Ally or Enemy?

Without warning, everything turned blurry. I felt the chaotic energy rising to my head, but this time, something was different. The magic was starting to take over me, so much that I barely noticed what was happening around me.

Lyris's voice brought me back to reality.

"Darius!... what's happening to you?" Lyris shook me; her tone wasn't one of worry, but of warning.

I shook my head, as if that would clear the chaos I was feeling. "I'm fine," I replied, though I wasn't entirely sure it was true. "Just... still rattled from the fight."

I tried not to show my confusion. Chaos magic had its price, and although right now it was just a faint feeling, I knew I couldn't keep ignoring it.

I turned to Eldrek. I needed answers, and I couldn't wait any longer. "Eldrek, what's going on here? How is it possible that Grimmor is still alive in this era? Or... can he also travel between ages?"

Eldrek looked at me with the face of someone burdened by too many truths. "Grimmor doesn't have that ability," he began, his gaze fixed on the ground.

"He belongs to a race called changelings, long-lived creatures who can change their form at will. Their abilities aren't limited to that alone; they have a great capacity to manipulate their surroundings and hide in plain sight."

"Is everyone here long-lived? Are you too, Lyris?"

Lyris only looked at me with narrowed eyes, making it clear that she wasn't.

"Your words hit deep, Eldrek. If Grimmor has survived this long, he's far more dangerous than I thought." But Eldrek hadn't finished.

"He and the dark being have been searching for me for a long time. They know I hold the knowledge needed to counter their magic."

Lyris, who had been silent until now, stepped forward.

"So you've known how to stop them this whole time?" she asked, her voice tinged with disbelief. "Why didn't you do it earlier? You could have prevented all of this."

Eldrek closed his eyes, as if searching for an answer deep within himself. "It's not that simple," he replied. "Even with that knowledge, it wouldn't be easy. Plus, executing what's needed would be extremely risky."

I stepped closer to him, feeling like we couldn't let this information go. "This isn't the time to hold anything back. If you have a way to stop that being, don't you think we should know about it?"

Eldrek nodded, but his face showed hesitation.

"We'd need people with skills opposite to that being's. Magic that can purify, harmonize... even psychic abilities. And one person alone wouldn't be enough. We'd need several. I can help, but only if I work closely with these people to create custom weapons. My weapons have a unique ability to resonate with their owners, and only with those tools could we face him."

Each word he said sank into me. It wasn't just about finding allies; we had to gather those with the necessary abilities to face such a dark power.

"Could Lyris do it?" I asked, my mind beginning to imagine a possible all-out battle with that Being.

Eldrek looked at her for a moment, assessing her. "Yes, her life magic could be key to counteracting part of the chaos. But it wouldn't be enough. Plus, we'd need special materials to forge a weapon that could channel her power properly."

Lyris stepped forward, her eyes full of determination. "If I'm going to face him, I'll need that weapon. We can't wait any longer."

Eldrek nodded slowly, but his expression remained cautious. "I could forge you the weapon, yes. But don't deceive yourself; that alone won't be enough to defeat him."

As Eldrek spoke, I couldn't stop thinking about the sword. Why had it resonated with Lyris in that way? It was a question I couldn't ignore, and finally, Lyris voiced it aloud.

"If your weapons only respond to their owner, how is it possible that Darius's sword resonated with me?"

It was the same question that had been on my mind since I saw her wield it. I looked at Eldrek, anxious for an answer, but what I saw on his face was doubt. He seemed to struggle internally before finally speaking.

"I don't know what will happen if I tell you, but I think Darius already has an idea of why it happened."

A wave of confusion washed over me. What did I know that I wasn't seeing clearly? I pondered for a moment, trying to piece things together.

"If this sword resonates with my mana," I murmured, almost in a whisper, "it means it resonates not only with that but with my essence." I stopped, letting the words take shape in my mind.

"And if it's resonated with Lyris..." My heart pounded as I realized what I was saying. "That means... Lyris is my descendant?"

The silence that followed my words was loaded with expectation.

Lyris, with a mix of disbelief and bewilderment, spoke:

"Is that true? Am I really Darius's descendant?"

Her gaze sought confirmation from Eldrek, who, after a brief silence, nodded solemnly. Everything began to fit together: the connection I'd felt with the sword, the power resonating in it in a way impossible to ignore. The blood we shared now seemed to be the key to unraveling the mystery.

