*****

Along with the cool breeze that blew on her face and brought with it the scent of the wet leaves of the last autumn rain, she opened her eyelids softly. She waited for a few moments until her vision came out of that blurry dark state in the morning air before sunrise. First of all, the body-shape before her became clear. It was Parisa who had put her head on a rolled cloth and had fallen asleep facing her with her mouth half open. Her hair was falling from the side of her face and her pale complexion overshadowed her beauty less than usual. Suzanne smiled at this sight, but immediately frowned at the throe sensation in her right arm and rolled onto her side to face the sky.

She clearly recalled the events that had unfolded and could easily deduce what happened afterwards. When her companions eventually awoke, all she needed to do was inquire about the identity of the person who had delivered the decisive blow to the div, saving her life. Suzanne's expression momentarily soured as she contemplated the potential identity of her savior. The scent of the forest and damp grass hinted that they had departed from Abandar and ventured eastward, likely settling somewhere around the gorge between Sepid-cheshman and Dara Shah Valley. Secretly, she hoped it hadn't been him, but deep down, she couldn't deceive herself. The blinding light she had witnessed just before succumbing to unconsciousness and the curious mark it left on the div's chest left no room for doubt.

Under the emerging dawn sky, as the stars faded into the horizon and the cool wind gently caressed her face, Suzanne became aware of a sound nearby. With a quick glance, she identified the source of the noise and decided to feign sleep. Moments later, she felt someone tiptoeing right in front of her. Suzanne observed the figure without revealing her wakefulness. It was Shahab, standing next to Parisa and quietly gazing at her. Suzanne couldn't help but wonder about the thoughts swirling inside the boy's head.

Shahab's next action, however, caught her off guard. He held a small log adorned with short mosses behind his back, making Suzanne contemplate a defensive reaction. Yet, just as she was about to respond, Shahab made an unexpected move. With such speed that it was almost imperceptible, he smoothly replaced the cloth from beneath Parisa's head with the soft, mossy log. Suzanne watched in amazement, her mouth half-open, as Shahab executed his deceptive maneuver.

Parisa's face remained undisturbed, and the subtle trick remained unnoticed. Shahab, who displayed no change in his usual expression, swiftly put on his gaparo which had been beneath Parisa's head and flicked the dirt from it. Without acknowledging Suzanne or the slumbering Robina behind her, he silently walked away to the other side.

Suzanne cautiously lifted her head to see what Shahab was up to. He approached the boys who lay a few steps away on the dirtier and grassless terrain. Kneeling next to Tufan, he tapped the boy's leg twice and whispered urgently. Tufan groggily yawned, wiped his eyes and stretched as Shahaab mumbled, "Hey, Tufan! Wake up! Blow a wind to wake everyone up. We have to go. Wake up!”

Tufan, with a puffy face, obligingly stood up, arched his back, and let out a resonant yawn, as if preparing to summon a breeze. Suzanne lowered her head and pretended to continue gazing at the sky. The forceful gusts that began to blow eventually roused everyone from their slumber and Suzanne didn’t need to pretend to be asleep anymore.

She couldn't help but question the meaning behind what she had witnessed. Her heart attempted to conjure a myriad of unrelated interpretations, but the initial impression of the act remained etched in her mind. Suzanne couldn't unsee what she had seen, and there was no denying the truth behind the simple yet profound message the act conveyed.

*

"Is there anyone elssse interesssted in these apples? We have plenty!" Mar-chap inquired with a chuckle, wiping an apple against his sleeve and waving his bundle triumphantly. Rubina quipped, "Wouldn't it have been wiser to take the fruits from various shops?"

Shahab swiveled to face her and responded, raising his eyebrows in Arjang's stead, "Why? Are you concerned for the merchant who lost some of his stock overnight?"

Rubina clarified, "No, that's not it. I meant, perhaps if we had taken a few items from each shop in the fruit market, we could still have procured the same amount of food while avoiding drawing attention to theft in the port." "

Shahab rebutted, "Suppose they get suspicious, what's the harm? It's not as though they can trace us or anything."

Rubina tossed her partially eaten apple into her bundle and expressed, "In any case, there's no harm in being cautious. I'm also worried about the blacksmith shop we broke into."

