Chapter 12: The Splinter and the Original
The obsidian seal cracked in Valerian's grip like brittle bone. Shards of red wax scattered across the polished desk, its ancient glyphs vanishing as if burned away by unseen fire. The parchment underneath seemed to breathe—old, cursed, and too heavy for simple hands.
The Obsidian Conclave.
A whisper woven into the darkest corners of noble halls. A place where truths turned men into monsters and monsters into kings. It wasn't a summons. It was a sentence.
Valerian didn't flinch.
He folded the letter and tucked it into the lining of his coat, movements practiced and deliberate. Behind him, Umbra stirred in the gloom—massive, silent, the horned knight wreathed in a darkness that bent candlelight away from its form. A loyal shadow awaiting the storm.
"We ride tonight," Valerian said, voice low but resolved.
> [Quest Activated: "Summons of the Deep Court"]
Objective: Reach the Obsidian Conclave alive.
Warning: All teleportation and sigils disabled. You must traverse the Vale of Lost Names.
Recommended Level: 35+
Penalty: Death and Soul Fragmentation