Kael and Riven stood at the Guild Nexus Plaza, where five towering obelisks represented each of the city's major guilds. Each one glowed in its own distinct color:
• Ashbreaker – Crimson
• Runeseekers – Violet
• Wyrmguard – Emerald
• Shadowlink – Midnight Blue
• Pathforge – Molten Copper
They stepped toward the two they'd chosen: Shadowlink and Pathforge.
Shadowlink – The Guild of Blades in the Dark
Inside, it was cold. Silent. A floating platform hovered above nothingness. A figure in a hood watched them.
"You want to move without being seen? Strike before being heard?" the agent asked. "Then welcome to the void."
[Shadowlink Perks Unlocked]
– Stealth System Interface added (shows detection radius)
– Assassin's Mark: Bonus critical hit to unaware targets
– Shadow Vault Access (rare poisons, cloak gear, vanish stones)
– Mini-quests: Espionage, sabotage, rogue targets
Riven received a Cloakweave Dagger, thin as a whisper, with passive stealth boosts. Kael unlocked Ambush Style, dual-blade technique that gave him a bonus opening strike when undetected.
Pathforge – The Guild of Craft and Survival
The Pathforge hall buzzed with inventors, beast tamers, and crafters. Blueprints floated in the air like holograms. Tools floated on magic rings. Golems stomped through the forge labs.
A goggled dwarf named Rezza greeted them. "Ah, new recruits! You got dirt on your boots and sharp stuff in your bags—perfect."
[Pathforge Perks Unlocked]
– Field Crafting System: Combine materials to make traps, potions, food, and gear on the go
– Beast Taming Tech (Tier I): Can tame low-level animals as companions
– Blueprint System Access: Learn new gear mods by breaking down items
– Trade Boost: Better prices at any market while wearing Pathforge sigil
They traded in extra loot from the mine—rare fangs, cores, enchanted scrap—and walked away with 600 Gold, 3 Health Elixirs, and a Trapkit Mod Pack Riven could use in dungeons.
Back to Lena at the Ashbreaker Hall
They met her one last time before heading to the dungeon.
Lena raised a brow at their new gear. "I see you've been busy."
"We're ready," Kael said.
"Good. You're going to need everything you've got down there. The Rift Beneath has been sealed for years—until Volkran's fall broke the last lock."
She handed them a Cracked Flame Sigil, still smoking. "This will open the entrance. But once you're inside… it closes. No teleporting. No running."
[DUNGEON UNLOCKED: THE RIFT BENEATH]
Tier: II
Status: Unstable
Rewards: Unknown
Warning: Multi-phase / Environmental Hazards / ??? Boss
Lena gripped Kael's wrist, then looked at Riven. "Come back in one piece, both of you. And if you find any… echoes down there, don't listen too long."
The entrance to the Rift cracked open, spiraling downward into darkness—lit only by glowing red veins of the earth. The sound of whispers and wind echoed up.
Kael and Riven exchanged a glance, blades and bow ready.
"Time to see what the Dragon King left behind," Kael said.
And they stepped into the abyss.