The soldiers stood in the clearing, still entranced by the towering, pulsating mountain before them. But Lyerin, ever focused, broke the spell of their awe with a sharp command.
"Enough staring. This is not a vacation," he snapped, his voice cutting through the air like a whip.
The soldiers startled, their eyes shifting nervously to him. Lyerin's usual calm was gone, replaced with a strict, almost severe demeanor.
"Do you think this is where the story ends? No. This is where it begins. If you want to survive when I'm no longer here, you'll start listening now."
The soldiers exchanged glances, some confused, others tense. Lucas, always quick to sense the mood, raised his voice tentatively. "What do you want us to do, Lyerin?"
Lyerin's piercing gaze landed on Lucas, and then swept over the rest of them. "We're staying here for now," he said curtly.
