Chapter 143: Newas 9
Mist hung heavy in the air as the caravan wound its way out of the forgotten village. Adrian rode at the front, face set like carved stone, but his eyes glimmered with purpose. Each new follower—each remnant of the Mistshroud Sect he uncovered—was a flicker of hope, a spark that whispered the same thing again and again:
We are not dead.
The journey ahead was long, and the empire vast, but Adrian knew now that the embers were still warm. All they needed was breath—and the fire would rise again.
He glanced behind him at the small band of cultivators—some young, some weathered, all carrying the same look in their eyes.
Resolve.
Beside him, Bella gripped her spear. "They’re waiting for us."
"They always have been," Adrian said. "But now... we’re not running."
Stonehold City – Inner Sanctum of the City Lord
City Lord Richard stood before an obsidian mirror, his reflection warped by strands of dark energy pulsing along its edges. His breathing was shallow. The letter he held trembled between his fingers.
A report.
The Dust Order had failed. Again.
Julian was gone. The Raven Chain was gone. The citizens were restless. The nobles were beginning to question his authority.