We were processing the information Kaerith had given us. My thoughts raced, each more unsettling than the last. Now that it was confirmed there was a sorcerer turning humans into those creatures, what did it mean? The answer was clear: he could raise an army at will while we stayed here, waiting to be attacked. Was it really a good idea to hole up in the village and do nothing more?

Eldrek stepped forward and asked the question on everyone’s mind.

“Tell us something, Kaerith. Now that you’ve discovered this, is it possible to reverse the spell? Can we turn them back into humans?”

Eldrek had asked a good question. Kaerith looked up from her studies and answered honestly.

“I’ll be frank. Neither I nor the other nagas have seen anything like this. This isn’t like curing an illness. We’re dealing with powerful magic here.” She paused, glancing at us. “Maybe, at the early stages, I could slow the transformation process, but that’s just a theory. We’d have to test it.”

Thalrik chimed in, his tone a mix of hope and worry.

“That could be useful. If our village gets hit by that spell, at least we could counteract it while we find a more definitive solution.”

“Hmm, yes, that would definitely help,” I replied thoughtfully, then turned to Kaerith. “Do you have any idea how long the transformation process takes?”

Kaerith tilted her head slightly, as if weighing her response.

“My estimate is at least thirty days, maybe a bit longer.”

Eldrek nodded.

“Good. Before we leave, is there anything else we should know?”

Kaerith set her knife on the table and walked toward one of the bodies. “Yes. If you face these creatures again, close combat won’t be very effective.”

We fell silent as she grabbed the knife with both hands. With a swift and deliberate motion, she tried to drive the blade into the torso of the body on the table. The knife didn’t penetrate. The creature’s skin was too tough.

Thalrik stepped forward, visibly surprised.

“But how? Their bodies are so resilient. How did you manage to cut them?”

Kaerith gave him a neutral look before answering.

“I first weakened their skin with poison. Only then could I cut them.”

“I see,” I said, crossing my arms as I pondered. “I managed to cut them because I infused my attacks with magic. It corroded the flesh on contact.”

Kaerith nodded, picking up her knife again.

“If you want to hurt them, I recommend coating your weapons in poison. It’ll weaken them gradually. Perhaps those stupid reptiles, with their strength, could harm them without poison, but we won’t know until we test it.”

Eldrek sighed, massaging his forehead.

“This keeps getting more complicated. Thanks for the information, Kaerith. For now, I’ll ask you to prepare enough poison to share among us.”

“Of course,” Kaerith replied indifferently. “But it’ll cost you a few coins. I’ll have a good batch ready by tomorrow.”

“Fair enough,” I agreed. “We’ll give you what you need. And please, if you discover anything else that could help us, let us know.”

Kaerith simply nodded and returned to her work.

We left the tent with a sense of despair. Each of us was lost in our own thoughts. Finally, Thalrik, who never hesitated to show his nerves, spoke up.

“We’ll talk later. I need to meet with my people and calm them down. They’re probably still shaken from what happened with the lizards.”

“Of course, we’ll talk later,” Eldrek replied as we continued walking toward the village center.

Before we got there, I stopped him.

“Eldrek…” I began, my expression betraying my concern. “I want you to consider the possibility of us taking the initiative. Based on what Kaerith told us, this sorcerer could be capturing and transforming more people every day. He might already have hundreds of creatures under his command.”

“Ugh! Damn it!” I growled in frustration, running my hands through my hair in a sharp motion.

“You’re right,” Eldrek admitted. “I’ve thought about it too. If we can organize with the lizards, we could make it work, but we’d have to split up. We can’t leave the village undefended.”

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I nodded, agreeing with him.

“Also, I’ve been thinking about something else.”

Eldrek raised an eyebrow.

“I see. Why do you sound uncertain?”

I sighed.

“While listening to Kaerith, I realized she might have a way to help me recover my memory. If I succeed, maybe it could help us somehow. Don’t you think?”

Eldrek rubbed his chin, lost in thought.

“Hmm, you might be onto something. Just be careful. You could uncover things that disturb you. But if you think it could help, go and ask her.”

Eldrek’s warning made me hesitate. What if I discovered something that made things worse? But I couldn’t let doubt hold me back. I had to take the risk.

We said our goodbyes. Eldrek returned to the tower’s construction while I headed back to Kaerith’s tent. I moved with confidence, though a mix of anxiety and nerves churned inside me. The idea of uncovering something about my past unsettled me more than I expected.

I arrived once more at the entrance to Kaerith’s tent. The guards, standing firm on either side and now recovered, eyed me with furrowed brows. One of them stopped me with a sharp tone.

“The lady Kaerith does not wish to be disturbed right now.”

I regretted the obstacle, but I wasn’t about to back down. I knew I was likely to irritate her, but I was determined to interrupt her. There was no other way to convince her, so I tried a different approach.

“Kaerith!” I raised my voice so she could hear me from inside. “I’m willing to pay you some coins if that’s what it takes to get you to listen!”

