The room fell into an expectant silence after the artifact was activated. There was a mix of relief for having achieved our goal, but also a feeling of unease.
I still couldn't take my eyes off the sphere, which continued projecting the map with bright points of light scattered over it.
Zhavros was still leaning against the table, clearly exhausted, trying to catch his breath. The effort he had put into activating the artifact was evident. I realized that, even if he didn't admit it, it had cost him more than he wanted to show.
Eldrek was the first to speak. "I have to admit, Zhavros, you did it with admirable efficiency. Activating an artifact of this caliber isn't something just anyone can do."
Zhavros, without taking his eyes off the map, managed a faint smile. "It was to be expected that using something like this would come at a cost," he replied, his voice still weak but maintaining his usual confident air. "But I'm fine."
I watched as Eldrek looked at him more seriously. "Are you really okay?" he asked, his concern more evident this time.
Zhavros straightened up slowly, letting out a sigh. "Don't worry," he said, trying to dispel any doubt.
"Activating this ancient artifact was quite the experience, honestly. The mana drain has been considerable, as you can see. But what concerns me more is how long it will stay active. We don't know if the projection will last, so we should mark the areas of interest while we can still see them."
Clearly, it wasn't as if the projection could be activated with just the press of a button. Zhavros wouldn't be able to activate it whenever we needed it due to the effort it involved. The urgency in his words was clear, and Eldrek understood immediately. He nodded without another word, pulling a scroll from his bag and spreading it out on the table.
Without wasting time, he began marking the key points that the artifact revealed on the map.
"It's best we act quickly," Eldrek commented as he drew on the scroll with meticulous precision. "We can't afford to lose this information if the artifact shuts down before we're ready."
As Eldrek traced the marks, I watched Zhavros in silence. Despite being visibly exhausted, his mind remained sharp. He hadn't lost sight of the importance of what we had achieved, and despite the toll, he remained focused on the goal.
Eldrek approached the map projected by the artifact, observing closely how the colors fluctuated and intertwined. "This is interesting," he murmured, pointing out some areas where white and green hues seemed to blend together.
"This map seems to identify people by their mana very precisely. Look at how the colors intertwine; it's incredible, I've never seen anything like it. Lyris, for example," he added, looking directly at her, "has a combination of light and life mana, making her particularly valuable for this mission. It wouldn't be surprising to find other people with mana that fluctuates between several sources."
Lyris looked at me with a thoughtful expression, as if finally realizing the magnitude of her own power. Meanwhile, Eldrek continued marking the important areas on the scroll, noting each point of interest revealed by the projection.
"However, we can't only focus on the types of mana," Eldrek said, his voice taking on a more practical tone.
"The distances between these points are also a challenge. We can't afford to waste too much time traveling from place to place. Also, we can't forget about Grimmor. He's still after us, and we can't let our guard down for a second."
Zhavros, who seemed to have regained some of his energy, interjected. "Don't worry about the travel, Eldrek. I already have a solution for that."
We turned to him, expectant. It seemed Zhavros always had a trick up his sleeve, but this time his tone hinted at something more interesting.
"What solution?" I asked, crossing my arms, both intrigued and skeptical.
"I have a carriage... but not a regular one, of course," he explained, with his usual air of self-sufficiency. "It's pulled by creatures I found during one of my travels. They're fast, strong, and, I'd say, quite... special."
I frowned, unsure of what kind of "special creatures" he was talking about. Before I could ask more, Zhavros left the shelter and motioned for us to follow him. He led us to the back of the place, where a dark, robust but elegant carriage rested, adorned with runes that barely glowed in the dim light.
In front of it, tied to the carriage, was a pair of Fire Salamanders. They were imposing creatures, larger than the sturdiest horses I'd ever seen in my world. Their black scales shimmered with shades of red and orange, as if an internal flame kept them burning. From their legs and snouts, a gentle heat radiated, and whenever they moved, tiny sparks of fire fell to the ground, sizzling on contact.
"These are Fire Salamanders," said Zhavros proudly, petting one of them.
"They may look slow at first glance, but when they focus, they can unleash bursts of fire that propel them at great speed, ideal for long distances. While they can't maintain that speed for very long, they're perfect for covering rough terrain and escaping any approaching danger. Also, the carriage is designed to carry a lot of weight, so don't worry, Eldrek. You can climb on without issues; these creatures are more than capable of moving someone your size."
