Cloaked In Shadows

Missing?

It had been days since anyone had heard from Nymeria. She had left for the dock to meet with a contact about a new job, a mission she kept under wraps. Her absence started raising alarm, especially among those closest to her. Kaelan was the first to notice, growing uneasy when she failed to check in as she usually would. Elysian, too, hadn't heard from her in weeks and grew worried when news reached him of her disappearance.

The Northern Alliance was stretched thin with their forces focused on other threats, so there was no immediate search. But word quickly spread throughout the guilds and cities that Nymeria, the assassin no one could touch, was gone without a trace. Whispers of dark magic at the dock, perhaps linked to the growing corruption across the land, only fueled the mystery of what had happened to her.

Kaelan couldn't shake the feeling that something more sinister was at play. Nymeria was too skilled to simply vanish. Even Elysian, usually calm and composed, began to grow restless. Something was wrong—terribly wrong.

Elysian moved swiftly through the icy terrain, the cold biting at his skin as he approached the FrostGuardians' fortress. Althea had called for him. Nymeria's disappearance weighed heavily on both of them, and if anyone could help uncover where she'd gone, it was Althea, the woman who had always looked after Nymeria like an older sister.

As Elysian entered the grand, frost-covered hall, he found Althea waiting near the towering hearth. She was a formidable presence, her piercing gaze fixed on the flames, lost in thought. Her long dark brown hair framed her face , and her armor gleamed with a cold intensity that matched the environment around them.

Elysian approached, his voice low but urgent. "Althea, it's been too long. I came as soon as I could."

She turned to face him, her eyes betraying the concern she usually kept hidden. "Elysian. I've heard the rumors. Do you know anything more about where she's gone?"

He shook his head, the weight of uncertainty pressing on him. "No. She went to the docks for a job—something she didn't share with anyone. No one's heard from her since. Kaelan's been searching for answers, but it's like she's vanished into thin air."

Althea clenched her fists, her voice steady but filled with emotion. "Nymeria wouldn't just disappear. Something has taken her—or worse." Her eyes flickered with a brief sadness before hardening with resolve. "She's family to me, Elysian. I won't sit by while she's out there, alone, in danger."

Elysian nodded. "I feel the same. We need to act. I'll keep searching for leads, but we might be dealing with forces beyond what we've seen before. The corruption is spreading fast, and if Nymeria's tangled up in it... we need to move now."

Althea stepped forward, her hand resting on his shoulder. "We'll find her, Elysian. No matter what. Nymeria wouldn't give up on us, and I refuse to give up on her."

Althea stood in the dimly lit war room, the flickering light of a single lantern casting shadows on the maps sprawled across the table. Her eyes were heavy with responsibility as she looked at Elysian. The weight of the FrostGuardians' future rested on her shoulders, but so did the safety of those she cared about—especially Nymeria. The frost creeping along the windows reflected her internal conflict.

"I can't leave," Althea said quietly, her voice resolute but laced with regret. "The guild needs me here to push back the dark forces. The northern borders are under constant threat, and I'm the one holding them together." She reached under the table, pulling out a thick file, her grip firm as she handed it to Elysian.

Elysian looked down at the file—inside was everything she had managed to gather on Nymeria's disappearance. It wasn't much, but Althea was thorough. There were witness accounts, scattered reports of unusual activity near the docks, and even rumors of dark magic and crime syndicates that might have lured Nymeria into something deeper than she had anticipated.