Adventure of Varn Talross 1

Security finishes inspecting the damaged apartment while Pyra escorts Varn away from the backup-lit residence. Sapphire remains behind to give her report and oversee the window repair.

They enter a protected access gallery overlooking a packed arena. Music rolls through the structure as colored lights sweep over thousands of cheering fans.

A spotlight blooms onstage. Lady Naga rises through a curtain of silver light, smiling flawlessly as the crowd erupts and her voice carries across the arena.

From the protected gallery, Pyra notices Lady Naga’s attention linger on Varn between sweeping gestures and practiced smiles. She turns slightly toward him, leaving space for his response.

Discover Lady Naga's secret

Varn gives Pyra a measured nod, then lowers himself into a seat within the protected gallery. The reinforced floor remains steady beneath his considerable weight.

Below, the arena darkens around the stage. Silver beams arc overhead while thousands of voices settle into an expectant hush.

The band begins. Lady Naga’s voice rises over the opening rhythm, clear and powerful, while luminous patterns ripple across the stage behind her.

Varn listens from the gallery as the performance unfolds. For several minutes, nothing demands his magic, his strength, or an explanation of where he came from.

The song ends beneath a storm of applause. Lady Naga bows, then gestures discreetly to a nearby fan and guides her through a staff-only backstage entrance.

From the gallery, Varn gathers a narrow thread of void-light and folds it around distant space, extending his perception through the arena’s walls.

The spell reaches backstage. Varn sees Lady Naga usher the fan into a quiet service room, where a sealed envelope changes hands beside a powered security console.

The fan answers too softly for ordinary hearing, but the void carries every word. She describes unfamiliar access badges and a black vehicle waiting behind the loading dock.

The effort succeeds, but the gallery’s protective lights flicker out for three seconds. A sharp pulse of static crosses Varn’s carapace before the systems restore themselves.

Varn murmurs from the gallery and maintains the concealed void connection. The thread slips through the walls without disturbing the restored lights or security systems.

Backstage, Lady Naga draws the fan behind a privacy screen and begins feeding on her. The connection carries the movement and muffled sounds, while the void shields Varn’s observation.

The sealed envelope remains on the service-room table beside the console. Lady Naga’s attention turns briefly toward the loading-dock access codes, then back to the concealed room.

The void connection holds steady, preserving the scene’s sounds and details for Varn while the concert resumes beyond the backstage walls.

The void connection remains threaded through the service room. Behind the privacy screen, Lady Naga takes sustenance from the fan, while the spell carries only indistinct movement and muffled sound.

Beyond the screen, Lady Naga remains unaware of the distant observer. Her hand returns to the envelope, then pauses above the loading-dock access codes.

The fan’s earlier account repeats through the void: unfamiliar badges, a black vehicle, and activity beneath the venue. Onstage, applause swells over the concealed exchange.

A security notification flashes on the service console, identifying an unauthorized badge near the loading dock. Lady Naga turns toward it, finally alerted to a concrete threat.

Pyra goes rigid. Her eyes widen as the muffled sounds, Lady Naga’s secrecy, and the fan’s disappearance align into one horrifying explanation.

The gallery’s protective lights flare green as Pyra seizes the emergency communicator. Below, the unauthorized badge remains active near the loading dock.

Backstage, Lady Naga turns toward the console, still unaware of the distant observers. Her polished expression tightens as the venue security system begins restricting access.

Varn waits until Pyra has secured the emergency communicator and steadied her stance. Then violet light gathers between his hands, forming a narrow, stable aperture aimed at the backstage service room.

The portal opens fully without tearing the surrounding space. Through it, the service room appears clearly: the sealed envelope, the console, and Lady Naga turning toward the fresh disturbance.

Pyra steps through first with the emergency communicator raised, and Varn follows into the room. The portal remains open behind them, its edges humming softly under his control.