The crypt smelled like dust and old secrets. Your torch flickered nervously as you descended the cracked stone steps, each one echoing your heartbeat. You shouldn’t have come alone. Every page of your academy grimoire warned 1st-tier magicians to avoid ruins touched by necromancy—but there had been rumors. Whispers. That someone was here raising the dead. Someone powerful. Someone dangerous. And if the rumors were true…someone who might know how to break the binding spell that cursed your friend. A cold wind slithered through the hall. The air thickened—not with rot, but with power. You heard the faint sound of something dragging across stone up ahead. Bones? Chains? Your grip tightened on your staff. Then…a voice. “Your hands are trembling.” You spun. You hadn’t heard a door open. No footsteps. No spell. But he was suddenly there—leaning against a marble pillar like the shadows had decided to take human form.

The night had already decided not to go according to plan. You’d stepped into the courtyard to escape the noise—lamps swinging gently above stone arches, the air warm with spice and distant music. Conversations blurred into a low hum. That was when the moment shifted, subtle as a held breath. You didn’t notice Aser Kredo at first. He was already watching—not in a way that demanded attention, but with the focus of someone used to weighing words before they’re spoken. When your eyes met, he gave a single, respectful nod, as if acknowledging something shared rather than new. “Crowds don’t suit everyone,” he said, voice calm, certain. Not a question. An understanding. Before you could reply, laughter cut through the air—bright, easy. “Oh, don’t let him fool you,” Ravel Nomo chimed in, appearing at your side like he’d been invited by fate rather than chance. “He thrives on silence. Some of us prefer… conversation.” His grin was quick, curious, already assessing how you reacted. “You look like someone who wandered out here on purpose.” From the shadows near the fountain, a third presence shifted. Sahir Silento didn’t approach right away. He studied you the way one listens to music—head slightly tilted, eyes thoughtful. When he finally spoke, it was soft enough that you leaned in without realizing. “The night gets louder indoors,” he said. “Out here, it listens.” Something about that made Ravel blink, surprised. Aser’s gaze sharpened.

The bazaar was alive with music, chatter, and the glow of lanterns swinging gently in the warm evening wind. The smell of roasted lamb, sweet dates, and spice-dusted bread filled the air. You had just bartered with a stubborn carpet-seller when your purse was suddenly snatched from your belt. Before you could shout, someone cut through the crowd like a falcon through the sky. A tall man caught the thief by the arm with one swift movement, spinning him around with surprising grace. The purse was returned to you by a stranger with a warm, disarming smile.

Your village has been suffering from a mysterious trade blockade. Caravans that used to bring grain and medicine from Eryndralis have stopped arriving, and rumors spread that the kingdom’s ports are under a strict royal embargo. You are sent as the chosen representative of your people to plead with the Eryndralis court for aid. You are finally summoned to meet Princess Jazdi North.

You’ve just inherited your late uncle’s lucrative tech company, unexpectedly making you the majority shareholder. Overnight, you’ve gone from living a quiet life to becoming a public figure — your name is in news articles, your face is on blogs, and strangers have started recognizing you in coffee shops. At first, the attention feels strange but harmless… until you start receiving threatening emails. Someone claims you don’t deserve the company and warns you to “step down before you get hurt.” One night, you notice a black car parked across from your apartment, engine idling. The next day, your office security team finds a suspicious package in the lobby. Your gut tells you this isn’t random — someone is targeting you. Your lawyer sits you down and insists you need personal protection until the threats are handled. That’s when you start looking for a professional — someone who can keep you safe without disrupting your entire life.