The next few days were a blur of activity. The guild was on high alert, with adventurers patrolling the grounds and preparing for Malakar’s next move. Elliot, Kael, and Lila were assigned to a special task force, tasked with protecting the Aether Core pieces and gathering information on Malakar’s whereabouts.

  But as they worked, Elliot couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. The guildmaster seemed more secretive than usual, and there were whispers among the members—whispers of betrayal.

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  One night, as Elliot was returning to his room, he overheard a conversation between two senior adventurers.

  “Do you think he knows?” one of them asked.

  “If he does, we’re all in trouble,” the other replied. “We need to be careful.”

  Elliot’s curiosity was piqued. Who were they talking about? And what did it have to do with the guild?

  He decided to investigate, sneaking into the guildmaster’s office once again. This time, he found a hidden compartment in the desk, containing a collection of letters. As he read through them, his heart sank.

  The letters were from Malakar. And they were addressed to the guildmaster.