The base was quieter than Corin had expected when they returned. The once-bustling center of the Loomguard operations now felt like a forgotten ruin—its stone walls cracked and covered in a thin layer of ash. The Threadborn threat had left a mark on this place, just as it had left its scar on the city outside. There was an unsettling stillness in the air, as though the very fabric of the Loom itself was being stretched thin.
Vermielle didn't say much as they entered, her face a mask of determination and something else—something Corin couldn't quite place. The tension between them lingered, unspoken, hanging heavy in the air like the lingering smoke of a battle fought. The faint hum of Thread energy seemed to reverberate through the walls, alive and restless.
As they moved deeper into the heart of the base, Corin could see the other Loomguard members moving about, preparing for the next phase of their mission. But there was no sense of urgency, no sense of unity. Instead, it felt like a group of people simply going through the motions, waiting for the next storm to break.
Corin couldn't help but feel like he was standing on the edge of something much larger—something inevitable.
They entered a dimly lit chamber at the heart of the base, a room surrounded by arcane runes etched deep into the stone. The Loom was there—an ancient, towering construct that stood like a monolithic sentinel. It pulsed with the soft glow of interwoven threads, its energy barely contained within its vast structure. The Loomguard had done their best to protect it, to ensure that it was uncontaminated by the chaos that brewed outside the city, but Corin couldn't shake the feeling that the Loom was weakening.
"Is this it?" Corin asked quietly, his voice carrying a strange reverence.
Vermielle nodded, though her gaze was clouded with uncertainty. "This is the heart of our order. The Loom is more than just a symbol to us. It's the very core of our existence. Without it, we cease to be."
Corin stepped closer, his breath catching in his throat as he felt the hum of the Loom resonate deep within his chest. The golden threads that he had felt stirring inside him before seemed to vibrate with a familiar pull. They were alive, yes—but there was something else, something more complex about them now. He could feel their desperation, as though they too were aware of the fracture forming deep within the world.
"The Threadborn," he murmured. "They want to destroy it."
Vermielle's gaze hardened. "Yes. The Threadborn believe that if they destroy the Loom, they can free the world from the shackles of order and structure. They don't understand that without the Loom, there is nothing but chaos. The world would unravel. Existence itself would cease."
Corin shuddered at the thought. The Loom was not just power. It was life. The Threads connected everything—the land, the people, the very flow of time. To sever it would be to sever everything.
"But we can't just defend it forever," Corin said, his mind racing. "They'll keep coming for it. And we can't stop them by just fighting back."
Vermielle gave a single nod, her eyes distant. "That's the truth you'll have to face, Corin. The Threadborn won't stop until the Loom is shattered. They believe in their vision—this twisted idea of freedom—but they are blind to the consequences of their actions. They see only destruction."
Corin swallowed, feeling a lump form in his throat. He had seen the Threadborn's chaos firsthand. The way they twisted the very essence of the Loom. But they had also seen something else—something dangerous. The power that lay beneath the surface of the Loom was far more than he had realized, and it was something that could corrupt just as easily as it could empower.
"What can we do then?" Corin asked, his voice raw. "How can we stop them? How can we protect the Loom?"
Vermielle turned to face him, her eyes hard with an intensity that he hadn't seen before. "We can't stop them by playing their game. We have to change the rules."
Corin furrowed his brow in confusion. "What do you mean?"
Vermielle walked toward the Loom, her movements deliberate. She placed her hands on the ancient structure, her fingers brushing against the glowing threads that wound through the stone. For a moment, there was nothing but silence. Then, slowly, she spoke.
"The Loom is more than just a tool of creation. It is a force of balance. It governs everything. But the balance is being destroyed. Threadborn and Loomguard alike have corrupted it with their own desires for power and control. We've treated the Loom as a thing to be controlled—something to be wielded. But that's not its purpose."
Corin's mind raced to keep up with her words. "What are you saying?"
Vermielle turned back to him, her eyes steady, and for the first time, Corin saw the weight of the burden she carried. "We need to reshape the Loom. Not through force, but through understanding. We have to rebind the Threads themselves."
Corin stared at her in shock. "Rebind the Threads? But—how? The Loom is ancient. It's beyond us."
Vermielle's gaze darkened. "You saw the power inside you. The Threads responded to you, Corin. And that is not by accident. You are a part of the Loom now. You have a connection that no one else does. You have the power to reshape it, but only if you understand the true nature of the Threads."
Corin shook his head, trying to grasp the concept. "You're saying I… I can control it?"
"No," she replied firmly. "You can't control it. You can understand it. The Loom isn't something to be dominated. It's something to be aligned with. To work with, not against."
Her words resonated deep within him. The Loom was not something that could be forced into submission. It wasn't a tool to be wielded—it was a living force, like a river that could not be controlled, only guided.
But how?
"Will you teach me?" Corin asked, his voice almost a whisper. "Teach me to understand the Loom?"
Vermielle's lips tightened into a thin line. "I will guide you. But you must learn to listen. The Loom speaks to you, Corin. You only need to hear it."
Corin nodded, determination flickering in his chest. The Loom was alive, and he would learn to listen. He would understand it. There was no other choice.
But even as he made that resolve, a new voice interrupted their moment of quiet.
A figure emerged from the shadows, stepping into the light of the Loom's glow. The figure was tall, draped in dark robes, and the faint shimmer of golden threads glowed faintly beneath the fabric. Corin's breath caught in his throat as he recognized the figure.
It was Master Kael.
"Vermielle," Kael said, his voice smooth but tinged with an unsettling coldness. "It seems you've been busy."
Vermielle's posture stiffened, and Corin felt the air around them grow heavier, like the tension between the two was palpable. He had heard whispers about Kael, rumors about his loyalty to the Loomguard, but there was something about him that always made Corin uneasy.
"What do you want, Kael?" Vermielle asked, her tone flat.
Kael's eyes flicked briefly to Corin, before settling on Vermielle. "I've heard rumors," he said, his voice smooth. "About the young one. About his power. It seems you're training him, is that right?"
Vermielle's lips parted, but before she could respond, Kael continued.
"The Loom's power is not something you can just teach someone to wield, Vermielle. Not unless they have the right… lineage. The right blood."
Corin felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise. Something in Kael's words sent a chill through his veins.
"Be careful," Kael said softly. "The Threads are delicate, and they don't forgive mistakes."
Vermielle's gaze darkened, and for a moment, it felt like a storm was brewing between the two. Corin stepped back, unsure of how to intervene.
Kael looked back at the Loom, his expression unreadable. "You're playing a dangerous game, Vermielle. And your apprentice may not be ready for it."
With that, he turned on his heel and walked out of the chamber, leaving behind an oppressive silence.
Vermielle let out a sharp breath, as if she had been holding something in. She didn't speak for a long moment, and when she finally did, her voice was quieter, almost fragile.
"You don't know it yet, Corin, but Kael is right about one thing."
Corin looked at her, waiting for her to continue. Her next words would shape the future, and he could feel the weight of them settling on his shoulders.
"You have to be careful. Not everyone wants the Loom to be reshaped. And some people will do anything to stop you."