I immediately ran to help the lizardfolk. The battle was still raging fiercely, with those damn creatures attacking relentlessly.

“These scalies are more vulnerable under their arms and behind their ears!” Khoryn shouted, his voice sharp and urgent.

I heard him and realized I hadn’t noticed that detail before. Just as I was preparing to strike, one of the lizardfolk turned to me with hostility.

“Stay out of this, human! This is our fight!” he snarled, his tone dripping with contempt. I froze, a bit surprised by his attitude.

The scalies kept taking heavy blows and cuts, but they weren’t enough to stop them. They fell to the ground, only to rise again moments later. However, the lizardfolk began to target the weak spots Khoryn had pointed out.

Khoryn moved with an almost weightless agility. With one of his daggers, he pierced through a scaly’s skull by driving the blade into its ear. The creature dropped instantly. Khoryn withdrew his dagger and rushed off to help his companions without wasting a second.

Noticing their disadvantage in numbers, the scalies regrouped. Coordinating their efforts, they unleashed a joint gust of wind that created a powerful shockwave. Everyone was thrown back with force—even some of the firbolgs couldn’t escape its reach. I felt the impact as I hit the ground, while others collided with trees, houses, or rocks.

The scalies seized the chaos to flee, propelling themselves forward with their wind magic. The lizardfolk scrambled to their feet, ready to give chase, but I stopped them immediately.

“Don’t follow them! You won’t catch up!” I shouted firmly. I knew it would be pointless—I had seen the speed at which they escaped.

Despite my warning, the lizardfolk roared in frustration. One of them grabbed the corpse of a scaly felled by Khoryn and began pounding it in fury, venting his anger. I ignored the scene and turned to Khoryn, who approached me, slightly out of breath.

“Are you sure the other two scalies you fought are dead?” he asked seriously.

“Yes, but feel free to check them just in case,” I replied. Khoryn nodded and quickly walked away while the others gathered around to strike the fallen bodies.

I approached the firbolgs, who were struggling to recover. There were about a dozen of them, some injured and moving with difficulty.

“Are you alright?” I asked in a calm tone, hoping to gain their trust.

One of them, swaying slightly, managed a shaky nod.

“We’ll survive, thanks to you,” he said weakly.

An elderly firbolg slowly approached, leaning on a worn staff. His expression was solemn as he met my gaze.

“Thank you, human. If you are truly investigating those merciless creatures, you will most likely find answers in the Velkar Mountains,” he said gravely.

I paused, reflecting for a moment.

“The being that resides in those mountains... is it one of the sages?” I asked with genuine curiosity.

“Yes,” the elder confirmed. “He is one of the so-called sages. He may hold the answers to what is happening. It is difficult to gain an audience with him, but perhaps, given the circumstances, he will accept to see you.” He added, “I had considered going myself, but I did not expect another attack so soon.”

I sighed, feeling the weight of the situation.

“This is too much. It’s likely those creatures came to finish the job. I recommend you find another place to take shelter. It’s no longer safe here.”

The elder nodded solemnly.

“Indeed, human. Unfortunately, it is not.”

He made a respectful gesture as a farewell.

“Please, if you find our people who were taken, free them,” he said before turning to rejoin the other firbolgs.

“Of course, I will,” I muttered to myself.

As I watched them leave, a thought weighed heavily on my mind. This was all so tragic. I knew that beneath those creatures, there were people. But until we found a solution, there was no holding back.

I motioned to Khoryn, signaling that we should leave. The lizardfolk had finally stopped beating the corpses. I made my way to Aeryn, who thankfully had stayed away from the battlefield. I adjusted the reins and mounted her, waiting for the others to catch up.

“What have you decided to do?” Khoryn asked as he approached on his drakkin.

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I looked at him with determination. “I’m heading to the Velkar Mountains.”

Khoryn raised an eyebrow in curiosity. “What do you expect to find there?”

“There might be answers to what we’re facing, but... I’ll go alone.”

“What? Don’t tell me you expect us to babysit these useless firbolgs,” he said, clearly worried.

I shook my head. “It would be ideal if you checked the other villages in the meantime. You’re more in number, so splitting into two groups might let you cover more ground.”

I spoke with enough conviction that Khoryn didn’t need to think twice. He nodded and added with a fierce grin, “We’ll crush those damned fools.”

“I like your enthusiasm, but remember—only engage in combat if it’s necessary.” He already knew, but it didn’t hurt to remind him.

“Who do you take us for? We’re not mindless beasts,” he retorted with a half-smile before turning to organize his team.

Watching him walk away, I muttered under my breath, “Not mindless beasts? Yeah, sure…”

I turned to Aeryn and spoke directly, waiting for her reaction. “Do you know where the Velkar Mountains are, Aeryn?”

She turned her head toward me, attentive, and nodded with a decisive gesture. It still amazed me how this bird could understand and communicate so clearly. I sighed in relief and stroked her neck.

“You’re the best companion. Without you, I wouldn’t be able to navigate these lands.” Then, with firm resolve, I added, “Let’s go, Aeryn, full speed ahead!”

