As they settled comfortably in the cave, Drake and Elara took the moment of calm to get to know each other better. Elara, wrapped in the tranquil atmosphere of the place, began to open up more about her life: "Since my father disappeared, my mother plunged into an abyss of despair and confusion. He was more than a royal guard in the province of Marlin; he was our safe harbor, the center of our family. One day, he was summoned by the king for a crucial mission, to find and capture the Scarlet Swordsman, a criminal who was attacking the capital."

Elara continued her narrative, the tone of her voice carrying a weight of emotion and concern: "My father left with an elite squadron. He hugged me tight before leaving and promised he would return. But that was two months ago… and he never came back." She paused, swallowing hard. "The worst part is that some members of the squadron returned, but they were severely injured. They reported that many had died in combat."

Drake listened attentively, feeling the pain and uncertainty in Elara's voice. "It must have been hard to hear that," he said, with a compassionate expression.

Elara nodded, her eyes reflecting the sadness and anguish of those words. "It was devastating. Each day that passes without news of him feels like an eternity. Hope begins to fade, but I refuse to give up. I need to know what happened to him."

Elara's words were filled with deep longing. "My mother clings to the belief that he is still alive. She stands by the window every night, looking out at the road, hoping to see his silhouette returning at sunset. I see the pain in her eyes, hope mixed with fear. And, in a moment of desperation, I made a promise that now keeps me awake at night. I told her: 'I'll bring dad back, mom. I'll find him.'"

Elara sighed, the emotion evident in her voice. "And I believe he is alive, Drake. Against all logic, against all odds, I feel… It's an inexplicable sensation, like an invisible thread that links me to him, guiding me during this journey."

Drake listened attentively. Then, he shared a bit about his own quest: "My journey… it's like a maze. I'm constantly tormented by visions, fragments of memories that refuse to fit together. They come to me in dreams, and sometimes, when I'm awake. Images of flames, distant screams, and a name that echoes in my mind, but at the same time, I can't understand what name it is. It's as if there's a veil over my past, and every attempt to lift it only leaves me more confused and lost."

He sighed, the sound echoing in the quiet of the cave. "These visions torment me. Sometimes, it's like being trapped in a nightmare from which I can't wake up. I feel there's something crucial I need to remember, something that is key to understanding who I am… but it's always out of reach, like a memory that slips away the moment I try to grasp it."

Elara looked at Drake with an understanding expression: "It seems we're both searching for answers…" she said softly.

After a morning of conversations and sharing stories, Elara and Drake stood up, preparing to leave the safety of the cave and continue their journeys. They exchanged a look of mutual understanding, knowing each had their own path to follow. "Well, I guess it's time for us to go our separate ways," Elara said, extending her hand to help Drake up.

Drake accepted the help, responding with a nod. "Yes, we have a lot to do. But I hope our paths cross again."

They approached the cave entrance, ready to face the desert again. However, as soon as they stepped outside, a sandstorm began to form rapidly.

Drake approached the entrance, assessing the intensity of the storm. "It's too risky to go out now," he stated, with a cautious tone of voice. "Better wait until it passes."

Elara quickly agreed, following Drake back to the safety of the cave. "Seems the desert has other plans for us," Elara said, observing the storm with a worried expression. "We'll have to wait until it passes," Drake said, looking outside with a thoughtful gaze. "It could take a few hours, or even the whole night."

Elara nodded, agreeing with the prudence of the decision. Together, they began to make arrangements to spend the night in the cave. With stones and sand, they improvised two simple but functional beds. "It's not exactly the luxury of an inn, but it'll have to do," Elara joked, trying to lighten the mood.

Drake chuckled lightly, appreciating her humor even amidst adversity. "I've been in worse places," he replied, giving a tired smile. "At least here we're protected from the desert and have company."

As they settled into their improvised beds, the storm roared outside.

In the cave, time passed slowly under the muffled sound of the sandstorm. After a period of rest, Drake stood up, stretching to ward off the stiffness in his body. He looked at Elara with a serious expression. "Well, looks like it's time to hit the road again," he said, picking up his backpack.

Elara watched him, her expression reflecting a mix of respect and gratitude. "Thanks for the help, Drake. You made a difference. And... it was good to talk to someone who understands what it's like to be on this lonely quest."

Drake nodded, a slight smile appearing on his face. "I just did what anyone would do in my place. And, Elara, be careful out there, okay? This desert is treacherous."

There was a brief silence, a pause before they said their goodbyes. Drake then spoke, more decisively: "I guess I better get going. Belman is a few days' journey through the desert."

Elara, surprised, responded: "I can't believe it… I'm also heading there."

Drake looked at her, surprised and thoughtful. "What a coincidence, huh? How about we go together? We can help each other along the way."

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Elara agreed, a genuine smile on her face. "Sounds like a good idea. Let's go."

Walking side by side under the golden sky of dusk, Drake and Elara advanced through the desert. Drake, driven by curiosity, decided to ask about a detail that caught his attention when he found Elara. "Elara, when I found you, there was a backpack on fire near you. What happened?"

Elara laughed, a bit embarrassed, before responding: "Oh, Drake, it's kind of a funny story. I was trying to find my way out of the desert and decided to use a location spell on my backpack, which was purchased in Belman. I thought I could locate myself with it, but… I'm not very good with magic. I ended up losing control and setting the backpack on fire. To make matters worse, my coat caught fire, and I had to roll in the sand to put it out. I ended up inhaling smoke and fainting shortly after."

Drake couldn't contain a laugh as he imagined the scene. Elara, realizing he was finding the situation amusing, got a bit annoyed and gave him a light punch in the arm. "Hey, don't laugh! It wasn't funny at the time," she said, pretending to be angry.