Shahab inquired, "Why, though?"

Rubina elaborated, "Abandar, known for its tranquility and order, suddenly experiences a theft, and signs of violence become evident in the city. Have you ever thought that if this news spreads, our adversaries, those who are different from regular people, possess the ability to perceive us, and are trained to combat us, might become aware that something unusual is happening in the north?"

Shahab brushed it off, saying, "You're making a mountain out of a molehill."

Arjang chimed in, supporting Shahab's stance, "Besssides, let them come! You witnessssed the power of jussst one of usss againssst a blue div. When the ssseven of usss ssstand together, no one can challenge usss!"

Rubina, clearly agitated, asserted, "So be it. In any group, someone has to play the role of caution. Otherwise, the group won't have a chance to succeed!"

Shahab glanced at Suzanne and quipped sarcastically, "Don't worry. We already have one of those."

Suzanne, who had shifted her focus to a different aspect of the discussion, disregarded Shahab's sarcasm and inquired, "By the way, as Rubina mentioned, I hadn't come across any references in Parham Parupi's reports or even from the lesser-known kazhamuzes about a div advancing into these areas. Did any of you manage to gather information from that div?"

Parisa responded while searching for a suitable cucumber in her bundle, "As I told you, Shahab reached the div first and swiftly took care of it. He was the first one to get to the div. But apparently, he didn't have much time to converse with it, right, Shahab?"

Shahab shot her a brief look and replied with some hesitation, "Yeah. He just muttered some silly slogans and such. Then he perished."

Rubina interjected, "For the success of our mission, we are not here to eliminate divs. Our points are awarded based on the divs we capture! If you insist on acting like this..."

"Okay, I get it! I just wanted to be of help this one time! If it were just up to me, I wouldn't have dealt with the situation this way."

Suzanne once more disregarded Shahab's snide remark and after a few moments of contemplation, reflecting on the events of the previous night, she recollected another detail, "There was another creature there."

Arjang inquired, "What do you mean?"

Suzanne clarified, "I'm not sure what it was. It was a large, furry thing. As far as I know, it seemed to be trapped under the rubble. You mean none of you saw it?"

Everyone shook their heads in denial, and Parisa suggested, "Maybe in that darkness, you just imagined it..."

Suzanne insisted, "No, I'm sure I saw something there."

Arjang added, "Now that you mention it... When I arrived, I noticcced another ssscent. You know how sharp my nose is. But, with all that rain and the ssstench of the div, it was quite challenging."

Rubina asked, "Did it smell familiar to you at all?"

Arjang replied, "It wasn't like the sssmell of divs or usss. It was the ssscent of humans, but it might have lingered from earlier. You mentioned that when you got there, there were guards patrolling, right?"

Rubina nodded in agreement with Mar-Chap, and Suzanne sank into thought once again.

Tufan pondered, "But if the presence of that div in Abandar was so unusual, why did we leave? Could there be more of them hiding there? If so, they might have a plan that we should uncover."

Shahab, his face stern, turned to Tufan and rebuked, "After all this journey, you remained quiet, and now you come up with this thought?"

Tufan shrugged, "Well, it just happened to me."

Shahab retorted, "We don't have time for speculations. We only have one month, and we must use every moment. We can't allow anything to distract us from the main objective, and the main objective is to get to Roboramona and hunt as many divs as we can."

Rubina corrected him, "Capture divs. That's very different."

Shahab smiled and did not respond. As they walked along the path, the boundaries of Sepid-Cheshman Forest appeared to draw closer to them, as though it were attempting to beckon them inside – and this was even though they were traveling in a straight line and would soon pass alongside the valley. While Suzanne was engrossed in thoughts about that woolen creature, Parisa, fascinated by the mystical aura of the forest, and Rubina, eager to scrutinize it closely, peered through the densely intertwined trees, seeking a glimpse inside Sepid-Cheshman. As they moved forward, Rubina took out her small scroll, and her muttered observations were quickly recorded on its endless surface.

"Although we are passing by the Sepid-Cheshman forest, and in this mission, unfortunately, we don't have time to explore it, I can recall many details from my studies about this ancient forest."

Mar-Chap playfully threw in, "Are you writing reports or memoirs?"

