The Irony of Grimmor

 As Grimmor stood there, a mocking smile painted across his face. Just seeing this being in the same era as Eldrek left me stunned.

What did he want with him? What brought him to this time and place? Before I could process my thoughts, Lyris, always so quick to act, didn't hesitate.

With a simple movement of her hand, Lyris unleashed a stream of vital energy that buzzed through the air, shooting towards Grimmor like a bolt of lightning. Her magic, always so precise, shimmered with a warm, tangible glow.

However, Grimmor seemed to enjoy the spectacle, dodging each attack with insulting grace, never losing that mocking smile that stirred a mix of fury and frustration in the air.

"Is that all, little one? Come on, surely you can do better than that!" Grimmor taunted, sliding his body to the side with precision, narrowly avoiding the beam Lyris had launched.

Lyris, agile as a feline, kept moving, searching for an opening. Her magic was powerful, but Grimmor, with his innate ability to anticipate movements, always seemed one step ahead.

I joined the fight, charging at Grimmor with my sword raised. Every swing I took seemed to draw in the chaotic energy housed within the sword, amplifying its power with each slash through the air.

The battle intensified. Lyris and I attacked from different angles, instinctively synchronizing our movements.

Each of Lyris' attacks was a flash of vital magic, her healing energy transformed into an offensive force, while my strikes with the sword grew fiercer as the battle progressed.

Grimmor, however, seemed to be enjoying all of this. Every time he dodged one of my attacks, he threw out a sarcastic comment:

"Darius, is that all you've got? You seem clumsier than the last time we met." He dodged one of my strikes with a dry laugh. "Come on, hit me harder... you might surprise yourself with what you're capable of."

As the fight dragged on, I noticed something different. It wasn't immediate, but with each slash, with every burst of chaotic energy channeled through the sword, I felt a slight sting. It was as if something dark, something dormant, was starting to seep into me. I didn't pay much attention at first, but the longer I fought, the clearer it became. A subtle corruption that, although faint, was beginning to take root inside me.

Lyris didn't stop. Her magic was a constant assault, but Grimmor was too fast. Every time we thought we had him cornered, he slipped out of reach with insulting ease, never missing an opportunity to throw a biting remark.

"Did you really think this would be enough to stop me? How disappointing."

Suddenly, Grimmor made an unexpected move. In the blink of an eye, his agility increased dramatically, as if he had freed himself from some invisible weight.

Before I knew it, I was on the ground, my sword flying from my hands towards Lyris. It was then that I realized: Grimmor wasn't just toying with us; he was anticipating every move, as if he could read our thoughts.

Lyris, seeing the sword land near her, didn't hesitate to pick it up. And as soon as she did, something extraordinary happened. The sword vibrated in her hand, as if it recognized her, as if her vital energy merged with it in a way I had never seen before.

I was stunned. That sword had been forged by Eldrek exclusively for me, and it was supposed to resonate only with my energy. How was it possible that now Lyris could wield it?

"What... is happening?" I muttered as I watched her lift the sword with newfound confidence.

Lyris, feeling the connection with the sword, launched herself into the attack once again, this time with a force and precision that even Grimmor couldn't ignore. The glow of the sword amplified her magic, channeling it more effectively.

In one swift and fluid movement, she managed to do what neither of us had achieved so far: land a clean cut across Grimmor's face and another on his arm.

Grimmor brought a hand to his face, feeling the blood trickling from the wound. Instead of getting angry, his smile twisted into something even more disturbing. He took a few steps back, bringing a hand to his mouth as he licked the blood dripping from his cheek.

"Well, well... Impressive, Lyris!" he exclaimed in a twisted voice, as if savoring the pain. "Finally, someone manages to cut me. Things are getting interesting now."

The air was thick with tension. Lyris, now with the sword resonating in her hand, advanced with determination, while I, still recovering from the blow, got to my feet, my jaw clenched. The subtle corruption of chaos was still there, but this time I ignored it.

Grimmor, still with that twisted smile, stepped back a bit more, keeping a safe distance, but his eyes glowed with a sinister excitement. He knew the fight wasn't over, but for the first time, we had managed to put him to the test.

