a crate in the back. Someone was lounging there, completely at ease. Thorne's hand instinctively drifted to the small of his back, where a blade was hidden beneath his coat, ready for a fight. The others tensed as well, their eyes locked on the approaching cart.

Just as the cart came to a stop in front of them, a familiar face popped up from the back of the cart. Sid barked out a command in his gruff voice. "What the hell are you waiting for? Get in!"

They all jumped slightly at his sudden appearance and tone but obeyed without hesitation. Thorne climbed up onto the cart, finding a seat among the crates. As he settled in, a strong, fishy smell assaulted his senses, making him grimace. "What am I sitting on?" he muttered.

Sid chuckled from his spot at the front. "Salted fish," he replied, banging on the wood behind his head. The cart jolted forward as the donkey started moving again, and they were off.

A few moments passed in relative silence, broken only by the creaking of the cart and the occasional muttered curse from Corwin. Corwin squirmed in his seat, his restless energy almost unbearable as his fingers drummed nervously on the wood beneath him. Finally, unable to contain his curiosity, "So, what's our mission?" he asked, his voice tight with impatience.

Sid groaned, pulling the hood of his cloak lower over his eyes. "No questions. You'll be briefed when necessary. Now let me sleep—I had a rough night."

Thorne caught the unmistakable scent of alcohol wafting from Sid's direction and smirked to himself. Corwin looked like he wanted to argue, but wisely thought better of it and kept his mouth shut. With nothing else to do, the four of them settled into an uneasy silence

Jareth immediately hunched against a crate and closed his eyes, seemingly unbothered by the uncomfortable conditions. Corwin, however, couldn't sit still, his head constantly swiveling as if expecting an attack at any moment. Rhea sat with her back straight, staring ahead, her expression unreadable.

Thorne took out the last bit of his pie, finishing it off as he let his gaze drift to the passing scenery. This part of the city was a ghost town, remnants of elven architecture barely visible beneath layers of decay and neglect. Once-beautiful buildings and intricate decorations had crumbled, replaced by ugly, rundown structures made of stone and wood. Weeds sprouted from the cracked pavement, and dirt clung stubbornly to every surface. The cart creaked and groaned with every bump, sending uncomfortable jolts through Thorne's body.

As they finally exited the city and moved onto the dirt road, the journey became somewhat smoother. They passed by scattered farms, fields of crops stretching out on either side, and herds of Alvar sheep dotting the landscape. Thorne recognized the sight of the sheep—prized for their durable wool, a key bargaining chip Uncle had used to secure a deal with Lord Durnell.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

They traveled for three days, stopping only at night to sleep. Fortunately, they didn't encounter any beasts, though the distant howls of wolves echoed through the darkness each night, keeping them on edge.

Sid had chosen a less-traveled road, avoiding the nearby villages and ensuring their journey remained discreet. They crossed paths with a traveler only once, a solitary figure who gave them a wide berth and quickly disappeared down a side path.

The journey was far from enjoyable. Corwin's incessant fidgeting and complaints grew more irritating by the hour, and by the second day, Sid had taken to yelling at him every few hours, threatening to make him walk the rest of the way. The tension between Rhea and Thorne added to the discomfort, a silent strain that Thorne couldn't quite place. By the second day, even Thorne found himself growing restless.

On the first day, after cresting a hill, Thorne caught sight of the small town of Netherton in the distance. It was the nearest big settlement to Alvar, serving as a resting spot for travelers heading to the city. They didn't stop there, instead circling the town and continuing on their way. On the third day, they passed a larger town, Rookhaven, where the road became congested with carts, horses, and people all heading toward the town's gates. The bustling activity slowed their progress.

What gave Thorne pause, however, was the sensation of the aether. The further they traveled from Alvar, the more he could feel it—like a dam had broken, and the aether motes were steadily increasing in density. Whenever he activated his aether vision, the sheer volume of motes disoriented him, as if the very air was alive with energy.

As they left the bustling town behind and entered a dense forest, the aether spiked to an almost palpable level. Thorne could feel it on his skin, a tingling sensation that made his hair stand on end. The donkey that had been so placid during the journey began to huff in agitation, its ears flicking back nervously.

Sid, who had been dozing off, snapped awake, his senses alert and his muscles tensed for action. Everyone in the cart became visibly tense, picking up on the dangerous signs around them, their hands instinctively reaching for their weapons.

The forest was thick, the trees ancient and towering, their branches forming a canopy that blocked out most of the sunlight. The air was heavy with the scent of damp earth and decaying leaves, and the only sounds were the creaking of the cart and the occasional rustle of something moving through the underbrush.

Thorne could feel the aether thickening in the air, almost suffocating in its intensity. His eyes narrowed as he scanned the surroundings.

Corwin was muttering to himself under his breath, his voice a constant, nervous drone. "Why does it feel so strange here? This place gives me the creeps," he complained, his eyes darting around as if expecting something to leap out from the shadows.

Sid, who had been lounging at the front of the cart, suddenly stood up and scanned their surroundings with narrowed eyes. "This forest is thick with aether, and it's teeming with aether beasts," he explained, his voice low and tense. "That's why Alvar is so cut off from the rest of the kingdom. Ebonwood Forest acts as a natural barrier."