I gripped the reins tightly as Aeryn let out a powerful screech that echoed all around before darting forward with precision and speed.

----------------------------------------

As we left the forest behind, I noticed scattered cart tracks along the ground. I recognized them instantly—they were from the scalies. Silently, I cursed the so-called sage behind all this chaos. If that mage truly is a sage, how could anyone possibly stop him?

Memories of my encounter with an elderly mage resurfaced. Though some details were still blurry, his face and personality remained vivid thanks to Kaerith.

Aeryn’s loud screech brought me back to the present. She gestured toward a forest in the distance with a subtle movement of her head. I looked where she indicated and recognized it immediately.

“That’s the forest Eldrek and I passed through, where that spirit resides.”

Aeryn continued moving without hesitation, as if acknowledging my words with a slight nod.

“I didn’t realize the mountains were so close to that forest… I wonder if the spirit knows anything about all this. If I don’t find answers from the elder mage, maybe I’ll visit the spirit instead.”

After crossing the forest and traveling further, the sun began to set. In the distance, I saw mountains rising into view. “Are those the mountains?” I asked Aeryn, studying them carefully. “I think I recognize them.”

Aeryn responded with a clear, affirmative call. “Finally! We’re almost there!”

As we approached, the path began to narrow. It was a clear trail surrounded by lush green grass and a few scattered trees. Yet something felt off—there wasn’t a single sound, not even from animals. “Is this really the only way to get there?” I wondered aloud.

The trail led to what seemed like a passage between two towering mountains. It was narrow and slightly steep. I looked around for other possible entrances, but none were visible. Time wasn’t on my side, so I had no choice but to continue.

When we reached the entrance, I dismounted from Aeryn and spoke to her directly.

“From here on, I have to go alone. Wait for me here. I won’t tie you up in case you’re in danger—just run if you need to, alright?” I looked her straight in the eyes. She stood tall and strong, responding with a soft screech as if she understood perfectly. I bid her farewell with a respectful gesture and began walking.

The passageway, flanked by massive rocky walls, was imposing. The silence and shadows pressed down on me, but I pushed forward without hesitation. Flashes of memories struck me. I had walked this path before, though I couldn’t recall when or why. I only knew it had been in another time.

After a long climb, I finally reached a flat area. Ahead of me lay the entrance to a cave. Panting from the effort, I muttered, “I made it. Let’s see if you’re home, old man.”

The silence in the area unsettled me. I stepped into the cave cautiously, scanning my surroundings. At first, there was nothing—just the rough cave walls around me. But as I ventured further, I saw faintly glowing crystals deeper inside. Sunlight filtering through cracks in the rock kept the cave from being entirely dark.

I stopped for a moment to admire the crystals, their vibrant colors almost hypnotic. Turning my head, I spotted something—or someone. An old man sat there, his eyes closed. His figure seemed distorted, like a wavering image.

“Hey, old man!” I shouted, stepping toward him.

I ran, eager to reach him, but slammed into something invisible just a few steps away. The impact knocked me back, and I fell onto my rear. Rubbing my face, I muttered, “What the hell?!”

From the ground, I looked again and noticed a transparent layer between the old man and me.

I stood cautiously. “Old man!” I shouted again, approaching carefully. Reaching out, I touched the barrier. It didn’t hurt me, but it felt strangely firm. I gave it a few experimental knocks. It flexed slightly under my blows but wouldn’t budge. “What kind of cage is this?”

I hit it harder, yelling at the old man, but the barrier remained intact. Frustrated, I searched the area for a way to break through. The glowing crystals seemed alive, their colors shifting as if they held secrets. I checked the walls and floor for any triggers but found nothing.

Growing more agitated, I rested my hands on my hips and thought aloud. “Would my sword work?” Unsheathing it, I slashed at the barrier with precision, but nothing happened.

“Damn it!” I cursed, pacing angrily. Then I stopped, took a deep breath, and focused.

Closing my eyes, a memory surfaced—Aelira, the celestial. I remembered how she had trained me to master chaos, telling me that if I truly controlled it, I could turn it into something more. With a determined look, I opened my eyes. “Alright, Aelira. Let’s do this.”

I channeled chaos into my sword, its dark aura enveloping the blade. With a shout of fury, I delivered a powerful strike. This time, the barrier cracked, a visible fissure forming.

“Yes!” I exclaimed as the chaos began spreading, corroding the barrier. Slowly, it melted away entirely, leaving a thick residue on the ground that soon disintegrated under the lingering chaos.

Wasting no time, I sheathed my sword and ran to the old man. “Old man!” I grabbed his shoulders, shaking him gently to wake him up. He didn’t respond. Checking his wrist for a pulse, I felt nothing.

I shook him harder this time, desperation creeping into my movements. Suddenly, a faint smile appeared on his lips.

With his eyes still closed, he spoke softly. “So, destiny has brought you before me once again... Darius.” Then, he opened his eyes.