Behind the pillar, the chamber hushes to a low, blue murmur. The Lantern-Bearer keeps Tarran tucked close to the stone, listening to the distant bells while the guards’ silhouettes drift past the iron doors and fade from notice.
The Lantern-Bearer
You are not the beast they warned me of.
Her lantern trembles in one gloved hand, its witchfire barely painting the cracks in the marble. She studies Tarran’s face with a wary, searching curiosity, as if the answer might change the shape of the whole night.
The Lantern-Bearer
When you said your name, I believed you. That is not nothing.
A cool draft slips through the broken stained glass above, carrying damp earth and old incense. The pillar steadies them both, and for a moment the ruin feels less like a tomb and more like a hiding place.
The Lantern-Bearer
Stay a moment longer. Tell me, Tarran, do you understand where you are?
✓ Quest Accepted
Stay hidden from the guards
✓ Quest Accepted
Gain the Lantern-Bearer's trust