Zara gasped raggedly as the last of the mercenaries crumpled to the floor, covered in her shadow tendrils. The stench of sweat and blood lingered in the air, but there was only quiet. She stood over the prone bodies, adrenaline coursing through her veins. Her hands trembled slightly, the power coursing beneath her skin storming more ferally than ever.
The Broker, trembling in the corner, was wide-eyed with terror. Zara turned on him, but before she could demand more information, he whined, "Please, I told you everything I know. They'll come for me if they know I spoke."
Zara moved closer, her eyes hardening. "And they'll come for me if I don't stop them. If there's anything else, anything at all—now's the time."
The Broker paused, glancing at Zara and the murdered mercenaries. "There's one thing," he spoke slowly. "The Eclipsed Order. they've been gathering pieces of some relic from years ago. They've gathered most of them already, but they have a single remaining piece to find. That is why they're after you—they think you have it."
Zara creased her brow. "What piece?"
"I have no idea what it is, quite honestly, but it's spoken of as being the 'Shard of Aether.' Somewhere in time, it appears to be some sort of connection to the forgotten ancient gods. Legends say that it possesses immeasurable power. The Order is sure it contains the key to releasing their own potential entirely—and yours as well."
Zara's head spun. She did not know anything about this "Shard of Aether," but if it had something to do with her powers, she needed to find it before the Order. The idea of something this powerful that would be coveted by a group like them chilled her.
The Broker went on speaking. "There's an auction next week—one of the largest of the underground affairs to be held in Silver City. Rumor has it that certain rare and powerful artifacts will be auctioned off, and word is the Shard is one of them."
"Where?" Zara asked, her voice hard.
"The East Quarter. Tomorrow night. But watch out—everyone who is anyone in the underworld will be there. It's a setup waiting to happen."
Zara nodded, already deciding what to do. She had no other option. The Shard of Aether could contain the secrets to unlocking her powers—and stopping the Eclipsed Order from getting their hands on it. She stepped to leave, but the Broker's shaking voice stopped her.
"They're everywhere," he breathed, his eyes wildly darting around. "You don't know. they observe everything. They know more than you can comprehend."
Zara remained silent. She dissolved into the shadows, out of existence.
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