"Sorry, sorry," Drake replied, still laughing. "It's just that the image it creates in the mind is kind of funny, you know? But I'm glad you're okay."

Elara leaned forward, a glint of interest in her eyes. She asked curiously: "And you, Drake? You mentioned your earliest memory… it's from eight months ago, right?"

Drake looked away as he remembered that moment. "You know, Elara, the first thing I remember is waking up in an abandoned wooden house, right next to a road leading to the capital. Strangely, I knew my name, Drake, but that was all. I couldn't remember anything about myself, about my story."

He paused, as if trying to piece together a puzzle. "But on the other hand, I remembered other things… Like my race, information about this world. It was as if only some memories had been lost… those related to my past, to who I really was."

Elara listened attentively, absorbing every word. "It must be such a strange and confusing feeling," she said softly, trying to imagine what it would be like to be in the same situation.

Drake agreed with a nod. "Oh, yes… it was crazy. But there was a day when the food in the house had run out, I had no money, and the hunger was torturous… I was driven to steal an apple. I was starving. But I got caught and ended up cornered in an alley. You know, at that moment, I thought it was my end. I was alone, desperate…"

He paused, swallowing hard, as if he could still feel the dread of that moment. "And then, something strange happened. It was like an instinct. I closed my eyes, started to murmur strange words that came to my mind, and... suddenly, water wings sprouted on my back. I flew, Elara. For the first time, I flew… It was surreal."

Elara watched Drake with an expression of pure fascination. "Wow, that's incredible, Drake! So you discovered that just like that, out of nowhere?"

Drake looked at the horizon and spoke with a reflective tone of voice: "I guess so, Elara. After that first experience, I ended up becoming a bounty hunter. In that world, I made a friend who taught me the basics of magic. I spent two months training, learning to control my abilities, and testing my limits."

Elara listened attentively, fascinated by Drake's journey. "So you've been through a lot," she commented, a tone of respect in her voice.

Drake agreed with a nod, his gaze hardening a bit. "As a bounty hunter, I took any job that paid well. But many times, those jobs…" he hesitated, a shadow crossing his face. "They made me do terrible things. Things I'd rather forget."

Elara could see the pain in Drake's eyes, understanding the weight he carried. "We all have our past, Drake. And we all have things we're not proud of. What matters is who we choose to be now," she said, offering an encouraging smile.

As the sun set and darkness enveloped the desert, Drake and Elara continued their journey, now under a sky dotted with stars. The vast desert around them seemed endless, but the company of each other brought unexpected comfort.

As the first light of dawn began to tear through the sky, Drake and Elara left behind the vastness of the desert, entering the lush refuge of the Lusiry Woods.

At the entrance to the Lusiry Woods, the ground began to gradually change, mixing sand with soil, marking the transition from the relentless desert to a sanctuary of life and color. Elara, observing this change, turned to Drake with evident curiosity in her gaze. "Drake, how did you know where to go? How do you find your way in the desert?"

Drake looked at the sky, still showing the last traces of the morning stars. "When I was a bounty hunter, I learned to navigate by the stars. They are like a map, always constant and reliable." He smiled slightly. "In the desert, they were my companions on many lonely nights."

Elara nodded, impressed, as they entered the woods. They stopped for a moment, simply to admire the beauty before them. "This place… is incredible," murmured Elara, looking at the tall trees and intertwined branches above. "It's like we've entered a completely different world."

Drake agreed, inhaling deeply the fresh, fragrant air of the woods. "It's a striking contrast to the desert. Nature has a way of surprising us."

Both continued their journey, stepping softly on the layer of moss covering the forest floor. Drake stopped for a moment to observe the flowers around. "Look at these flowers. They're quite different from the ones I saw in the desert."

Elara approached one of the flowers, observing it closely. "Each one is unique. It's quite refreshing to see so much life after all that aridity."

The fatigue from the long crossing of the desert began to weigh on them, and Drake noticed the visible effort on Elara's face. "I think we need to find a place to rest a bit, Elara. You look tired, and I'm almost at my limit too."

Elara agreed, feeling the weight of exhaustion. "Yeah, a rest would be good."

Drake and Elara continued their walk through the woods, the morning light filtering softly through the leaves. Drake, impressed with the beauty around, spoke with a tone of admiration: "Have you ever seen a place like this, Elara? It looks straight out of a fairy tale."

Elara, with a nostalgic smile, looked at the flowers along the path. "Yeah, it's magical indeed. You know, when I was a child, my father used to take me to a forest similar to this one."

Drake looked at her interested. "Really? And what did you guys do?"

Elara sighed, reminiscing. "My father loved camping. He would light a fire and tell stories… And my mom and I would look at the stars, listening to him. Those were good times."

Drake, feeling the weight of nostalgia in her words, encouraged: "We'll find your dad, Elara. Who knows, maybe we'll bring back those happy times… I bet he has more stories to tell."

As Drake and Elara advanced through the Lusiry Woods, the natural beauty around them offered a comforting contrast to the arid desert they had left behind. After some time, they arrived at a peaceful spot, perfect for a well-deserved rest.

Drake, the first to notice something unusual, stopped and surveyed the scene ahead. Two tents were set up there, a clear indication that they were not alone. He turned to Elara, with a look of alert. "Elara, look there. Two tents… Looks like we have company."

Elara approached, observing the camp cautiously. "Could they be travelers like us? Or something more?"

They approached carefully, attentive to any sign of movement or sound that could indicate who was camping there. The presence of the tents in such an isolated place sparked a mix of curiosity and caution in both. "Let's see who's here, but stay behind me, just in case," Drake whispered, leading the way.