A week after their meeting in Moltrin's Hollow, Cedric and Lynne stood before the overgrown entrance to the old Arthen Hollow vault. Vines choked cracked stone doors carved with twisting runes that pulsed faintly when Cedric drew near.
"Only one way in," Lynne murmured, tracing a glyph with a gloved finger. "These wards draw on ancient Threadkeeper magic. I can bypass them… but it'll take time."
Cedric's ribs protested when he shifted his weight, but he nodded. "Do it."
> SYSTEM NOTICE
Entering Ancient Vault
Ambient Mana: High
Threat Scan: Blue (Minimal)
Lynne knelt and drew a small brazier from her pack, lighting charcoal embers. She chanted a low phrase in a language he didn't recognize. The runes on the door glowed golden, then faded. With a groan, the vault doors swung inward.
They stepped into a narrow corridor lit by bioluminescent fungus. The air was heavy with stale magic. Cedric's status screen flickered:
> Current XP: 132/200
Level: 4
He felt the threads of mana humming around him—stronger here than anywhere else.
They reached a circular chamber at the corridor's end. In its center hovered a crystal orb—iridescent strands spinning inside. Below it, an inscription read: "He who claims the Weaver's Heart shall mend the frayed world."
Lynne's eyes widened. "The Weaver's Heart… a Legacy Thread Fragment."
Cedric crossed the room, every footstep echoing. He lifted the orb from its pedestal—and the runes at his feet burst to life.
> WARNING: Trap Activated
Hostile Entity Imminent
The ground trembled. From fissures in the walls spilled a writhing mass of mana—an Arcane Warden, its form half-construct, half-spirit. Six feet tall, ribs of broken crystal, eyes burning with raw power.
Threat Scan colored it red.
Cedric drew his sword. "Looks like we got company."
Lynne whispered, "It's bound to this place—destroy it, and we might destabilize the vault."
He shrugged. "We'll worry about that later."
---
Battle Start
The Warden lunged, crystal talons slicing through the air. Cedric sprinted forward, slashing at its arm, but the blade shattered against hardened mana. Sparks flew, and the Warden's strike drew a line of flame across his chest.
> HP -38
Current HP: 67/105
He staggered back, pain searing. Lynne tossed him a small vial. "Use this!"
He uncorked it mid-dash—a warming elixir that closed the bleeding.
> Condition: Rib Pain Reduced
Cedric locked eyes on the orb. "Cover me," he yelled. He sprinted to the pedestal, grabbing the crystal. The Warden howled and crushed the pedestal beneath its fist, sending shockwaves that nearly knocked him off-balance.
Lynne raised her hands, weaving protective sigils in the air. Streams of shadow and arcane thread lanced toward the Warden, slowing it enough for Cedric to dash behind a fallen column.
Breathing hard, Cedric activated Quick Strike—he burst from cover, dagger drawn, and slashed at the Warden's ankle. The creature shrieked, stumbling.
> XP +58 (Arcane Warden Defeated)
Current XP: 190/200
With a final push, Lynne summoned a tether of mana, yanking the Warden into the orb's latent field. The chamber shuddered as the construct dissolved into motes of light.
---
Collapsed against the vaulted wall, Cedric clutched the crystal orb—its surface warm, humming with possibility. He glanced at Lynne, who was breathing heavily but smiling.
> LEVEL UP! Level 5
HP +30, MP +15
+3 Skill Points Earned
New Function Unlocked: Threads of Magic—Alignment Tutorial Available
He closed his eyes, savoring the rush of new power. Above all else, he thought: Now the real journey begins.
Slipping the orb into his pack, he knelt beside Lynne. "Let's get out of here before the Church's patrols show up."
She nodded, tucking her staff away. "And then… we learn what this truly can do."
Together, they fled the vault, the Weaver's Heart pulsing with untold secrets—and with their destinies irrevocably entwined.