Kael crouched in the shadows of the temple's outer wall, his breath shallow and deliberate.
Moonlight spilled across the jagged stones, casting long, twisted shapes that danced in the night breeze. The air hummed with magic, a vibration that set his teeth on edge. He adjusted the black cloth over his face, leaving only his eyes exposed, and checked his tools: a coiled rope, lockpicks, and a dagger strapped to his thigh.
The temple loomed before him, its spires clawing at the sky like skeletal fingers.
This was no ordinary job.
Whispers in the thieves' dens spoke of a treasure inside, worth more than gold or gems. Something life-changing.
At eighteen, Kael had no illusions about his life. He stole to survive, not to dream.
But tonight, that promise pulled him forward.
He scaled the wall with ease, fingers finding holds in the crumbling stone. The temple, built centuries ago for forgotten gods, was guarded by more than men.
Kael had seen the wards etched into the walls, glowing with sickly green light.
He had prepared a vial of nullpowder, bought from a shady alchemist in the Lower District, hung at his belt.
It would dampen the wards long enough to slip through.
He reached the wall's top and paused, scanning the courtyard. Two guards patrolled, their lanterns bobbing like fireflies.
Kael waited, counting their steps, timing their turns.
Finally, the moment came, he sprinkled nullpowder over the nearest ward. The green light flickered and died. He dropped silently to the ground.
The main doors were a trap, rigged with alarms both mundane and magical.
Kael had scouted a side entrance, a narrow grate behind a hooded statue. He pried it loose, wincing at the faint scrape, and squeezed into the dark tunnel. The air was damp, heavy with moss and decay. His boots splashed in shallow water as he crept forward, guided by his lantern, a dim crystal casting just enough light to see without betraying him.
The tunnel led to a spiral staircase, its steps worn smooth. Kael ascended, heart pounding not from fear but from the thrill of the unknown.
At the top, he entered a vast chamber.
Obsidian pillars lined the room, carved with runes that pulsed faintly. At the center, on a polished stone pedestal, sat the prize: a fist-sized orb, glowing with soft, silvery light.
It hummed, vibrating Kael's chest. He approached cautiously, eyes scanning for traps. The floor's tiles bore symbols matching the pillars' runes. He stepped only on unmarked ones, moving with a dancer's precision. The orb's light shifted like liquid silver, drawing him in. He had stolen jewels before, gold and artifacts too, but nothing like this.
It felt...alive.
Kael reached the pedestal and paused.
The air shimmered, suggesting a magical barrier. He pulled a small mirror from his pack, a trick to test for wards.
Holding it at an angle, he caught the orb's reflection and saw faint energy threads weaving around it.
He sprinkled nullpowder, watching them dissolve.
With a steady hand, he lifted the orb.
It was warm, heavier than it looked, its hum sending a shiver through his bones.
He stood frozen, expecting the room to collapse or alarms to blare.
Nothing happened.
He slipped the orb into a padded pouch at his belt and turned to leave.
The chamber shook.
A low rumble filled the air, and the pillars' runes flared red.
Kael cursed and sprinted for the staircase. The ground tilted, throwing him against a pillar. Dust rained down, and a crack split the floor, releasing a pulse of energy that singed his cloak.
He stumbled down the stairs, the orb's hum now a deafening throb.
The tunnel was collapsing, water surging through new fissures. Kael ran, his lantern bouncing, until he burst through the grate into the courtyard.
The guards were gone, likely fleeing.
He didn't check.
He scaled the outer wall and dropped into the alley, chest heaving.
Varnholt city sprawled before him, a maze of crooked streets and flickering lamps.
Kael pulled the cloth from his face and melted into the shadows, heading for the Lower District.
The orb's weight felt like a tether to an unknown fate. He needed to fence it fast, before its owners came looking.
His contact, Gav, a grizzled pawnbroker, would know what to do. But as Kael turned a corner, he collided with someone. He staggered back, hand on his dagger, and faced a young woman.
