Cold air pours over the hidden entrance as Surazal steps out, violet ash still clinging to his boots. The wilderness is quiet, but the dark pulse beneath the earth answers him like a second heartbeat.
A lone paladin blocks the path, armor bright with Holy Order sigils. His hand rests on his blade, eyes fixed on Surazal’s chest as if he can see the stain inside him.
The Paladin
State the source of that dark power. Now.
Surazal
Surazal gives a measured account of the power beneath the earth.
The paladin’s gaze sharpens. The sanctum’s pulse surges through Surazal instead of fading, and the hidden thing inside him answers, tightening its hold. His skin prickles with the sense of something nestling deeper, as if the ruin has made him a living anchor.
The Paladin
You are not merely touched by it. You are carrying it.
The accusation hangs in the air between them. Behind Surazal, the entrance dims, and the path to power now looks like a wound the Holy Order can follow.
✓ Quest Accepted
Get past the paladin
“"step aside paladin I have no quarrel with you if you value your life move then you may live a bit longer"”
SUCCESS (Fair Intimidation, rolled +3)
Surazal
Step aside, paladin. I have no quarrel with you, if you value your life, move, and you may live a little longer.
The Paladin
His grip loosens on the sword hilt. The holy sigils on his armor catch the dim pulse, and his jaw tightens as if weighing pride against survival.
The Paladin
...You do not speak like a beast cornered. You speak like a blade already drawn.
He takes one slow step back. The path opens beside him, and the cold air from the wilderness slips between the two of them.
The Paladin
I do not trust you. But I will not die here for this seal.
His sword lowers an inch, then another. He is not gone, but he is no longer blocking Surazal’s way.
The Paladin
Go, then. If you are carrying corruption, I will find its trail after you.
The warning hangs behind Surazal as the opening to the dark slope stands clear, the chamber’s steady pulse still faintly thudding under his skin.
Quest Complete
Get past the paladin