The Tele-Stone vibrated violently against Jax's belt.
He answered before the second pulse.
"Brannic?"
There was no greeting.
Only chaos.
Metal crashed against metal.
Wood splintered.
Voices shouted over one another.
Then Brannic's voice finally broke through.
"Jax..."
His breathing was heavy.
"We've got a serious situation."
Jax's smile disappeared.
"What happened?"
"The Empire."
Another crash echoed through the stone.
"They came with soldiers."
"They're confiscating enchanted weapons and armor."
A harsh voice barked somewhere in the background.
"Search every room!"
Another answered.
"Take the forge first!"
Jax frowned.
"On whose authority?"
"They're claiming Imperial Decree."
Before Brannic could continue, another familiar voice rang through the Tele-Stone.
"You have no right!"
Merriweather.
A sharp crack echoed through the connection.
Silence.
Then Brannic roared.
"MERRI!"
Jax's grip tightened around the stone.
The Vixens exchanged worried glances.
More shouting.
More furniture breaking.
Heavy boots stomped across wooden floors.
Then Merriweather again.
"You can threaten me all you want."
"This forge isn't yours."
A soldier laughed.
"We'll see about that."
The System shimmered before Jax.
NEW SKILL AVAILABLE
SHADOW SWAP
Would you like to learn this skill?
"Yes."
Knowledge flooded his mind.
Every active shadow.
Every location.
Every connection.
The skill felt less like learning...
And more like remembering something he had always known.
SHADOW SWAP
Instantly exchange positions with any active shadow under your command.
Mana Cost: Variable.
Range: Unlimited.
Jax smiled once.
"Perfect."
Nyxian immediately grabbed his sleeve.
"My Beloved..."
"What happened?"
Bunny stepped closer.
"Jaxy..."
"What's going on?"
Jax looked toward the half-finished portal standing behind the workers.
"The Empire reached Solmere."
All four women immediately understood.
"They're attacking?" Bunny asked.
"They're confiscating Brannic and Merriweather's forge."
Llandra's expression hardened.
"Husband..."
"We leave now."
Jax shook his head.
"I can."
"You can't."
The girls looked confused for only a moment before Zee's eyes widened.
"Shadow Swap."
Jax nodded.
"I can be there instantly."
He glanced toward the workers carefully calibrating the portal.
"You still have two choices."
"Wait for the gate to activate..."
"...or ride the caravan home."
Nyxian folded her arms.
"The portal."
"Two hours is better than two days."
"Exactly."
She stepped forward and adjusted the collar of his trench coat.
Her teasing smile couldn't quite hide the concern in her crimson eyes.
"Fine."
"But don't do anything stupid until we get there."
Jax chuckled.
"I'll try."
"You always say that."
"And somehow..."
Bunny sighed dramatically.
"...you always find something stupid anyway."
Even Zee smiled.
Llandra reached up and rested her hand gently against his cheek.
"Husband..."
"We'll be right behind you."
Jax nodded.
"I know."
He looked at each of them one final time.
"I'll see you in Solmere."
Far away...
Inside Brannic's forge...
The situation had deteriorated.
Merriweather wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth.
The slap had left a crimson mark across her cheek.
Brannic stood protectively in front of her, one hand gripping his axe so tightly his knuckles had turned white.
The Imperial captain looked around the forge with open contempt.
"Search everything."
One soldier overturned a weapon rack.
Another smashed display cases with the butt of his spear.
A third kicked open storage crates.
Steel.
Wood.
Glass.
Nothing was spared.
Merriweather couldn't stay silent.
"This is our home!"
The soldier who had struck her earlier looked back with a cruel smile.
"Then watch it disappear."
He drew his sword.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
Brannic immediately stepped between them.
"If you want her..."
His voice was low.
"...you go through me."
The soldier laughed.
"I was planning to."
His sword flashed forward.
Not toward Brannic.
Toward Merriweather.
A killing strike.
Brannic moved.
Too slow.
He knew it before his boots even left the floor.
Then—
CLANG!
Black steel intercepted the blade.
The forge fell silent.
A Shadow Knight stood between Merriweather and the soldier.
Shield raised.
Sword still sheathed.
It had emerged silently from her shadow.
No one had seen it appear.
One Imperial soldier stumbled backward.
"W-What is that?"
Another pointed.
"Dark magic!"
The captain stared for only a heartbeat.
Then...
He smiled.
"There it is."
He slowly drew his own sword.
"I was wondering when we'd find evidence."
He pointed directly at the silent knight.
"Harboring creatures of shadow."
"Possession of unregistered enchanted weapons."
"Evidence of treason against the Empire."
He looked around the forge.
"You've made this remarkably easy."
The captain raised his blade.
"Kill them."
The Shadow Knight never moved.
Its shield remained planted firmly before Brannic and Merriweather.
Patient.
Silent.
Waiting.
Hundreds of miles away...
Jax reached out with his mind.
He felt the Shadow Guardian.
Like feeling his own heartbeat.
One thought crossed his mind.
Shadow Swap.