At Sid's words, everyone else straightened, their senses sharpening in response to the potential danger. Everyone except Corwin, who seemed to fold in on himself, his shoulders hunching as if trying to make himself smaller. "Great! That is just great!" Corwin groaned, his voice tinged with panic. "Couldn't I have been picked for an easier mission?"

Sid froze, his gaze fixed on a spot deep within the trees, his body suddenly rigid with tension. "Shut it!" he whispered urgently, his tone carrying a sharp edge of warning. "Before you attract its attention."

Corwin's eyes widened in alarm, and he blurted out, "What?" his voice rising higher than intended, the sharpness of it slicing through the thick silence of the forest.

The single word echoed through the trees, and for a moment, everything went still, the forest holding its breath. Then, a deep, guttural roar erupted from somewhere in the shadows, the sound reverberating through the ground beneath them. The donkey, sensing the danger, came to an abrupt halt, its nostrils flaring as it huffed in fear.

Thorne was on his feet in an instant, his hand instinctively reaching for the hilt of his blade. The others followed suit, their weapons drawn and their eyes scanning the surrounding trees for any sign of movement.

"Dammit, Corwin," Sid hissed, his voice barely more than a breath. "Stay still and keep quiet!"

The forest around them was alive with the sound of rustling leaves and snapping branches as something massive moved through the underbrush. The aether in the air thickened even more, making it hard to breathe, as if the very forest was closing in on them. Thorne could feel the aether motes swirling around him, reacting to the presence of the creature, their usual calm flow disrupted by the disturbance in the natural order.

Suddenly, the underbrush exploded as a massive creature burst through the trees. It was a hulking beast, easily twice the size of the cart, with thick, matted fur and eyes that glowed with an eerie, unnatural light. Its long, twisted horns curved menacingly above its head, and its maw was filled with jagged teeth that dripped with saliva, hungry for blood.

The creature's roar echoed once more, louder and more threatening, sending a shiver down Thorne's spine. This was an aether beast, unlike any other he had faced in the elven forest.

Sid, without a hint of hesitation, turned to the group, his voice calm but commanding. "Stay put. I'll handle this."

Thorne watched as Sid dropped from the cart with a grace that belied his rugged appearance. His movements were fluid, almost too fast to follow, as he melted into the shadows cast by the thick forest canopy. One moment he was there, and the next, he was gone, as if the darkness itself had swallowed him whole.

The aether beast growled low in its throat, its senses keen, but it seemed confused—unable to pinpoint Sid's location. The group remained tense, weapons drawn, but none dared to move as they tried to track Sid's subtle movements.

Suddenly, Sid reappeared at the beast's flank, his figure flickering into view as if he'd stepped out of a shadow. His twin daggers, slender and wickedly sharp, glinted in the low light. He struck fast, a blur of motion as he delivered a series of rapid, precise cuts to the creature's hind legs, aiming for the tendons.

The beast roared in pain, spinning around to face this new threat, but Sid was already gone, his form vanishing into the shadows once more. The beast's eyes darted around, searching frantically for its attacker, but Sid had become a ghost, moving from shadow to shadow with supernatural speed.

From the cover of darkness, Sid activated his Shadow Step skill, reappearing behind the beast's head. He leaped up with agility that defied his age, plunging one dagger into the creature's thick neck. A burst of dark aether flared from the blade, spreading through the beast's body like a poison, slowing its movements as it tried to shake him off.

The aether beast thrashed violently, trying to dislodge Sid, but he held on with the dexterity of a seasoned rogue. Using his Evasion skill, he twisted and flipped off the creature's back, landing silently on the ground just as the beast's massive claws swiped through the air where he had been.

Sid didn't give it a chance to recover. Activating Quick Strike, he blurred forward in a flash of speed, delivering a rapid series of slashes to the beast's vulnerable underbelly. Each strike was precise, aimed at weakening the beast's core where the aether was most concentrated.

The beast howled in fury, the dark aether from Sid's attacks spreading through its system, further destabilizing it. It staggered, struggling to keep its form intact as the energy within it began to unravel.

Sid wasn't done. He activated Backstab, slipping behind the beast in the blink of an eye. With ruthless precision, he drove both daggers into the base of its spine, channeling a surge of aether into the creature's body. The attack severed the flow of aether within the beast, causing its glowing eyes to flicker and dim.

The creature roared one last time, a sound that shook the very trees around them, but its strength was fading. It stumbled forward, its massive body crashing to the ground as it finally succumbed to Sid's relentless assault.

Sid stood over the fallen beast, his breathing steady, his face impassive as he surveyed his work. The aether around him seemed to calm, the motes no longer swirling in chaotic patterns but instead settling into a gentle, rhythmic flow.

Without a word, Sid wiped the blood from his daggers with a swift motion and sheathed them. The entire encounter had lasted mere moments, but it felt like an eternity to those watching.

Thorne, still on edge, slowly lowered his weapon, his eyes fixed on Sid. The man moved with an almost otherworldly skill, his rogue abilities on full display, making it clear that age hadn't turned him soft.

Sid turned back to the group, his expression as blunt as ever. "Let's keep moving," he said calmly, as if nothing had happened. "The forest isn't safe, and that wasn't the only danger we'll face."

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.