Ally or New Enemy?

Eldrek slowly stood up, and with a calm but firm tone, he said, "We'll stay here tonight, but tomorrow we'll have to move. Grimmor is lurking, and sooner or later, he'll find us again."

Lyris and I exchanged glances, silently agreeing. After hours of conversation and catching up, we finally decided to rest. The exhaustion from the recent battle and revelations still weighed heavily on us.

The next morning, Eldrek woke us up with some herbal tea, its calming aroma helping to clear our minds. We thanked him, and in his usual serious manner, he added, "Drink quickly, we'll be leaving immediately. There's no time to waste. You can eat something along the way."

As I sipped my tea, I couldn't help but tease Lyris. "And to think, you wanted to leave me stranded in the hills and go home. Now look at you, stuck with us."

She smiled, and her response was swift: "Shut up, grandpa."

That's when I noticed how she'd gradually started calling me that. At first, it was just a joke, but with every use of the word, our bond seemed to deepen. The recent revelation about our kinship had sealed something more profound.

Before leaving, Eldrek paused at the entrance of the cave, looking back at his refuge one last time. I knew he had spent a lot of time here, building it with his own hands. Maybe it pained him to leave behind a place where he'd found some semblance of peace, even if it was fleeting. His gaze was contemplative, as if part of him wanted to stay.

The journey was tough, but Eldrek kept us on track with a clear plan. "We're heading to a place where I can work on the materials needed to forge the weapons. It'll take a couple of days on foot, but it'll serve as a temporary safe haven."

"After all the trouble we went through to get here, now we have to move even further away," I commented sarcastically. Eldrek simply shook his head, knowing we had no other choice.

During the journey, we faced several creatures. Lyris and I fought with a coordination we'd never had before. There was something almost natural about our synchronization, as if our previous battles and the recent revelation had forged 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 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 fights to Lyris and me. He wasn't fit for physical battles, but his experience and guidance couldn't be underestimated.

Finally, after a few days, we reached the area Eldrek had mentioned. We were tired, but we knew this place would be crucial for the next step in our plan.

We ventured into a series of dark tunnels, the rock walls rising around us, creating an oppressive atmosphere. The only sounds were our footsteps and the soft echo of our breathing. Suddenly, a deep voice echoed from the depths, stopping us in our tracks.

"Stop."

Lyris and I immediately went on guard, raising our weapons. The darkness ahead seemed to shift, and though we couldn't see the source of the voice, its authority was undeniable. Eldrek, however, didn't flinch and motioned with his hand for us not to worry.

From the shadows emerged an imposing figure, walking toward us with the calm of someone who knew exactly where they were and who they were. Before we could react, he deactivated a hidden trap on the ground that none of us had noticed.

"It would've sliced you in half in a second if you'd taken one more step," he said with a dark smile. "But hey, I'm in a good mood today."

Eldrek nodded in gratitude. "Thanks for stopping us in time."

Lyris, still on high alert, asked, "You know him?"

Eldrek nodded again, and with a slight smile, he said, "Lyris, Darius, meet Zhavros. An old friend… with a sense of humor you'd better get used to."

Zhavros let out a dry laugh. "Humor's a generous word, Eldrek. I just enjoy seeing the look on people's faces when they realize how close they came to dying."

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

"Come on, don't just stand there. I've got a safer place inside," he said, motioning for us to follow.

He led us beyond the main tunnel to a wide cavern that served as a refuge. The place was sparsely but functionally furnished, with just the essentials for survival. The dim light from a few torches barely illuminated the walls, but the atmosphere, though somber, was surprisingly welcoming.

"So, Eldrek, what brings you to this forgotten corner of the world?" Zhavros asked, crossing his arms as he eyed us closely.

Eldrek didn't waste any time explaining our plan. "We're here to face the dark being that threatens this era. But to do that, we need to forge weapons that can channel the right magic to counter its power. For that, I need specific materials and to locate the right people."

Zhavros frowned, his gaze darkening even further if that was possible. "So, you're hunting lost souls… interesting. And I suppose you'll need more than just basic metal for these weapons."

"Exactly," Eldrek replied. "Your input would be helpful. What do you suggest?"

Zhavros flashed a crooked smile.

"Well, I can help with that. But before you get too excited, I should tell you that deep within these tunnels lies an ancient artifact that could be useful. It's a Life Locator, a magical tool capable of pinpointing beings with specific mana. Very handy for your search."

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

"Ah, there's the interesting part," Zhavros said with his usual dark 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 in luck. I know how to use it… if you survive long enough to see it."

I noticed that Lyris maintained a cautious expression, and I must admit that I shared her distrust. Despite the apparent loyalty Zhavros showed towards Eldrek, I couldn't help but wonder what his true motivations were.

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

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

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

Still, Lyris and I were convinced that Zhavros had his own interests at play, and the artifact wouldn't just serve our needs.