The sun glowed with a fierce, unwavering brilliance, casting long shadows across the dusty trail as morning wore on toward noon.
Eiden, Iris, Selyndra, Dravien, Vaelus, Morvath, and Seraphaine walked along the winding dirt road, their steady pace rhythmic against the rising heat. Birds sang intricate melodies from the safety of nearby branches, and small, unseen animals scrambled through the tall grass as the group passed.
Selyndra turned her gaze toward the horizon—taking in the ancient trees, the vibrant green fields, and the predatory birds circling high above in the azure sky.
"So… Morvath, where exactly are we going?" Selyndra asked, breaking the comfortable silence.
"Well, like I said, we're going on an adventure to find Eiden's now three remaining enemies," Morvath replied, a sharp grin spreading across his face. "I didn't expect we'd encounter one so soon, though. But also, I know a dungeon I've always wanted us to explore. I talked to Eiden about it last night—it caught his interest the second I mentioned it."
"Uhmm… and that is?" Selyndra prompted.
"The First Era's Dungeon," Morvath said, his voice swelling with pride.
"Oh gods, we're going there? This is exciting!" Seraphaine squealed, practically bouncing on the balls of her feet.
"Okay, but Eiden," Selyndra said, pausing to fix a stray strand of her golden hair, "why did that place catch your interest of all places?"
"Who wouldn't want to explore a dungeon like that?" Iris cut in before Eiden could speak. "It's supposed to be where the artifacts, grimoires, and scrolls that belonged to the Three Gods lie."
"Okay… but Eiden said he has every spell to exist," Selyndra argued. "He wouldn't really need their grimoires or scrolls."
"Well," Eiden answered calmly, his voice steady as he matched her stride, "I created my grimoire to be like that. But it seems the gods refused to let that happen. Knowledge or spells that belonged to them didn't go into my grimoire. It's more like… they want me to find these spells personally."
He looked ahead, his eyes narrowing slightly with a rare, genuine interest. "That dungeon is said to contain every single thing about the Three Gods. The knowledge they once had. Statues of them—statues no one has ever seen, because no one knows their faces or their appearance. No one even knows which of them were male or female. It's the dungeon that can uncover countless secrets. And I want to see it for myself."
The walk became quiet again, the only sound being the crunch of gravel beneath their boots.
Later, as the sun began its slow descent, they passed through a small village and heard a sharp commotion. An old woman in a brown-and-white dress was yelling at a group of men clad in silver armor.
"Are you kidding me?! That werewolf destroyed my crops! My crops!" she shrieked. "Find that beast and… and kill it!"
The soldiers nodded dismissively and walked away. One muttered, "Tch, damn bitch is always fussing about something…"
Vaelus pointed a hesitant finger. "Uhhh, should we ask what's wrong?"
"I'll ask her…" Iris said, approaching the woman. "Hello, Miss. I was wondering what was wrong…"
"Oh, I'll tell ya what's wrong!" The woman gestured wildly toward her ruined field. "My crops are gone! Eaten! By a werewolf! Exactly! I think that damn werewolf king is on the move. I would love it if you and your people could get rid of them."
Iris walked back to the others. "Well, seems like werewolves are just acting out…" Seraphaine mused.
"Yup… and it is best we handle them," Eiden added, his tone turning clinical.
"Perfect then. Dravien, Morvath, Iris, and Seraphaine, stay here in the village," Selyndra commanded, taking charge. "Me, Eiden, and Vaelus will search the woods and find a possible werewolf den. Got it?"
"Got it. But… are you sure?" Iris asked. "If you come across the werewolf king, you know he is powerful."
Selyndra scoffed with a confident smirk. "Oh, please. In terms of strength, Eiden, Vaelus, and I are the strongest of the sages. We'll be fine."
As the three disappeared into the trees, Seraphaine asked, "What's up with Vaelus lately?"
"It's probably his foresight again," Morvath said, his expression sobering. "Usually, he can see major events in the future. He's probably seen something so bad he's afraid to tell us, but whatever it is, he can't prevent it."
Deep in the woods, the temperature dropped as the canopy thickened.
"Do you think we'll find a werewolf den around here?" Selyndra asked, her hand resting on her blade.
"Probably," Eiden replied shortly.
Vaelus continued walking, his head down, his footsteps heavy. "Vaelus, you okay?" Eiden asked.
Vaelus lifted his head slightly, his eyes reflecting the gloom. "Yeah… I'm okay."
They walked for a long while, passing deep claw marks in ancient trees and massive paw prints in the damp dirt. Eventually, night settled over the forest, turning trees into jagged silhouettes.
"Eiden, it'd be nice if you created an underground camp for us to sleep," Selyndra said.
Eiden paused. He generally preferred to stay alert in the wild. "Fine—"
"Can you make it with comfortable beds and not stone slabs?" Vaelus asked.
"Hm. Okay," Eiden agreed. He extended his palm. "Creation Magic: Underground Camp."
A well-crafted staircase formed in the earth, leading to a sturdy wooden door. Eiden looked back at Vaelus, who was staring off into the dark trees as if seeing something miles away. "What's wrong?"
Vaelus looked at him for a heartbeat, then back at the ground. "It's nothing…" he murmured before following Selyndra inside.
Eiden watched the darkness for a moment longer, then followed, sealing out the night. Inside, the room was warm and smelled of cedar, featuring three soft beds and a basket of fresh food. Vaelus went straight to his bed and pulled the covers over his head.
Selyndra glanced at Eiden. "What is up with him?"
"I'm not sure," Eiden said quietly as he lay down. His eyes slowly drifted shut, though his mind remained in the woods, listening for the howl that he knew was coming.