“We told you she’s not available, human!” one of the guards snapped, pointing his spear at me while the other followed suit.

I raised my hands, palms forward, to show I wasn’t looking for trouble. The tension was broken by Kaerith herself, who partially stepped out of the tent. With a disdainful gesture, she ordered her guards to let me through.

“Let him in. I want to see how desperate he is.”

The guards, without hesitation, returned to their positions.

“Thank you,” I said as I entered.

Kaerith had already gone back to what she was doing. Her focus was on preparing some kind of poison. The tent was filled with unsettling items: jars containing strange liquids, plants and herbs sorted into piles ready for mixing. Kaerith moved with precision, paying no attention to me at all.

“Well, Kaerith…” I tried to speak, but she interrupted me immediately.

“You said you were willing to pay me coins to talk, didn’t you? Then do it.”

Although her attitude annoyed me, I was too determined to argue. I pulled a coin from my pouch, showed it briefly, and placed it on a nearby table.

“And I’m willing to pay more if you can help me with something.”

Kaerith glanced at me sideways with an annoyed expression.

“How do you expect me to make progress on what I was asked to do if you want me to take on something else now?”

“I understand, but this could help with the plan. Plus, it would give you an opportunity to study me.”

I knew Kaerith well enough to realize that sparking her scientific curiosity was an effective strategy. She stopped for a moment, setting aside what she was doing. Her expression turned serious as she looked directly at me.

“I’m listening. Be brief.”

“There’s a part of my past I don’t remember. I suffered some kind of amnesia, and I’ve only had vague recollections, but nothing that clears things up. I have a feeling that if I recover those memories, it could help us. Can you help me with this?”

Kaerith stared at me with a neutral expression, waiting a few seconds before responding.

“I know of a way. A spell capable of delving into the depths of your being could unlock those memories.”

“Great!” I said enthusiastically. “I’d be grateful if we could try it. I’ll pay you, of course.”

I began rummaging through my pouch for another coin, but Kaerith stopped me with a gesture.

“There’s something you need to know before we proceed. This spell will also allow me to see those memories. To give you an idea, I’ll be entering your mind, peeling back layers of your consciousness. Whatever I see, you’ll see too. It will be a shared process, like traveling through your memories together.”

I took out a gold coin and placed it next to the one I had already left on the table. I looked at Kaerith with determination.

“No problem. You’ll know everything about me. Maybe that’ll make you think more highly of me… or maybe the opposite,” I added with a nervous chuckle.

“Then let’s not waste any more time. Let’s begin,” Kaerith said.

She pointed to a nearby cot and motioned for me to lie down. I approached reluctantly, noticing it was placed right next to one of the dissected creatures Kaerith used for her studies. I wrinkled my nose.

“Do I really have to lie down here? This thing smells like it’s been dead for weeks,” I said, turning my gaze away from the exposed and foul-smelling corpse.

Without looking at me, Kaerith responded indifferently as she prepared something at her workstation. “It’s the only space I have. If you want to recover your memories, endure the smell.”

With a resigned sigh, I lay down on the cot, trying not to breathe too deeply. The stench was unbearable, but I wasn’t about to back out. I turned my head slightly to avoid looking at the exposed organs, but that only seemed to make my discomfort worse.

Kaerith stood beside me, holding a small vial of dark liquid. Without saying a word, she poured part of the contents into a carefully drawn circle on the ground. The liquid spread, glowing faintly as she began murmuring words in a language I didn’t understand. Immediately, the air around us shifted.

A green flash of light erupted from the circle, materializing into a spirit with an appearance that left me stunned. Its body was translucent, almost liquid-like, with several limbs moving in strange patterns. Its eyes shone with a white glow, and its face—if it could be called that—seemed ever-changing, shifting every time I looked at it.

“What the hell is that?” I asked, unable to hide my astonishment.

“Silence, Darius,” Kaerith said without taking her eyes off the spirit. “I need to concentrate.”

The spirit let out a low, deep sound, like a resonating murmur, as it extended one of its limbs toward me. Suddenly, a beam of light shot out from its body, connecting directly with my forehead and Kaerith’s. I felt a slight pull, as if something unseen was prying open my mind.

The sensation hit me instantly. My body jolted involuntarily, like an electric shock had surged through me. “What in the world? Is this normal?” I asked, trying to steady myself as my heart raced.

“Relax,” Kaerith instructed firmly. “Close your eyes and breathe deeply. If you resist, it will only make things harder for both of us.”

Reluctantly, I closed my eyes, attempting to follow her instructions. My breathing was uneven, but little by little, I managed to calm myself. I could still feel the beam of light connecting to my mind, and something deep inside me told me that what was coming next would be intense.

Kaerith, ever composed, continued her spellcasting. The spirit seemed to merge further with the ritual, its connection strengthening. I began to feel Kaerith’s presence in my mind—it was strange and unsettling, as if I could hear her thoughts brushing against the edges of my own.

“That’s it. Keep relaxing,” she said in a softer voice. “I’m going to start delving deeper.”