She was about his age, maybe a year older, with sharp green eyes and dark hair in a messy braid. Her patched but clean cloak and satchel stuffed with books and scrolls marked her as no thief. She glared, then her gaze dropped to the pouch at his belt, where the orb's faint glow seeped through.
Her eyes widened. "You fool," she hissed. "Do you know what you've done?"
Kael tightened his grip on the dagger. "Keep your voice down. Who are you?"
"Mira," she said, stepping closer. "And that thing you stole? It's a Veilkey. You've triggered a breach."
"A what?" Kael backed away, but the alley was narrow, and footsteps approached from behind.
Guards, or worse.
"No time." Mira grabbed his arm, her strength surprising. "Come with me, or we're both dead."
Kael didn't trust her, but the orb's hum grew louder, and the air felt heavy, pressing on his skin. The footsteps closed in, accompanied by shouts. He had no choice. He followed Mira through alleys, dodging drunks and stray dogs, until they reached a derelict warehouse. She pushed open a rusted door and pulled him inside.
The warehouse was dim, lit by moonlight through broken windows. Mira led him to a corner with a makeshift table of candles, books, and odd instruments.
She lit a candle and turned, her face a mix of anger and urgency. "Show me the orb," she said.
Kael hesitated, then opened the pouch. The orb's light spilled out, casting eerie shadows.
Mira leaned closer, muttering as she examined it. "This is worse than I thought," she said. "The Veil is thinning already. Remember that tremor in the temple? Yeah, that's just the start."
"Slow down," Kael said, patience fraying. "What's the Veil, and why do you care?"
Mira's eyes narrowed. "The Veil keeps our world from the Otherworld. It's been weakening, and that orb is one of few artifacts that can control it. Or destroy it. Stealing it broke the temple's wards, and now the Veil is cracking. If we don't act, things from the Otherworld will slip through."
Kael laughed, though it was shaky. "So I stole the end of the world?"
"Not yet," Mira said. "But you're off to a great start."
The warehouse door slammed open. Three figures stood silhouetted, their cloaks bearing a crimson sigil. "Hand over the Veilkey," one growled, drawing a sword glowing with unnatural light.
Kael pulled Mira behind a stack of crates. "Friends of yours?" he whispered.
"No," she said, voice tight. "Order of the Shroud. They want the orb and will kill us for it."
Kael peeked around. The figures advanced, their swords casting a glow. He had faced tough odds, but these pursuers moved too precisely.
He glanced at Mira. "Got any magic?"
She shook her head. "I study magic, not wield it. You're the thief. Think of something."
Kael spotted a rickety ladder to a loft.
It wasn't much, but it was a start. "Up there," he said, nodding. "We can lose them in the rafters."
Mira nodded, and they bolted for the ladder. The pursuers shouted, footsteps pounding. Kael pushed Mira ahead, and she scrambled up. He followed, the orb bouncing at his hip.
The loft was cluttered with barrels, offering cover but no escape. Kael cursed himself for this mess. He should have stuck to pickpocketing.
Mira crouched beside him, breathing hard. "We can't keep running," she said. "The orb's too important. We need to get it to someone who can protect it."
"Like who?" Kael snapped. "You?"
"Better than you," she shot back. "You didn't know what you stole."
A blade sliced the air, cutting off their argument. One pursuer had climbed the ladder, his sword gleaming. Kael tackled Mira out of the way, and the blade struck a barrel, splintering it.
He drew his dagger and lunged, aiming for the man's arm. The blade bit flesh, and the man snarled but didn't falter. Kael ducked a counterstrike and shoved him back, buying time.
"We need to move," he said, pulling Mira to a broken window.
The drop was high, but the alley offered escape. He smashed the glass with his elbow and helped Mira through.
She hesitated, glancing at the orb.
"If we lose it, we lose everything," she said.
"Then hold on," Kael replied.
He pushed her through and followed, landing hard on the cobblestones.
The orb's hum was constant, a reminder of the trouble he'd unleashed. As they ran into the night, pursued by shouts and glowing blades, Kael knew his life had just gotten far more complicated.
End of Chapter 1.