Eldrek nodded, clearly impressed.
"That will save us a lot of time, no doubt," he said, turning his attention back to the projected map. "We just need to plan our route carefully and prioritize the closest points, but with this, we could cover much more ground than we thought."
Zhavros smiled, satisfied. "I already knew that."
I approached the map projected by the sphere, watching as the colored points fluctuated, marking the locations of those carrying different types of mana. My gaze was inevitably drawn to two specific points glowing near our location.
One of them was mine. A dark spot, black with slight hints of blue, which seemed to pulse slowly. The contrast with the other colors on the map was evident, and it made me reflect for a moment on the nature of my power.
I knew there was chaos within me, a shadow that was always present, but I also felt that small spark of control, an energy trying to maintain balance amid the chaos.
There was one in brown, which I assumed was Eldrek's; Lyris's was unmistakable, emitting a special glow, a true reflection of her type of magic.
Then I focused my gaze on another nearby point, the one corresponding to Zhavros. His mana didn't remain static like the others.
Dark red with purple glints, his energy fluctuated, but not only that, there were moments when it shifted between the different colors we had already identified. Deep blue, bright white, emerald green, even purple. All the colors on the map seemed to blend in him, as if Zhavros were somehow connected to all types of mana.
I found it hard to take my eyes off his point on the map, a mix of fascination and discomfort washing over me. It was as if his energy were in constant evolution, flowing through all those powers in a way I couldn't fully understand.
"Is something bothering you, Darius?" asked Zhavros, noticing my fixed stare on the map.
"It's curious how your mana fluctuates," I said, without taking my eyes off the point that represented him. "It seems you have a connection with all energies, not just one."
Zhavros smiled. "My power is... multifaceted. There are many layers you don't yet know," he replied calmly. "So, dear Darius, you shouldn't underestimate me."
I couldn't help but ask:
"Are you sure you couldn't defeat the Dark One on your own?" I asked, with a tone mixing curiosity and doubt.
Zhavros let out a slight laugh, but there was a hidden seriousness behind it. "If it were that easy," he replied in his usual tone, "I would have done it a long time ago."
Those words hung in the air as I watched him again. I knew Zhavros was powerful, much more than he let on. But that answer made me reflect once again on how dangerous he could become if he ever turned into an enemy.
It wasn't just his control over mana that made him formidable but also the coldness and calculation behind his actions.
I couldn't help but wonder what the story between him and Eldrek might have been. How had two such different beings come to be in the same group? Eldrek, with his wisdom and calm, and Zhavros, so unpredictable and full of enigmas. Perhaps one day, I would uncover the truth.
Lyris furrowed her brow, watching the map intently. "I've been looking for the Dark One's mana, but it's not appearing... It's not on the map," she commented, concerned.
Immediately, we all turned toward the sphere, scrutinizing every corner for any sign. Even Zhavros, with his usual disbelief, stared at the map before cursing softly.
"Damn it, you're right... The Dark One must have found a way to hide his mana," he growled. Then, he muttered almost to himself, as if searching for an explanation. "That would be incredibly hard to pull off..."
Before we could say anything else, Eldrek hurried back from his task of drawing the scroll, noticing that the map's lights were beginning to fade.
Finally, the artifact's light went out completely. The sphere, which had once emitted a powerful glow, lay inert in the center of the table.
Zhavros, still showing signs of exhaustion, said:
"Well... now we know how long its activation lasts," he said with a resigned tone, though there was still that gleam of satisfaction in his eyes.
Eldrek carefully stored the scroll in his bag and looked at all of us.
"We have a plan now," he said, with the confidence of someone who had just laid out a strategy. "We'll rely on the map. We need to visit the marked areas and find as many allies as possible. Also, it would be ideal to gather the materials needed to start forging weapons along the way."
We all nodded, aware of the importance of what Eldrek had said. We knew time wasn't on our side, and Grimmor remained a constant threat. But before moving, we needed to regain our strength.
Lyris was the first to mention it. "We should rest and eat. We're all exhausted after what happened with Tícaros. The battle drained us not only physically but also mentally... and Zhavros has had extra strain from activating the artifact."
We nodded in silence, conscious that what lay ahead would be even more challenging. Recovering our strength would be essential if we wanted any chance against the Dark One... or any other danger that might cross our path.