The city of Thalorin never truly slept. Its winding streets, shadowed by towering spires and ancient stone, hummed with whispers and hidden dangers. But tonight, the darkness was thicker—laden with a foreboding that settled deep in Sarive's bones.
He stood atop the roof of a crumbling watchtower, the chill night air biting through his armor. His eyes scanned the horizon, where the faint glow of distant fires flickered against the silhouette of mountains. The war was coming, and there was no turning back.
Behind him, his team gathered quietly—each one a testament to a legacy of heroes and warriors. Diana, ever vigilant, tightened the straps on her gauntlets. Kael's fiery hair caught the moonlight as he paced restlessly. Talia and Jorin exchanged whispers, their expressions tense but resolute.
"We don't have much time," Sarive said, voice steady but edged with urgency. "The Pantheon's hunters will arrive soon. We have to be ready to move Hope to a safer place."
Mia stepped forward, her panther emblem gleaming in the pale light. "There's a network of hidden sanctuaries beyond the Shadow Vale. Few know of them, and fewer still have the courage to cross that land."
Sarive nodded. "Then that's where we go. Tonight."
As the team prepared, Sarive's thoughts drifted to Hope—the glowing child whose power was both a blessing and a curse. She was the center of a storm that threatened to consume gods and mortals alike.
He recalled the first time Mia had shown him Hope's radiant eyes and told him of Valen's sacrifice. It had shaken him, the truth of his mentor alive and the weight of destiny pressing on all their shoulders.
Kael grinned, breaking the silence. "We'll show those gods and demons that the new Ascendants are not to be trifled with."
Sarive allowed himself a brief smile. "We have to be more than strong. We have to be smart. Hope's life depends on it."
The night deepened. Shadows stretched long and menacing, and the first stars blinked awake in the velvet sky.
Suddenly, a sharp cry pierced the stillness. Sarive's heart leapt as a figure burst through the alley—a scout, breathless and wild-eyed.
"Demons… approaching… the Pantheon's hunters… they're coming."
Without hesitation, Sarive signaled the team to ready themselves. Their weapons gleamed in the moonlight, and their powers flared, a blazing testament to their lineage.
The war was no longer a whisper in the shadows. It had come to Thalorin.