The Coven of the Cornerstone: The essence stealers

Previously

…“Trouble,” he muttered, his voice low and grim, barely audible above the howling wind. He glanced at Jose, whose eyes were wide with a terror that mirrored his own burgeoning unease. Kristoph, though his hand was now firmly gripping his axe, had a flicker of surprise, perhaps even apprehension, crossing his rugged features. “And not the kind we usually deal with.” The game had changed. The artifact, still hidden and unseen, had drawn the attention of forces far more formidable than they had ever anticipated. The path back to the Coven, once a clear route to reward, now felt like a perilous gauntlet.