When they finally reached the guild hall, the group was met with an unexpected sight. The guildmaster was waiting for them, his expression grim.

  “You’re back,” he said, his voice heavy with relief. “Did you retrieve the artifact?”

  Elliot held up the Aether Core piece. “We did. But we ran into some trouble.”

  The guildmaster’s eyes narrowed. “What kind of trouble?”

  Kael stepped forward. “A man named Malakar. He’s after the Aether Core pieces. He ambushed us in the ruins.”

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  The guildmaster’s face darkened. “Malakar… I was afraid of this.”

  Elliot frowned. “You know him?”

  The guildmaster hesitated, then sighed. “Malakar was once a member of the guild. A powerful mage. But he became obsessed with the Aether Core, believing it could grant him ultimate power. We tried to stop him, but he disappeared. Now it seems he’s returned.”

  Elliot’s stomach churned. “So he’s after all the pieces?”

  The guildmaster nodded. “Yes. And if he succeeds, the consequences could be catastrophic.”

  Lila crossed her arms. “What do we do now?”

  The guildmaster’s expression hardened. “We prepare. Malakar won’t stop until he has all the pieces. We need to protect the ones we have and find the others before he does.”

  Elliot groaned. “Great. Just what I wanted—more danger.”

  Kael clapped him on the shoulder. “Welcome to the life of an adventurer, rookie.”