Shahab and Dianush joined in with mocking laughter, but Rubina, absorbed in her note taking, didn't even notice.

"For example," she continued, "I remember that Parham Parupi wrote that before the Red Fall and the great civil wars, the Sepid-Cheshman forest was inhabited by beings with the power to speak and think but bore no resemblance to humans. During the Red Fall, they apparently gathered together and chose to stay clear of the war's flames that had consumed all of Parsin. They isolated themselves within this forest and used their collective strength and abilities to seal off the forest from all outsiders. In 'The Great Book of the History of Parsin before the Red Fall,' the author states..."

Parisa, who had been gazing at the towering trees, some as wide as houses and others as thin as wrists, turned to Rubina and interrupted, "Wait a moment... this book you mentioned, 'The Great Book of the Red Fall before..."

“The Great Book of the History of Parsin before the Red Fall.”

"Yes, that! Doesn't it belong to Kazhamuz Barman?"

"It does."

Parisa widened her eyes and wore an eager expression. "What do you mean, it does? I've been requesting kazhamuz Daria for two years to let me have a look at it!"

Rubina, who had just realized what all the fuss was about, squinted. "Ah, well... They probably know it's better not to allow our peers access to such sources. It's fine, really, it's nothing extraordinary! Well, that's not entirely true; the chapters on the Zarnegar Mountains or the ones discussing Dohamad and Tifemeh are incredibly interesting. Of course, I was only allowed to read the book within the Experiment Chambers. I couldn't take it outside. But if it's any consolation..."

"Never mind!" Parisa crossed her arms and exhaled impatiently.

Rubina, still unable to hide her proud smile, continued with her report:

"I was saying... In Barman's book, it's mentioned that the last time Sepid-Cheshman was considered a united and committed part of Parsin soil against foreigners was during the reign of Shah Lumisan. But after Lumisan's rule, for some reason, whispers of separation began to spread gradually."

"Lumisan! Pff! Now that's ancient history! The whole country was still unified under one rule back then!"

"I know. Lumisan was the last ruler who managed to maintain peace. The great civil wars began right after his death."

"You girls are quite knowledgeable in history."

The girls turned their heads to Shahab.

"But tell me, what's the use of all this knowledge?"

"You always get the best scores in Parsin history after Suzanne!"

Shahab averted his gaze from Parisa and replied thoughtfully, "The reason I study history is different from all of you. You read these things to acquire knowledge, maybe you enjoy reading stories, you read history for enjoyment. But my father taught me that history should be read for a single purpose."

Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

"And what's that?"

"Rage. When you remember the glorious past and the injustices that have befallen us... when you read about the mistakes humans made due to their superficial judgments, leading to centuries of separation from our ancestral land... This anger, this hatred , fuels the Azarbars generation after generation. We need to burn so intensely inside that we can eventually make up for all these years of distance and alienation."

Rubina added, "But don't you like Ashuban? It's such a beautiful place, among your own kind..."

"Leave it. You're not an Azarbar. Your family's roots aren't tied to Parsin soil. We've been yearning to reclaim our ancestral land for years. My father is brimming with plans! He always told me that he wants to make history. I, too, promised my father that I'd bring all these years of patience to fruition."

Parisa, who had never seen Shahab appear as resolute as he did now, looked at him with admiration and longing, sighing in silent satisfaction. A few minutes later, silence enveloped them again, and everyone was content watching the scenery. Just as some were about to break the silence, Tufan gestured towards something further away, leaving everyone in shock as they realized they were standing on the edge of the mysterious Dara Shah Valley.

The terrain shifted from soft soil with short grass to jagged rocks, black, brown, and gray, as if transported from another realm. The valley's depth was so great that, even considering the thick and enigmatic fog that seemed to mark its floor as ground level, it exceeded the heights of Ashuban's tallest waterfalls. The most peculiar characteristic of the valley was its attraction, as all seven of them who approached its precipice not only felt the pull of gravity trying to draw them in but also sensed that when they attempted to speak, their voices were captured by the mystical grasp of the Dara Shah Valley and absorbed into its silent, abyssal depths. When Suzanne felt that even her breath was being stolen and her chest started to ache, she took a step back with more effort and sat down, feeling drained. An idea struck her, and she glanced into her pocket, finding that the black stone displayed no change. "Perhaps that's a good thing," she thought, then shifted her gaze back to the others.

