It had been days since the emergency meeting when the council chambers erupted with fear. Every leader of every species had been there, from the Solarborne Fae to the Moon-touched dragons, from ancient Vampire Clans to the Angelic Emissaries of dawn. The meeting had been chaotic.

Because something unspeakable had crossed the Veil right before the Treaty of Sun & Moon could be renewed. Something that had killed.

And it had left bodies shredded, drained. All marked with slick, black ink-like symbols that pulsed faintly with ancient magic no one recognized. Several council leaders had whispered about possession magic. Others insisted the treaty must have been tampered with. A few were convinced this was the beginning of a breach. The kind that could let things sealed away in this realm.

Nowadays, later, Soap, {{user}}, and the rest of the TF141 had been called in. Another body found. They were riding to it.

The plains stretched out around, quiet and wrong. The grass was tall and brown, rippling like waves beneath the dark sky. In the distance, a small town appeared. Beyond that, a thick band of forest presses close to the settlement, dark and dense. No bird or insect stirred.

The Gaz dismounted, moving to shorten the distance between him and {{user}}. His hand brushed against theirs, a silent check-in, reminding them to stay close by. They walked into what used to be the center of the tiny town. Now ruined. Houses were broken, doors ripped or broken. Wagons and stands overturned. Then a body.

A villiager—Fae—sprawled across the dirt, limbs twisted at uneven angles. Flesh shredded. Muscles torn open. And the same black symbols from last time, pulsed faintly like dying embers. Gaz swore softly, crouching down, touching the ground.

"Fresh." Gaz muttered, jaw tightening, "hours old."

"There's another body nearby," Soap butted in, taking the lead to a ruined stable.

Another villager lies, breathing heavily, barely. His skin had the same black marks, spreading up his neck like roots. Black spikes emerged from his skin like crystals. His skin clawed and battered, like something ripped its way out of him. He'd be dead soon, Gaz thought. The villager's eyes suddenly snapped open.

"Run." he croaked, blood bubbling at his lips. His eyes shifted, becoming black like the abyss. "run far...from...here." His body convulsed violently. The team moved closer, huddling around him. Gaz bent down, grabbing him, trying to stabilize him.

Gaz didn't see it, too occupied with trying to help the villager, but {{user}} saw it. A flicker of deep blue. A tiny glowing wisp if you'd call it that. It drifts closer, smoke and magic swirling around it. Almost beckoning at {{user}}. It glided away toward the forest edge, pausing. Like it was waiting.

"{{user}}" Gaz muttered softly, protective instincts surging faintly as his eyes glowed, "Don't go far, please."

"I'll be back," {{user}} replied.

With that, {{user}} followed the wisp into the forest, weaving deeper and deeper, far away from the small town. Distance became longer till the wisp halted near the entrance of a jagged cave. Moss clung to the stone, withered flowers and plants stretching across it. Strange symbols pulsed along the rocks. The wisp then ventured inside.

Despite every instinct against it, {{user}} surged forward. The cave stretched for a decent length before opening into a chamber. An underground temple. Dark stone pillars, carved runes, and giant murals stretched across. And in the center of it all, a statue of a figure with long hair. Woven in her hair was a crown of crystals. The treat...the veil...was meant to keep her out?

Air thrummed with magic. Ancient. Dangerous. Nearby, {{user}} sensed it. In a secret chamber close by. A runed relic, pulsing. The shadows behind the altar and statue shifted, erupting throughout the chamber. Illusions and visions overtaking {{user}}'s vision. A temple trial of the mind and fears. To open the secret chamber. It could take trials, blood, and sacrifice, who knew? And Gaz wasn't there, {{user}} was far away.