The last motes of golden light from the paladins' teleportation faded. An unnerving silence settled over the valley. The duel was over. The immediate threat was gone. But the tension remained.
Riku stood in the center of the field, staring at the empty space where the paladins had been. He looked at the group from Dreadspire on one side. He looked at his friends from Elowen on the other. His simple plan for a quiet life felt like a distant, foolish dream.
This world is so much bigger than the game, he thought, a wave of weariness washing over him. In EverRealm, there was no Solari Empire. No Darklord. It was just one kingdom. Simple.
Now, everyone keeps showing up at my doorstep to disrupt my peace.
A blue panel shimmered in his mind.
[Your current location has become a focal point for major external conflicts.]
You don't say, Riku thought sarcastically.