Rubina, Parisa, Shahab, Arjang, and Dianush, after a brief delay and with great effort, managed to overcome the invisible force's resistance, reach Suzanne and sit on the ground, exhausted, from the invisible battle with the valley's mystical energy.

"What a... dreadful... thing!" Dianush managed to comment breathlessly, pausing to regain his composure. Rubina, rubbing her throat and frowning, explained without being prompted: "This valley is cursed. Dara Shah was one of the people who attempted to reunify Parsin before Lumisan. He started from the east and conquered all the regions, even the commanders of his army reached the ruins of Olg Nakhan. But Dara Shah himself, along with most of his army, encountered this valley and was drawn into it."

Parisa nodded in agreement. "They say it was the work of the divs. The most powerful divs that have dwelled in the west of the Zarangar Mountains since ancient times. When they saw how Dara was advancing unstoppably, they concentrated all their might to stop him before he reached the borders of their lands, and they succeeded."

Mar-Chap proudly chimed in, "But now, the sssame divs who defeated one of the mossst powerful humans in hissstory are in our custody!"

Shahab, irritated, hit the back of Mar-Chap's head and shook his own head. "If you think we managed to apprehend the divs that vanquished Dara Shah, you're even more clueless than I thought."

Mar-Chap, rubbing his head, asked, "Well, if we did nothing and the humans were defeated like that, why didn't the divs continue their attack to conquer all of Parsin?"

Shahab explained, "How on earth did you become one of the first seven apprentices? Your other accomplishments must be legendary! Everyone knows that divs can't last long in a place like Farnas. This valley is also very close to Farnas. Those divs, who were probably the leaders and the mightiest of their kind, exerted all their power in that attack. Afterwards, they had no strength left to escape from the Sepid Force of Farnas – assuming some of them survived the valley of Dara Shah, because if Dara Shah fell, he likely took most of the divs down with him."

Mar-Chap inquired, "What is the Sepid Force?"

Shahab sighed, "Oh, someone save me!" Rubina patiently explained in place of Shahab, "In old texts, certain places in different parts of the world are considered areas where divs cannot approach because they would be destroyed, even the most formidable and fearful ones. The mysterious, invisible force responsible for the destruction of divs is called the Sepid Force. As far as I know, Farnas is the only location between Sepid-Cheshman Forest and Zarnegar Mountains, spanning from Ashuban to Raboramona, that possesses such power."

Mar-Chap, puzzled, questioned, "What'sss with the 'sepid'? Sssepid-Cheshman, Sssepid Forccce..."

Shahab, in a slightly contemptuous tone, remarked, "That's how humans name things. They have an aversion to the unknown or anything lurking in the shadows. They are fearful of what they don't comprehend. This is why they seek light, daylight, and things they consider 'sepid' or white. They disliked capturing divs because it was an unfamiliar experience for them."

Rubina asked, "So, do you see the root of the conflict between us and them in their conservatism and our own progressiveness?"

“Shush!”

Tufan interrupted, urgently urging everyone to be silent. He was the last person standing on the edge of the valley, and the sudden change in his demeanor and his serious expression made everyone pay attention.

"What's wrong?" Shahab inquired.

"Shush!" Tufan whispered.

Shahab, who was not one to take orders lightly, was about to respond with a scathing remark, his hair igniting as his anger flared. However, when he turned around and saw the expressions on the faces of the others, he decided against it. Tufan's demeanor was clearly a sign that he had sensed something unusual, and Arjang had closed his eyes, concentrating on his sense of smell. The rest followed suit, scanning their surroundings carefully. No unusual sounds emanated from either the Sepid-Cheshman trees or the Valley. After a tense minute, Tufan approached the group.

"I thought I felt something moving," he explained.

Mar-Chap replied, "I alssso sssmelled sssomething. It was familiar. It resembled the sssmell in Abandar."

Suzanne pressed for more specifics. "What kind of smell? Human? div?"

Mar-Chap thought for a moment before answering, "Yesss... I think it was the sssmell of a human."

Shahab, highly skeptical, retorted, "No way! No human can hide like this! No human can be this fast!"

