The Ursus was slain and did not move an inch. We killed a guardian of this forest. Out of respect, I dug a small pit and placed the vast remains of this creature in the hole I had shoveled to give it a decent burial. After all, we invaded his territory and not the other way around. I asked for forgiveness and gave a little prayer speech. ''O Lady of this forest, please forgive us our sins and take this poor creature's soul to yourself,'' I prayed in a whisper in a bowing posture.
The prayer finished. I went to Onaki and carried her away in my arms. She was healed but still too exhausted to walk. Since we were very deep in the forest and to avoid another confrontation with one of the Ursus, we walked along a river. The forest was much less dense, and the danger of encountering a new beast was much less. At least that's what I thought since the forest itself brought these dangers.
However, I was completely wrong because it hurled Onaki and me into the river in just a short moment. Surfacing and gasping for a deep breath, I saw a hibiscus. White fur and long steel claws this beast had. Its teeth and strong jaws could easily crush a large tree stump.
The strength left us. We were at the end. That was it, I thought, regretting the decision to go this way. This creature was much more potent than the Ursus from before. The hibiscus would tear us to pieces for sure, I thought. You chose death when you entered this forest. For your sin, there is the maximum punishment. The agonizing death!'' the beast spoke to us with a highly beast-like voice and looked down on us, while we could only gasp from exhaustion.
Despite my indescribable fatigue, I swam back ashore with Onaki and held a defensive position. I had no single energy left to cast a spell that could protect us. The hibiscus took a killing blow. I closed my eyes and stood in front of Onaki, hoping for a miracle. Just as the hibiscus lashed out with killing intent, a being with grayish skin color and white hair appeared in front of us. In just a brief moment, the hibiscus was dismembered. This figure cast an explosion spell, just like Razul Menderes did to the poor deceased woman in Altravessa.
''Who would have thought that we would meet again so soon, Aramoto.'' said the being and turned to me. He looked exactly like the beings from the high council. My thoughts raced madly in my head. Who was he? I was sure I didn't know him, so I continued to hold my protective posture. ''You are from the high council! Why did you save us? Speak up! Who the hell are you!'' I screamed with hatred and horror in my voice. It was so full of hate that the surroundings around me shook.
The creature changed its shape shortly after that.
An old, scarred man covered with a layer of dirt was visible. Him? I no longer understood anything at all and fainted.
I woke up and regained my senses. I was in the old hut of the angelic being who kindly entrusted us with her former home. But I didn't care where I was. I wanted to know where this older man was and looked around. I got up from the bed and heard two voices talking to each other. Arriving in the kitchen of this hut, I saw Onaki and the older man sitting and talking.
''Oh, you are awake. That's nice! I know you're confused, now listen to me carefully.'' said the old man nervously and grinning guiltily. I stood in front of the older man, grabbed his clothes accusingly, and lifted him. ''You will tell me right now why you saved me from death in the desert that time. You are one of them!'' I shouted at him, snubbed and horrified. He understood my resentment very well and nodded imploringly.
''It is true, I belong to the same race as the beings who call themselves the High Council. But that does not mean I share their ideology. I deeply despise killing people, and that is why I betrayed the high council,'' the old man told me, explaining the whole situation in more detail. Minutes passed in which he described the problem to me in detail. How ironic it was that I was saved by a being who came from the one race that murdered people in cold blood for fun, I thought to myself.
''My name is Brahm Ahnen, by the way. I didn't tell you that name when we first met because my name is on everyone's lips, and you would have reacted impulsively. Do you understand now? I am an enemy of the high council, just like you, and I will help you to control the spells as much as possible,'' the Brahm answered me with a very convinced and determined emphasis in his voice. I slowly got used to the situation and realized that he belonged to the same race as the high council.
''I can use the water wall spell in a more controlled way by now.'' Brahm explained to me that during the spell, you have to concentrate mainly on breathing in and out and imagine directing your energy and releasing it in bits and pieces,'' Onaki told me proudly as if she were a small child who had just found out that fire could burn a person if you got too close to it. I flicked my finger against her forehead, jealous that she had already gotten that far.
''So will you not continue to accompany us after helping us with the spells, Brahm?" I asked him out in his human form. The latter shook his head and looked at me seriously. ''I am powerful, but I cannot kill another council member from the same race. You are too powerful. You are now one with the Merthyl Crystal. You have the power to kill them. So it will be your job; my job is to simplify the magic for you,'' he explained, pointing his finger at my chest, where my Merthyl Crystal still hung. I realized only now that the crystal no longer existed but that the crystal had merged with my body. I was now the Merthyl crystal.