Eldrek, who had remained silent throughout the fight, slowly approached me. With a grave and calm tone, he whispered, "Darius, tell Lyris to come to me. Now."

Surprised by his intervention, but trusting him, I turned to Lyris, who was a few meters away, fighting with ferocity. "Lyris, come here, quickly!" I shouted. She, without question, retreated towards us while Grimmor continued dodging attacks with his usual mockery.

Eldrek, not wasting any time, pulled something from his pocket—a small artifact I had never seen before. With surprising precision for someone of his size, he threw it towards Grimmor.

The object hit the ground a few meters from where he stood, and suddenly, a shockwave shook the terrain, kicking up dust and stones, disorienting Grimmor for a few moments.

"Now! Let's use this chance and get out of here," Eldrek ordered us with urgency. Lyris and I didn't hesitate. We sprinted towards Eldrek's refuge, leaving Grimmor behind.

As we moved further away, we heard his voice echoing through the hills. "I know where you're hiding, old man!" Grimmor shouted, followed by a mocking laugh that reverberated in the distance. My heart was racing, not just from the tension of the fight, but from the feeling that this wasn't over.

After jogging for a while, we finally reached Eldrek's refuge. At first glance, it seemed like an insignificant spot, well hidden among the rocky hills.

However, as we got closer, the entrance to a cave that Eldrek had carved with his own hands was revealed. It was clear it had taken him years to build. The walls of the cave were rough, marked by Eldrek's effort and patience.

Inside, the space was large enough for his massive size, but there were no luxuries. It was a functional refuge, meant for survival, not comfort.

The floor was covered with thick blankets, likely made from the skins of animals he had hunted himself. Instead of traditional furniture, there were large logs scattered throughout the cave, serving as makeshift benches and tables.

In one corner, several rudimentary weapons and blacksmith tools were piled up, some of them covered in dust, a sign that Eldrek had recently used them for his work.

A few pieces of metal glinted in the dim light filtering in from the entrance, and the soft rustling of leaves outside the cave blended with the murmuring wind among the hills.

Eldrek, visibly exhausted, slumped onto one of the logs. His breathing was heavy, and the fatigue in his body was evident. Though I had always seen him as an imposing figure, now his age was starting to show.

"We should be safe here for a while," he murmured, struggling to his feet to prepare some tea. The gentle aroma of herbs filled the refuge, providing a sense of calm after the chaos.

Eldrek poured the tea into some rudimentary wooden cups and offered one to each of us. Lyris accepted with a tired smile, and I did the same, feeling the warmth of the tea relaxing my tense muscles.

We sat around a small, makeshift fire, its flames barely lighting up our faces. There was no time to relax; the urgency of the situation hung over us like a thick cloud.

Eldrek was the first to break the silence, setting his cup aside. "There's no time to rest, we need to think about our next move. Grimmor has found us, and now he knows where I am," he said gravely, his gaze fixed on the dancing flames.

Lyris, still recovering from the fight, frowned. "How did he find us? I don't think it was a coincidence. Something led him straight to us."

Eldrek nodded, clearly troubled. "He must have been watching us for a while. His kind always has ways of knowing more than they should."

I, for my part, couldn't stop thinking about what had happened with the sword. While Eldrek spoke, Lyris quietly handed it back to me.

"Here, I used it at the right moment, but it's yours," she said softly.

I took it with a gesture of thanks. As I gripped the sword, I couldn't shake the feeling of when it resonated with her, as if it had responded to her magic in a way it never had with me.

Even though only Eldrek should have been able to synchronize it with me, something had changed in that brief moment.

"Thanks," I said, though my thoughts still circled around the inexplicable.

"We need to get organized, think about how we'll face what's coming," Eldrek interrupted, his voice urgent.

"Grimmor won't stop, and now he knows where we are. This refuge won't be safe for long. We need to plan our next steps carefully."

We knew the calm surrounding us was only temporary. In the previous era, Grimmor had never called me by name—had he always known, or had someone told him in this era?