Rubina interjected, raising an eyebrow. "How can they not? Have you forgotten the main causes of our defeats at the hands of humans? There are people among them who possess powers similar to ours. I don't know how they can have these powers without using divs, but their existence has been proven."

The group exchanged worried glances, realizing that their situation might be more dangerous than they initially thought.

Suzanne turned to Tufan and said, "Did you not feel anything before? Maybe they followed us?"

Tufan replied, "I didn't. But if they did follow us, it is quite possible that they could have hidden themselves. I myself did not sense anything until now. When I was standing on the side of the valley and felt the air current pulling towards itself, I saw that there was a wave I didn't recognize among the waves being pulled into the valley from your side."

Tizpa, eyes wide with concern, asked, "You're not suggesting that thing is one of us and knows how to change its appearance?"

Parisa dismissed the idea, saying, "This is definitely not possible for a human who's not controlling any captured divs."

Suzanne agreed, "You're probably right. But we have to pay more attention. I wish we could stay at least one more day in Abandar. It seems that it has changed more than we thought, and the possibility of being surprised is very high. We could have proceeded with more caution and research."

Rubina offered her perspective, raising her hand to attract attention. "When we were leaving Abandar, I had the same thought. But later, I came to the conclusion that in such an unpredictable situation, the breadth of information is more important than the depth of it. It was better for us to shorten our stay here and move quickly to Raburamona itself. Preferably, without causing any trouble, just to get an overview of the new situation. Then, we can return quickly and report. Later, experts can come to the field to examine the details."

Suzanne contemplated this proposal in silence for a moment and concluded that it was a wise suggestion. “Wise decision”, Tufan said, expressing his agreement.

Suzanne then addressed the group, "We'll do that. But with caution!"

Shahab, with a fiery look in his eyes, exclaimed, "Let them come! Now that we have permission to use maximum power, let them send us as much meat as they can!"

*

From a distance, the mighty roar of the Zino River reached their ears, its waters rushing more vigorously than ever as they descended towards Madian Azar Lake in the southern reaches of Sepid-cheshman. The Ashubani travelers had traversed the remaining leg of their journey from the gorge between the Dara Shah valley and Sepid-cheshman in utter silence, their senses acutely attuned to their surroundings. Not even the delicate flutter of winter mosquitoes escaped their vigilance.

As they neared the Zino River, Suzanne abruptly planted her foot with an unprecedented force, propelling herself forward with the velocity of night-sky fireballs. Her foot left behind a small, sunken mark on the ground, resembling freshly ignited earth. The abruptness of her movement allowed no time for her companions to react or shout, and the brisk wind in her ears muffled any potential cries. But why did she act like that?

"I won't let Shahab claim this one for himself," Suzanne declared inwardly as her eyes narrowed. Her intuition had proven correct. She had been vigilant, searching for any opportunity to redeem herself following the events in Abandar, not just as their leader, but also as a competitor.

Upon reaching the riverbank with her companions in tow, the peculiar sight that awaited them held Suzanne's rapt attention. Her hunch had borne fruit. Three distinct types of divs stood before her, mere steps away.

Just beyond the divs, a palm-sized plant had sprouted, and a dewdrop dangled from the edge of a leaf, poised to fall.

“Hello there!”

The grotesque creatures turned their heads towards Suzanne as she approached from the riverbank. Understanding the urgency of the situation and aware that her companions might imminently arrive and disrupt her opportunity, Suzanne decided to size up the divs while launching her attack.

The largest of the three divs appeared the least menacing, his scaly skin concealed under the sack-like attire. Much like other divs, only his left eye was open, while the eyelids of his right eye seemed to be stitched shut. Yet, that singular black eye with a vertical pupil revealed the fear simmering within him, reassuring Suzanne that he would be easily handled.

In a matter of seconds, she assessed the other two as well. The second div, positioned on his knees, faced away from the others, intently studying the river. He barely had a moment to cast a wary glance over his left shoulder at the sudden arrival of this unanticipated adversary. His apparent vulnerability made it clear that he was no match for Suzanne.

The third div, though smaller in stature and only slightly taller than Suzanne, albeit almost three times as wide, exuded a more menacing presence. His relatively dark skin complexion hinted at the potential for danger emanating from his direction. Without hesitation, Suzanne made her decision.

