The Withering

Wilted Bloom

The druids gathered around the table, their expressions a mixture of dismay and frustration. The room was dimly lit by the flickering light of a few candles scattered around, casting long shadows on the walls. The air was heavy with the earthy scent of old wood and incense, mingled with the faint aroma of damp earth.

Ydris had been called away to deal with urgent matters at his circus. A message had arrived just before the group set out to meet the Druids, detailing a problem that required his attention. Despite his reluctance to leave, Ydris had no choice but to return and address the issue, leaving the group.

Fripp, Avalon, Evergray, and Rhiannon stood in tense silence, taking in the gravity of the situation. The table was cluttered with the shattered pieces of the Drakonium, a stark reminder of their failed mission.

Fripp was the first to speak, his voice low and measured but laced with disappointment, "This is a significant setback,"

Alex wanted to comment on his observance, but received a nudge to her side with an elbow. The atmosphere was too charged for idle remarks.

You finally found your voice, though it wavered slightly. 

"I'm sorry," You murmured, looking down at the table, avoiding eye contact with the others, "If I'd been more careful, maybe we wouldn't be in this situation,"

Linda offered a small, encouraging smile, "We'll learn from this and do better next time. It's a team effort after all,"

Avalon, struggling to keep his frustration under control, turned his gaze toward the Soul Riders. His eyes, normally calm and collected, now showed a flicker of irritation. 

"We don't blame you for what happened. It was a tough fight, and we understand things can go wrong. But this... this is bad,"

"We need to figure out what the Dark Riders are planning. And we need to do it quickly," Rhiannon nodded in agreement, "The longer we wait, the more time they have to implement whatever scheme they're hatching. This Drakonium was supposed to give us a lead,"

Alex, trying to break the tension, stepped forward. 

"We did find something else. A piece of paper. It's not much, but it mentions 'The Wraith' and 'carrier yields.' Maybe it's a clue?"

Linda held out the torn note, its edges frayed and the writing barely legible. Fripp took it, squinting at the hastily scribbled words.

"The Wraith?" Avalon muttered, frowning, "That's... not much to go on."

Evergray took the note from Fripp, his eyes narrowing as he tried to make sense of it, "This could mean anything,"

Rhiannon nodded, though her expression remained troubled, "It's a small lead, but it's all we have now,"

Alex peered over Evergray's shoulder at the note. 

"Carrier yields... What do you think it means? A carrier as in a person? Or something they carry?"

Evergray rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "It could be a person. Someone who possesses something important to them. Or it might be an object that has to be given up or used in some way,"

"And yield to what? A command? A power? Could it be a ritual?" Fripp's brow furrowed.

Linda sighed, frustration evident in her voice, "Dark Core is always so cryptic. But 'The Wraith', could it be a title or a name?"

Rhiannon nodded, "It might refer to a new player in their ranks. Or perhaps an old one taking on a new role,"

Fripp straightened, his gaze determined, "We'll start by researching any mentions of 'The Wraith' in our archives. We need to understand what we're dealing with. As for 'carrier yields,' we'll keep that in mind during our investigations,"