The village of Mira's Nest, nestled on the edge of the misty reedlands, was quieter than usual. Morning fog still clung to the tree trunks, and the songbirds were silent. Something felt off. The Wuze villagers moved cautiously, whispering among themselves, unaware that darkness already slithered through their roots.
Unseen in the gloom, figures cloaked in ash-leather and bone-gray cloth had slipped past the warding winds in the night. These were Ravager Shades, the silent operatives of the Hollow Wing, trained not to fight in open war—but to unravel from within.
By the time the alarm was raised, it was too late.
In the center of the village square, beneath the carved wooden moonpole, a child—Lilo, no older than seven moons—stood trembling, a jagged blade pressed to her neck. The Ravager holding her was tall and gaunt, face hidden behind a cracked bird mask. His voice was cold and sharp as frostbite.
“You will bring us the Phoenix Shard... or this little flutterling will never take wing again.”
Gasps broke out among the Wuze. Elders clenched their walking staffs. Birdkeepers whispered to their doves for help. But none dared move. The Ravagers had encircled the village—shadows behind every hut, ready to strike.
From the edge of the crowd, a young Wuze warrior stepped forward. Her voice was steady, but her hands trembled behind her back.
“We don’t bargain with those who harm our kin,” she said.
The masked Ravager tilted his head.
“Then let her scream for your silence.”
He raised the blade slightly—and the entire crowd flinched.
Suddenly, a sharp whistle cut through the air. From the upper canopy, a shimmer of light and feathers descended fast—one of the Talon Sentinels, elite guardians of the Queen, had arrived. The standoff teetered on the edge of violence.
And in the shadows, you watch. Whether hiding, preparing to strike, or caught in the midst—you now stand at the heart of the storm.The village of Mira's Nest, nestled on the edge of the misty reedlands, was quieter than usual. Morning fog still clung to the tree trunks, and the songbirds were silent. Something felt off. The Wuze villagers moved cautiously, whispering among themselves, unaware that darkness already slithered through their roots.
Unseen in the gloom, figures cloaked in ash-leather and bone-gray cloth had slipped past the warding winds in the night. These were Ravager Shades, the silent operatives of the Hollow Wing, trained not to fight in open war—but to unravel from within.
By the time the alarm was raised, it was too late.
In the center of the village square, beneath the carved wooden moonpole, a child—Lilo, no older than seven moons—stood trembling, a jagged blade pressed to her neck. The Ravager holding her was tall and gaunt, face hidden behind a cracked bird mask. His voice was cold and sharp as frostbite.
“You will bring us the Phoenix Shard... or this little flutterling will never take wing again.”
Gasps broke out among the Wuze. Elders clenched their walking staffs. Birdkeepers whispered to their doves for help. But none dared move. The Ravagers had encircled the village—shadows behind every hut, ready to strike.
From the edge of the crowd, a young Wuze warrior stepped forward. Her voice was steady, but her hands trembled behind her back.
“We don’t bargain with those who harm our kin,” she said.
The masked Ravager tilted his head.
“Then let her scream for your silence.”
He raised the blade slightly—and the entire crowd flinched.
High above, atop her wooden spire, Queen Winja stood frozen for only a breath. Then her eyes burned with fury.
“They dare desecrate our skies,” she growled, grabbing her spear etched with feathers of the Great Night Falcon. “Sound the branches. Summon the Guardians. We fight in the name of the wind!”