The wait for the council's verdict continued, but that day I decided to interrupt the strategic rhythm for a few hours.
Not because the danger had diminished.
But because I knew that accumulated tension without pause turns into wear.
One of the officers accompanying us suggested the hot springs north of the capital. They were natural, formed between ancient volcanic rocks, heated by underground veins. According to him, even members of the royal family used the place during periods of important decisions.
I accepted.
If even the king used that place to think, maybe it was the right environment.
We climbed a stone path that wound between tall cliffs. The air there was more humid than in the rest of the kingdom. The mineral smell was strong, but not unpleasant. Steam rose from natural fissures, creating a constant mist that softened the rigid shapes of the mountains.
When we arrived, I found something different from what I imagined.
It was not a luxurious place.
It was simple.
Natural pools carved by the earth itself. Large rocks around them served as seats. The water was clear, slightly bluish, with small currents bubbling from the bottom.
Rai'kanna was the first to comment.
"They didn't shape the place. They only adapted it."
"They respect what already exists," said Lyannis.
It made sense.
Cyclopes are not known for excess.
They are known for solidity.
We entered the water shortly after.
The heat enveloped my body immediately. It was not scalding. It was firm. Constant. It relaxed muscles I had not even realized were tense.
Elara let out a discreet sigh.
"This is efficient."
Vespera leaned against a rock, closing her eyes for a moment.
"Even the air here is different."
Liriel dipped her hands in the water and watched the soft reflections on the surface.
"It is a stable place."
I leaned back against the stone behind me.
For the first time since we arrived in the kingdom, my body truly slowed down.
But my mind did not.
"You are still thinking about the stone," Rai'kanna said, without opening her eyes.
"Yes."
"Doubt?"
"Calculation."
Lyannis tilted her head slightly.
"Fifty percent is still a significant probability."
"It is also still half failure," I replied.
Elara opened her eyes and looked at me directly.
"You wouldn't be here if you didn't accept risk."
She was right.
It was not fear of failing.
It was the weight of failing.
Vespera spoke in a calm voice.
"You carry too much responsibility alone."
"Because I am the target."
"No," Liriel replied softly. "Because you choose to carry it."
The steam rose between us, but the silence that followed was not uncomfortable.
I observed each of them.
Elara, always objective, seeking efficiency.
Vespera, strategic, reading invisible environments.
Liriel, serene, but firm when necessary.
Rai'kanna, direct, with strength that does not need to be displayed.
Lyannis, analytical, supporting the group in details that no one sees.
They were not here because I dragged them.
They chose to be.
"If the stone doesn't work," I began, "I will face him anyway."
Rai'kanna opened a slight smile.
"Obviously."
Elara crossed her arms.
"But we are not betting only on the stone."
Lyannis completed.
"We are betting on preparation."
Vespera tilted her head slightly.
"And on correctly reading the enemy."
Liriel concluded.
"And on our unity."
The water continued bubbling softly around us.
The heat helped clear thoughts.
I closed my eyes for a few seconds.
If the Fourth General was immortal, then his strength did not come only from raw power. It came from something sustained. A bond, a core, a contract, an anchor.
Maybe the stone could interact with that.
Maybe not.
But one thing was certain.
I would not face him unprepared.
"Do you think he is moving now?" Lyannis asked.
"Yes."
"Toward us?"
"Probably."
Elara nodded.
"Then every day here is also an advantage."
Rai'kanna rested her arms on the edge of the spring.
"If he comes to the Kingdom of the Cyclopes, he will find resistance."
I thought about that.
If the confrontation happened there, it would involve an entire kingdom.
That was not ideal.
Better to take the battle to where I could control it.
Vespera opened her eyes and looked directly at me.
"You want to face him outside any city."
"Yes."
"Then we need to anticipate."
"Yes."
Liriel moved a little closer.
"Regardless of the stone, you have already decided to fight."
"Yes."
The simplicity of the answers was comforting.
There was no hesitation in the group.
The steam began to diminish as the wind shifted.
The sky above was clear. Deep blue.
For a few minutes, no one spoke.
Only the constant sound of water and the light wind between the rocks.
I realized something there.
It was not just physical rest.
It was mental alignment.
If I arrived at the confrontation carrying unnecessary tension, I would make mistakes.
Here, at that moment, I was stable.
"Takumi," Lyannis called.
"Yes."
"You do not need to win alone."
I looked at her.
"I know."
And this time, I truly knew.
We stayed a little longer in the springs.
Light conversations came afterward. Comments about the city's architecture. About the cyclopean soldiers. About how their food was simple but nutritious.
Nothing deep.
Nothing strategic.
Just normality.
When we finally left the water, I felt my body light, but my mind firm.
While putting my clothes back on, I looked at the mountains around us.
They had been there long before us.
They would remain there afterward.
Solidity.
That was what I needed to maintain.
We descended the path back to the city in comfortable silence.
When we entered the capital again, I noticed something different in myself.
The pressure still existed.
But now it was organized.
If the stone worked, it would be an advantage.
If it did not work, I would adapt.
But one thing became clear that day.
I need to be strong enough to face the Fourth General without depending exclusively on an artifact.
The stone can be a tool.
But the decision will be mine.
When we arrived at the lodging house, the royal messenger had not yet returned.
The council's decision had not been announced.
That meant one more day of waiting.
But now, that waiting did not weigh on me.
I looked at the sky as the sun began to set between the stone mountains.
The light reflected on the cyclopean constructions, turning everything golden for a few moments.
I took a deep breath.
If the council approves,
I will accept the responsibility.
If they deny it,
I will find another path.
But regardless of the result,
I will face the Fourth General.
And when that happens,
it will not be only for survival.
It will be for everyone who chose to trust me.
Night fell over the Kingdom of the Cyclopes.
And for the first time since we arrived,
I was truly prepared for whatever came next.