With determination, she pressed her middle and index fingers of her right hand together. Mere moments before reaching the scaled div, she shouted, "Diva! Jaws of the devil!" In an instant, her two fingers plunged into the first div's left eye, enveloped in a viscous fluid. The div's agonized scream resonated through the earth but was short-lived as his entire body, along with his cries, transmuted into intense heat, coalescing around Suzanne's two fiery fingers before being absorbed into her.

Suzanne, invigorated by the empowering surge coursing through her entire being, smiled contentedly at the satisfaction of her capabilities. She propelled herself towards the kneeling div with another vigorous push from her nimble paw on the ground. The rapid sequence of events unfolded so swiftly that the second div, located near the river's edge, could scarcely react.

He managed to swivel his body towards the incoming menace, yet this feeble defense merely rendered him a plumper and more vulnerable target. Suzanne's two blazing fingers homed in on his left eye. To her surprise, the div offered a semblance of resistance, guarding his eye with his forearm. But as her fiery digits penetrated his several layers of stone-like skin, delving deep into his bones and causing his slimy, ebony blood to spurt out, he swiftly came to regret his futile defense.

In a futile attempt to pull away, the div's hand had not fully retreated when Suzanne's matching fingers on her left hand intervened mercilessly. They bore into the div's eye with an even more voracious and less precise assault, searing and disintegrating a portion of his nose and skull due to the intense heat. The viscous, inky liquid swirled around Suzanne's fingers, and the div, along with his anguished cries, transformed into vapor, dissipating into her very being.

As Suzanne pivoted to confront the diminutive div, the now-thicker dew droplet that had clung to the plant's leaf descended gently to the ground.

"Nice job," the dark div, whose short, curled horns Suzanne had just noticed, applauded sarcastically. He continued, "At least you saved me from those two dim-witted horses who couldn't even cross this river. They prattled on incessantly! How I struggled to restrain myself from disobeying orders and disposing of them myself! But now, thanks to your intervention, I'm free from them. Because of your kindness..."

The div lowered his head so that the tips of his horns pointed towards Suzanne. "I will end your suffering quickly."

Suzanne prepared her defense even before identifying the div's attack. "Diva! The Great Azarban!" A colossal, fiery barrier erupted from her hands, forming a semicircular wall as tall as herself before her. Something abruptly collided with the unyielding flames, confirming her choice of defense. With a fluid motion, Suzanne released her fiery shield and created a small aperture at its core to observe the dark div's actions.

Evidently, the div had launched a powerful attack, and it had taken some time for him to regain the use of his horns. Suzanne pressed the sole of her foot, propelling herself into the air from behind the wall of fire in the div's perspective. Her right fist was poised, ready to strike. Observing this spectacle with wide eyes, the div began to chant the same melody that had incapacitated Suzanne in Abandar. In a fit of rage, Suzanne exclaimed, "Oh no, you don't!" With all her strength, still suspended in mid-air by the force of her foot, she unleashed her fist upon the div.

At first, a crimson beam illuminated the div, casting a long, obsidian shadow that stretched in both directions. Suddenly, an infernal and invisible intensity emanated from Suzanne's blazing fist, and as it approached the div, its range expanded exponentially. By the time it reached the div, it resembled an invisible net descending upon its prey. It captured and slammed him to the ground with such force that the sound of cracking bones reverberated, creating a depression in the earth.

Upon landing beside him, the div lay helpless, his facial orifices oozing black blood. Through his blurred vision, he weakly inquired, "Who... are you?"

Suzanne replied, her guard unrelenting, "Suzanne Azarepik. Daughter of Peikar Azarpeik."

With the remnants of his strength, the div spat bloody saliva to the side and whispered, "You've returned to Parsin at the wrong time, daughter of Peikar Azarpeik... my master... my master..."

The div's eyelids gradually drooped. Suzanne knelt beside him, her fingers resting on his forehead. "What does your master intend to do?" she pressed, as the fiery nails began to glow like smoldering embers beneath the ashes and slowly dug into the div's forehead. The div cried out in agony, struggling to convey his message:

"He... he is back!... he... wants to break... the backbones of all the sides of the Old Wars..."