For my part, still dazed, I couldn't help but murmur softly, almost to myself:

"If Lyris is my descendant... who was my partner?" The thought overwhelmed me immediately.

"Does this mean I finally found Selene? I can't imagine having children with anyone else but her." That idea echoed in my mind, a possibility I hadn't considered.

Lyris, with an expression of understanding and calm, intervened:

"It seems that you traveled to this era before pairing with someone. My parents used to tell me stories when I was little. They said that one of our ancestors stood out for wielding chaos magic, something they always considered strange, as it was a power reserved for dark beings. Now I see they were referring to you."

A shadow of concern crossed Lyris's face.

"But that brings up another more troubling question. If you just discovered that you're my ancestor, what happens now that you know? Does this change the course of this Era? Of all Eras? If you haven't had children yet in the time you come from... does that mean you'll go back to ensure you leave descendants?"

"Oh, come on, Lyris, don't scare me with questions I can't answer..."

Her reasoning hit me with an unexpected intensity. It was something I hadn't considered. I remembered Eldrek's warnings in the past era, when he told me not to reveal information about my other 'selves' in different eras, as I didn't know what consequences it could trigger.

Perhaps the words of that being who offered me the deal at the beginning were true... was my fate already sealed?

Eldrek intervened with his characteristic calm, but in a serious tone:

"Lyris's questions are more than relevant. The ability you possess, Darius, gives you the power to influence certain events, but not without consequences. Each change, each revelation, can have unpredictable effects. But it's something only you will face, as you develop your skill, since I don't know the answers."

Silence fell upon us, but it was not a calm pause. Each of us absorbed Eldrek's words, trying to grasp the implications of what had just happened.

It was clear that my path would not be simple, and that each decision I made in this Era and in future ones would affect more than I could imagine.

"Well, Darius, if it turns out I'm your descendant, you'd better make sure you have kids so I keep existing, right?" she said with a sly smile.

The light-hearted joke brought a smile to my face. Lyris's words, though in a joking tone, had a depth I couldn't ignore.

Eldrek slowly stood up and, with a serene tone, told us, "We'll spend the night here, but tomorrow we'll have to move. Grimmor is on the hunt, and sooner or later, he'll find us again."

Lyris and I exchanged glances of silent agreement. After hours of conversation and catching up, we finally decided to rest. The fatigue of the recent battle and the revelations still weighed on us.

---

The next morning, Eldrek woke us up with his usual herbal tea, its calming aroma allowing us to clear our minds a little. We thanked him, and he, with his typical seriousness, added:

"Drink quickly; we'll set off immediately. We have no time to waste. You can eat something on the way."

As I sipped my tea, I couldn't help but joke with Lyris.

"And to think you wanted to leave me behind on the hills and head back home. Look at you now, stuck with us."

She smiled, and her response was quick: "Oh, shut up, Grandpa."

It was then that I noticed how she was starting to call me that more often. At first, she did it jokingly, but with each use of the word, the bond between us felt stronger, as if the recent revelation of our kinship had sealed something deeper.

Before leaving, Eldrek stopped at the cave's entrance, looking back at his refuge one last time. I knew he had spent a long time there, building it with his own hands.

Maybe it hurt him to leave behind a place where he had found a kind of peace, even if it was fleeting. His gaze was thoughtful, as if a part of him wanted to stay.

The road was rough, but Eldrek kept us moving with a clear plan. "We're heading to a place where I can work with the necessary materials to forge the weapons. We'll have to walk for a couple of days, but it will be a good temporary refuge."

"After everything it took us to get here, now we have to go even farther," I commented sarcastically. Eldrek just shook his head, knowing we had no other option.

Along the way, we faced a few creatures. Lyris and I fought with a coordination we hadn't had before. There was something almost natural in our synchronization, as if our previous battles and the recent revelation had created a stronger bond.

At one point, I even tossed my sword to Lyris so she could use it in the fight, and without hesitation, she wielded it as if it had always been hers.

"Come on, Grandpa, don't lag behind," she joked, throwing the sword back to me with the precision of someone who knew my weapon as well as I did.

