After the battle with the Abyss Wraith, Kael's body still ached, but his heart felt stronger. That fight had pushed him. He had seen what real danger looked like. And even though it nearly killed him, he didn't run.
Now, back in Ember Guild's base, Kael was resting in the courtyard. The sky above was cloudy. Wind passed through the open stone arches as he stared at his system screen.
Kael – Level 9
Strength: 13
Agility: 13
Vitality: 11
Intelligence: 6
Willpower: 8
Soul: ?
[Stat Points: 1]
New Skill: Focused Strike (Active) – Stand still for 1 second to charge your next hit. Deals +100% bonus damage.
Kael placed the point into Vitality. He didn't want to go down easily again.
As he closed the screen, Ren walked over.
"We've got a new problem," Ren said, not wasting time.
Kael stood up. "More dungeon trouble?"
"No. This time, it's here. In the city."
The Ember Guild sat in the northern quarter of Dawnside City. It was a large city, split into seven districts. While Kael had grown up in the slums, most of the city was alive with business, magic, and daily life. But even here, danger could hide.
Ren led Kael into the war room. Maps, reports, and magic scrolls were spread across a long table. Elira, Mira, and Lysa were already inside.
"There's been a string of deaths," Elira said, pointing at a city map. "Five people in the past two nights. All drained of blood. No signs of a struggle."
Kael frowned. "A vampire?"
"Possibly," Lysa said. "But these don't look like normal vampire attacks. There's no bite mark. No signs of feeding."
Ren pointed to a symbol drawn in red on the map. It looked like a spiral with sharp lines.
"This was found carved into the wall near one of the bodies."
Kael looked at it. Something about the symbol made his skin crawl.
"Whatever this is," Ren said, "it's moving fast. And the city guard is clueless."
He looked at Kael.
"You're going to help us find it."
That evening, Kael walked the streets of the East Market with Mira. She wore a long hooded coat. Kael wore his old slum clothes to blend in. Their job was to watch for strange behavior and report back.
The market was busy. Merchants shouted about fresh fruits, shiny rings, and rare spices. Kids ran through the crowd laughing.
Kael's eyes scanned everyone. He watched for shadows. For anyone moving against the flow. For anything... wrong.
"Do you really think a monster is hiding here?" Mira asked softly.
Kael nodded. "Yeah. I've seen too much now to doubt it."
Mira smiled faintly. "You've changed a lot in a week."
Kael chuckled. "Almost dying does that to you."
Suddenly, his system pinged.
[Hidden Quest Detected]
Name: Hunt the Shade
Objective: Track the one hiding in the lightless streets. Clues: 1/5
Reward: ???
Kael froze. "I got a quest."
Mira turned. "What kind?"
Kael showed her the screen. She frowned. "Clues? That means we're close."
Just then, they heard a scream.
They ran toward the sound. A narrow alley between two buildings. In the shadows, a woman lay on the ground, eyes wide, not blinking. A deep red mark glowed on her forehead—the same spiral symbol.
Mira checked for a pulse.
"She's alive, but… something's wrong."
Kael heard a whispering sound. He turned fast.
A figure stood at the other end of the alley. Cloaked. Face hidden. It turned and ran.
Kael didn't think. He chased.
The figure was fast, leaping over crates and slipping through narrow paths. Kael used Shadow Step to close the distance. He was gaining.
Then the figure turned a corner—and vanished.
Kael stopped. The path was empty. No footprints. No sound.
Mira caught up, panting. "Where'd they go?"
Kael scanned the walls. His system pinged again.
Clue Found – 2/5
On the ground, half-covered in dirt, was a black feather. Strange. It shimmered slightly.
Kael picked it up. "This isn't from any bird I know."
Mira's eyes narrowed. "We need to show this to Ren."
Back at the guild, Ren listened carefully as Kael described the chase.
"They vanished mid-run?" Ren asked.
Kael nodded. "No flash, no teleport, no portal. Just… gone."
Ren looked at the feather. He passed it to Lysa, who cast a light spell over it.
"Aether-born," she said slowly. "This is from a shadow spirit. They feed on fear, chaos, and energy. Rare. Usually stay in the wilds. But if one slipped through a broken dungeon gate…"
She didn't finish the sentence.
Ren stood. "We'll hunt it tomorrow. I want every pair we have on the streets."
He looked at Kael. "You're doing well. But be careful. Spirits like this aren't bound by normal rules."
Kael nodded. "I'll be ready."
That night, Kael couldn't sleep. He stared out the window, the feather lying on his table.
Then, his system flashed again.
[Clue Found – 3/5]
The shadows watch from above. A mark lies beneath the gargoyle's wing.
Kael narrowed his eyes. "A hint?"
He grabbed his pipe and cloak, then quietly left the room.
The city was quiet at midnight. Only a few lanterns burned. Kael moved quickly through the streets, heading to the old cathedral. It had stone statues—gargoyles—on the roof.
He climbed the outer wall, careful not to slip. The air was cold. His fingers numbed.
At the top, he saw it.
A glowing spiral symbol, hidden beneath one gargoyle's wing.
Clue Found – 4/5
Then a voice whispered behind him.
"You're getting too close, Kael."
He turned, fast.
The cloaked figure stood ten feet away.
"Who are you?" Kael asked.
"I am the first servant of the Hollow Moon. You were never supposed to see us."
The figure raised a hand. Shadows shot forward.
Kael ducked, rolled, and struck with his pipe. The attack passed through the figure like mist—but it flinched.
Focused Strike.
Kael stood still for one second.
Then he swung.
This time, the hit landed. The figure screamed, twisting into black smoke. It vanished again.
> Clue Found – 5/5
[Hidden Quest Updated: The Hunt Begins – You have marked the shadow. It can no longer hide.]
Kael stood in the moonlight, heart racing.
He didn't kill it.
But now, it couldn't hide.
End of Chapter 8