In the gritty streets of Kallzara, a small wayside town where light barely touches the alleys, Revan Sorna survives by his wits—and by magic long forbidden. With the help of a shadowy tome found in forgotten ruins beneath the city, Revan can summon shadows to deceive and distract, but such power comes with a price: shadows cannot be created from nothing, and his own is lazy and stubborn, testing his patience at every turn.

Revan’s partner in crime, Cassie, is a clever con artist with a talent for ice magic and a convincing lost-girl act. Together, they make a perfect team, surviving by picking pockets, pulling cons, and running from those who would see their kind dead or worse.

Tonight’s target is an easy mark: a drunken sailor leaving The Golden Pig tavern. But when Revan’s swift theft is interrupted by a brutal punch, the simple job spirals into something far more dangerous—and far more personal.

As dark secrets from the ruins threaten to surface and enemies close in, Revan and Cassie must rely on their skills, their magic, and each other to survive. But in a town where shadow magic is heresy and trust is a currency rarer than gold, survival might just mean losing everything.

Location: The Vault of Knives, Iskarra — Council ChamberTime: Dawn, the first light casting long shadows


The chamber was heavy with silence — thicker than the stone walls.


Councilors gathered around the obsidian table, faces drawn and voices tight with tension.


Councilor Senra slammed her fist down, eyes blazing.


"The Silent Watcher's binding has changed everything.The leyline's pulse has shifted — and with it, the balance of power."


Councilor Maelor's gaze was colder than ever.


"The scholar and Kael's actions were reckless — dangerous.We risk tearing the Accord apart."


From the shadows, a new voice cut in — sharp, commanding.


"Perhaps tearing the Accord apart is exactly what some desire."


Heads turned to see Councilor Varyn, his cloak embroidered with the fractured sigil of the original Circle.


"There are those among us who seek to exploit this chaos —who want the Crown reforged to serve their own ends."


"That is the question that will either save or doom us."


The fragile peace they'd maintained was cracking.


And beyond the chamber, in the corridors of Iskarra, shadows moved faster — whispers of plots and alliances shifting like the leyline currents themselves.


"The world changes — and so must we.But if the Accord falls, no one will be left to stop the Crown's rise."


Chapter 38 - Fractures in the Accord