Suzanne pressed her nails deeper into the div's flesh, immersing them up to her knuckles.

"Tell me more!" she demanded.

The div's voice weakened as he gasped, "Ahhh!!... That's it! That's all I know!... We had a mission... We are returning from Sepid-cheshman... Eke-Tash ordered... "

Gradually, the div's voice faded, and his body became still. Suzanne dug her fingers into his left eye before his heart gave out. There remained no trace of the battle or its victims, save for the black, slimy blood that had spattered the surroundings and a few scorch marks on the ground. Suzanne furrowed her brow and, deep in thought, walked towards the wild Zino River to cleanse her hands and wash the bloodstains from her face.

What could the div's words mean? As far as Suzanne knew, "all sides of the Old Wars" encompassed nearly all creatures. Who was the master with such ambitious plans? How had they infiltrated Sepid-cheshman, and what were they doing there? Finally, who was this Eke-Tash? Why did even a mere mention of his name seem to douse the flames within her, leaving her bones and flesh in a fragile, frozen state?

"Do you have any idea what you're doing?" Parisa, the first to arrive at the scene, confronted Suzanne, followed by the others. Even Shahab maintained a solemn silence. Parisa looked warily into Suzanne's intense, unblinking eyes that seemed fixed on an unknown point and inquired, "Were they the ones following us?"

Suzanne shook her head, denying their involvement. After a brief silence, she turned to Rubina and asked, "In the reports about Dara Shah's case, were the names of the divs who pledged to thwart his army mentioned?"

Rubina, who did not know what the result of this discussion was going to be, nodded her head in approval.

“What was the name of their chief?”

"As you know, those reports are just possibilities and assumptions by the Kazhamuzes. The analyzes and the traces they tracked are related to the same time, and no one has attempted to investigate the matter further with new information."

"I know that! But in those reports, what was the name of the chief of the divs who defeated Dara Shah and then vanished due to the Sepid Force of Farnas?"

Rubina gazed into Suzanne's fiery eyes for a moment, then hesitantly whispered, "He was known as the Arm of Shadows. The one who had shattered the two great human civilizations before that. It was said that he led an army of infiltrators among all nations and creatures."

"His name?" Suzanne demanded.

Rubina took a deep breath and, with a sense of foreboding, admitted, "Eke-Tash."

Suzanne pursed her lips and shook her head, as though her fleeting hope had been shattered. The situation wasn't just as dire as she had thought; it was dangerous. If the world of the divs had seen the return of its champion, there could be only one implication: a great movement had begun in the dark lands of Molkeshum, beyond the Zarnegar Mountains.

"Would you like to turn to the next page?" Suzanne found herself, like a child once more, lying on her bed with her head resting on her mother's lap. Her mother held a large, worn book and read from it.

"What's on the next page?" Suzanne asked.

Her mother turned the page. The left page was entirely black, as if a name had been written on it that had set the paper ablaze just by its mere existence. Her mother continued to read from the right page:

"The end of the ages, from the divs' perspective, marks the era of their absolute dominion over the entire world. It's when the Avenger of Evils, the King of Fiends, Murdai Khin, or Dasha Horkin, rises to annihilate all creatures. "

"Destroy all creatures?" Suzanne inquired.

"Yes, my dear. Now you understand why we capture divs? These are their legends, and they plan and act based on these legends!"

"That's enough. You don't need to read any more." Suzanne's father stood in the doorway, his gaze cold. Her mother closed the book and rose from her seat, defending her actions, "She has to find out these things somehow!"

"There's no need for it to be now! She's still a child! These names have a direct and stimulating effect on the divs that she's going to capture later!"

Her mother said nothing more and left the room after one last glance at Suzanne. Suzanne came back to her senses and turned to her companions, feeling closer to them than ever, including Shahab and Arjang.

"Guys... I don't think competition matters anymore." Shahab pushed the boys aside and stepped forward with a serious expression, asking, "What do you mean?"

Suzanne looked into Shahab's eyes and explained, "The mission has changed. We're here to cooperate, not compete, and we’ll focus solely on gathering information. Our top priority is..."

Everyone waited for her to finish her sentence with bated breath.

"...staying alive."

*****