Eldrek, though still agile for his age, stayed out of the combat, leaving the creatures to Lyris and me. He wasn't up for physical battles, but his experience and guidance were something we couldn't underestimate.

---

Finally, after a few days, we arrived at the area Eldrek had mentioned. Fatigue weighed on us, but we knew this place would be crucial for the next step in our plan.

Before us stretched a rocky landscape that merged with the hills, giving the impression of a natural fortress. Several dark entrances marked its walls, and a sense of unease washed over me at the thought of going through any of them.

With a gesture, Eldrek urged us to follow him. We entered a series of dark tunnels, the rock walls rising around us, creating an oppressive atmosphere. Suddenly, a deep voice echoed from the depths, stopping us dead in our tracks.

"Stop."

Lyris and I immediately went on guard, raising our weapons. The darkness ahead of us seemed to shift, and although we couldn't see the source of the voice, its authority was undeniable. Eldrek, however, remained unfazed, and with a hand gesture, he indicated that we shouldn't worry.

From the shadows emerged an imposing figure, walking towards us with the calm of someone who knew exactly where he was and who he was. He was tall and slender, with pale skin and icy blue eyes. His long dark hair fell over an outfit decorated with dark, gothic details that emitted a faint, almost spectral glow.

His presence filled me with distrust, putting me on alert. Before we could say or do anything, he deactivated a hidden trap on the ground that none of us had noticed.

"I would have sliced you in two in a second if you had taken one more step," he said with a dark smile. "But well, I'm in a good mood today."

Eldrek nodded in appreciation. "Thank you for stopping us in time."

Lyris, still on guard, asked, "Do you know him?"

Eldrek nodded again, with a slight smile. "Lyris, Darius, let me introduce you to Zhavros. An old friend... with a sense of humor that, well, you'd better get used to."

Zhavros let out a dry laugh. "Humor is a generous word, Eldrek. I simply enjoy watching the faces of the naive as they realize how close they were to dying."

Lyris and I exchanged glances, somewhat puzzled. We couldn't deny that Zhavros's presence commanded respect, but his attitude kept us on edge.

"Come on, don't just stand there. I have a safer place inside," he said, gesturing for us to follow him.

He led us beyond the main tunnel, to a spacious cavern that served as a shelter. The place was furnished simply but adequately. The dim light from a few torches barely illuminated the walls, but the atmosphere, though somber, was surprisingly welcoming.

"So, tell me, Eldrek. What brings you to this forgotten corner of the world?" Zhavros said, crossing his arms as he observed us carefully.

Eldrek wasted no time explaining our plan. "We're looking to confront the dark being. But to do so, we need to forge weapons capable of channeling the magic necessary to counter his power. For that, I need specific materials and to locate the right people."

Zhavros raised an eyebrow in disbelief, his gaze growing darker if that was even possible. "So, you're in search of lost souls... interesting. And I suppose you'll need more than just simple metal for those weapons."

"Exactly," replied Eldrek. "Your opinion would be useful. What do you suggest?"

Zhavros smirked with a crooked grin.

"Alright, I can help you with that. But before you get too excited, I must tell you that you're in luck… deep within these tunnels lies an ancient artifact that might be of use to you. It's a Life Locator, a magical tool capable of pinpointing beings with specific mana. Very useful for what you need."

Lyris couldn't help but ask, "And where exactly is this artifact?"

"Ah, here's the interesting part," Zhavros said with his peculiar humor. "The artifact is in the territory of a rather... territorial creature, let's say. It hasn't been possible to retrieve it. But don't worry; you're looking at the one who knows how to use it... if you survive to see it."

I noticed Lyris maintained an expression of distrust, and I had to admit I shared her unease. Despite Zhavros's apparent loyalty to Eldrek, I couldn't help but wonder about his true motivations.

"Why haven't you retrieved it yourself?" I asked, trying to gauge his response.

Zhavros looked at me with a sly smile. "Come on, Darius. If I could retrieve it, we wouldn't be having this conversation. The creature guarding it is powerful, and it's not something that can be defeated alone."

As the conversation continued, my intuition told me that Zhavros wasn't entirely transparent with us. However, his debt to Eldrek seemed sincere, giving me some margin to trust in his cooperation.

Still, Lyris and I were convinced that Zhavros also had his own interests at play, and the artifact wouldn't just be for our benefit.