Verloren: Eidolons

Suddenly, the ringing of a bell cut through the quiet. The Lonettan Guard had arrived, not to talk, but to arrest them on the orders of the corrupt . As the village erupted into chaos, a woman in sharp, white-and-gold regalia stepped from the shadows. It was Marchelle , an Imperial Inquisitor who had been quietly tracking the lord's corruption.

"We aren't just fighting for ourselves anymore," Eden told his band, his eyes reflecting the flickering flames. "We’re fighting for everyone the Empire forgot". The Witch’s Bargain Bridging the Stories of Lost Eidolons and Veil of the Witch Verloren Eidolons

Weeks later, huddled around a fire in a makeshift camp, the group met . He spoke of a revolution, of a way to topple the aging Emperor Ludivictus and restore the seaside kingdom of Benerio. Eden felt the weight of leadership settling on his shoulders—a burden he never asked for, but one the Eidolons —the godlike spirits of the land—seemed determined to grant him. Suddenly, the ringing of a bell cut through the quiet

"They’re coming, Eden," grumbled, polishing a heavy axe. "The Imperial Guard doesn't take kindly to people 'liberating' prisoners from Lord Rodrigo’s jail". It was Marchelle , an Imperial Inquisitor who

"If you stay, you die as thieves," she said, her voice like cold steel. "If you come with me, you might just live long enough to be rebels". Into the Mist

Eden didn’t look up. He was thinking of , the woman they had just rescued, and the price of their "noble" deed. In the Artemesia Empire , justice was a luxury, and survival was a calculation.

The escape was a blur of mud and blood. and Robin held the bridge while Eden led the group into the dense forests of the Benerio province. They were no longer simple mercenaries; they were fugitives of the Empire.