The Veil of Creation

The atmosphere shifted when a young woman entered the training hall. Her long blond hair flowed behind her, and her steps were heavy yet steady with purpose. She approached Sir Arras and leaned in, whispering something into his ear.

The centurion's distant expression sharpened immediately, his focus snapping back to the present. He nodded at the woman before turning to the trainees.

"There has been a Rodrak attack in a nearby town," he announced, his voice grave. "Adept Willholders have already engaged the Seedlings, but this is an opportunity for you all. You will accompany me to the scene. Observe carefully. This will serve as your first experience watching a real battle between Willholders and Rodraks. Prepare yourselves."

The hall erupted into motion as the trainees scrambled to gather their things. Tyrese's heart pounded—not just from the announcement but from the lingering unease of his mental place. Something about the resemblance to the Lost Sanctuary gnawed at him, yet there was no time to dwell on it.

---

"F*ck! Where are they keep coming from?" bellowed a man with a massive build, his voice a booming echo across the battlefield. Clad in intricate armor adorned with glowing sigils, Umar's frustration was palpable.

They had been fighting these Seedlings for nearly an hour, yet the relentless creatures kept coming, their numbers seeming endless. Sweat dripped down his face, and his breaths came in ragged gasps as the strain of battle and his rapidly depleting Willpower began to take their toll.

Just as fatigue threatened to overwhelm him, another abomination burst from the trees. The creature, no taller than a cow, had leathery wings sprouting from its back and a maw filled with razor-sharp teeth. When it was few meters from him, it let out a guttural screech as it lunged toward him, its jaws snapping inches from his neck.

Umar stepped aside at the last second, narrowly avoiding the beast's fangs. The sigils etched into his gauntlet glowed faintly as he clenched his fist and delivered a thunderous punch to the Rodrak's abdomen. The creature let out a choked cry, blood spraying from its mouth as it was flung several meters away.

"Finish him!" Umar roared.

His team, two men and a woman, all in their twenties, sprang into action. Books levitated slightly above their left hands, their pages fluttering as glowing sigils ignited into life. In unison, they unleashed fireballs that streaked through the air, colliding with the fallen Seedling. The explosion of flame engulfed the creature, leaving behind only a smoldering carcass.

At the beginning of the fight, the Willholders had easily defeated the Seedlings one-on-one. But now, the tide had turned. For some unknown reason, the creatures kept surging from the depths of the Ancient Forest, situated just a kilometer from Duskwatch, the town they had been tasked with protecting.

"How much longer until reinforcements arrive?" Umar barked, his eyes scanning the treeline for any sign of the next attack.

"They should be here soon!" replied the woman clad in light leather armor, her voice steady despite the chaos. The armor, though less imposing than Umar's, was reinforced with sigils designed for agility and durability.

 ---

Tyrese found Maha among the group, and together with the thirty trainees, they followed Sir Arras toward a teleportation array situated deep within the Church's domain. The array was located in a cavernous chamber beneath the main cathedral, its walls etched with faintly glowing sigils that pulsed in rhythmic harmony, like a heartbeat resonating through the stone.

These teleportation arrays had been meticulously constructed across the Four Kingdoms of Orion over the decades, their creation a collaborative effort by numerous Centurions. The sigils inscribed within the arrays were autonomous, designed to function independently of their creators as long as they were supplied with energy at regular intervals. Each array represented a masterpiece of ancient sigilcraft, capable of instantaneous travel between towns—a lifeline during emergencies.

The teleportation array in the Solhollow Church was no exception. The chamber housing it was vast, illuminated by sigil lamps that bathed the area in a soft, golden glow. The array itself dominated the center of the room, a massive circular platform carved from black stone with veins of shimmering silver running through it. Intricate sigils were etched into the surface, their lines glowing faintly in hues of blue and green, interspersed with swirling patterns that seemed to shift and dance when viewed from different angles.

The air hummed faintly with energy, carrying the scent of ozone and something metallic, a reminder of the immense power coursing through the array. Around the platform, several columns bore crystalline nodes at their tops, their purpose to regulate the flow of energy into the array. A translucent screen hovered mid-air near the control console, its interface displaying a map of Orion with active destinations marked in glowing points of light.

Upon arriving at the array, Sir Arras was greeted by several Sentinels already present. They stood at attention, their armor faintly reflecting the ambient light. "Greetings, Sir Arras," they said in unison, bowing their heads respectfully.

Sir Arras nodded in acknowledgment and raised his hand. "Is the array ready to transport us to Duskwatch?"

"Yes, everything is ready, Sir," replied one of the Sentinels, his voice steady. "We can depart at any moment."

"Good," Sir Arras said, his tone carrying an edge of caution. "Let's not wait any longer. Denzel, Alek, Ashanti, you're coming with me. I'd rather be safe than sorry—this situation doesn't sit well with me."

The three Sentinels responded in unison, "Yes, Sir." 

Together with the trainees, they stepped onto the massive platform. The surface beneath their feet felt strangely warm, as if alive with energy, and the sigils began to glow brighter with each step they took. The humming sound grew louder, and faint vibrations coursed through the stone.

Sir Arras nodded to the Sentinel stationed at the control console. The Sentinel's hands moved deftly over the translucent screen, making the final calibrations to the array with practiced precision. Lines of glowing symbols shifted and rearranged themselves on the interface as the Sentinel selected Duskwatch as the destination. With a final press of a glowing button, the array came to life.

The sigils on the platform flared with fiery brilliance, their glow intensifying until the room was bathed in radiant light. The crystalline nodes atop the columns pulsed in unison, channeling streams of energy into the array. A faint, resonant tone filled the chamber, vibrating deep within the bones of everyone present.

In an instant, the light swelled to a blinding peak, and the group vanished from the platform as though swept away by an unseen current. The lingering hum of the array faded, leaving the chamber empty once more.