We moved through the tunnel in silence, exhausted after securing the artifact. Escaping hadn't been easy, and Zhavros had been crucial in clearing our way.
When we reached the refuge, Eldrek approached before we could examine the object and, with a serious look, asked:
"Are you alright, Zhavros? What you did back there was reckless; you could have let us help you."
In response, Zhavros, still a bit winded, took a seat, trying to find a comfortable position to rest. His posture and expression showed he was sore from the fight, yet he managed a slight smile and said, "Lyris had just been struck hard by that beast, Darius proved to be a nuisance, and you, Eldrek… well, you're getting a bit too old for these things, to be honest. Don't you see it was the most logical choice?"
I knew what he meant. The chaos within me had taken control during the battle, and if it hadn't been for Lyris and him, things would've ended very differently. I took a deep breath, trying to stay calm, though I wasn't sure how to take his ironic remark.
"I'm fine now," I said, attempting to sound more confident than I felt.
"But... I'm still somewhat confused. I don't know how I lost control like that. Everything was a blur... I only remember the anger and the chaos. I'm sorry for what happened, especially with you, Lyris. I attacked you when you were just trying to help me."
Lyris came closer, with that smile that always put me at ease.
"Don't worry," she said softly. "What's important is that we managed to stop it. I'm glad you're alright." Then she turned to Zhavros, frowning, "You're an idiot; I was worried about you, and then you answer with that kind of… unnecessary comment."
"Don't reproach me; I'm practical and act accordingly," he responded coldly. Lyris gave him a disapproving look, and, not satisfied with that, turned to me this time.
"The chaos within you is a powerful energy, Darius," she began, not taking her eyes off me. "But it's also dangerous. You've already seen what it can do when it gets out of control."
Her words hit me hard.
"With training," Zhavros continued, "you could learn to master it and become powerful, but if you're not careful, it'll be the chaos that ends up mastering you."
Lyris looked at me with concern, and I couldn't help but return the look. My mind was spinning, and what Zhavros said next made me shudder.
"Understand that the very being you want to fight has the same kind of mana as you. Only he's been completely corrupted by that energy."
The possibility of becoming something like the Dark Being terrified me. I didn't know what to say, lost in thought, trying to process what I'd just heard.
But Zhavros, being himself, couldn't resist adding a sarcastic comment, though there was truth in his words.
"If you don't want to be the next Dark Being, you'd better start training and take responsibility for your actions. Because, Darius, Lyris isn't always going to be there to 'fix you.'"
His words made me feel exposed, but I knew he was right. What had happened was just the beginning, and if I didn't find a way to control the chaos within me, there wouldn't be a second chance.
Eldrek interrupted the uncomfortable moment, turning to Zhavros with determination. "I think you've said enough; show us the artifact."
Zhavros, with a barely visible smile, placed the sphere on a makeshift table in the center of the room. We all gathered around, observing it closely. The artifact had intricate markings and designs, its craftsmanship extremely elaborate.
Lyris took it in her hands, turning it to examine it more closely. "What can you tell us about this, Zhavros?" she asked, not taking her eyes off the sphere.
Zhavros crossed his arms, studying it thoughtfully.
"From what I saw in the chamber, this artifact may have been created by some ancient being, perhaps one of the great 'sages.' The hieroglyphs were a clear indication, and that also explains how that beast Tícaros ended up there."
Eldrek glanced at him, skeptical. "How can you be so sure of that?"
Zhavros shrugged, with a touch of arrogance.
"I'm not. It's just a theory based on what I saw. The hieroglyphs were clearly ancient. And I know this because I'm a very learned being; I know many languages," he added, his smile widening as if he were proclaiming himself a minor sage.
His comment made me frown. Zhavros always found a way to show his arrogance, and it irritated me.
"I don't understand what you're talking about. Who are the great sages?"
Eldrek took the floor, his voice deep.
"Legends say that the sages were the first to exist. They created life in this world, shaping it, but they're almost impossible to see, as they don't move in this realm but in another."
The information left me perplexed. As Eldrek spoke, the weight of his words settled in my mind. This world, already strange, seemed to grow more complex with each revelation.
But what Eldrek said next left me breathless. "You met one of the sages, Darius."
I looked at him in disbelief. "Me? When?"
Zhavros, catching the significance of the statement, raised an eyebrow with evident interest.
"The mage you met in the past era," Eldrek continued, "is one of those sages."
Lyris punched me in the arm, clearly frustrated. "And how did you keep something that important to yourself?!"
I rubbed my arm, surprised by the strength of the hit.
"I didn't know! I had no idea that old man was one of the sages you're talking about. I barely understand how this world works."
Zhavros wasted no time in adding his own comment.
"If you've seen him, it's no coincidence. You must have an important role to play. Maybe you're not as insignificant as I thought at first."
Despite the lack of grace in his remark, it brought a small smile to my face. I was getting used to that sort of observation from him.
"It's true," I replied, "but I'm also smart enough to realize you know more than you're saying. You claimed you couldn't read the hieroglyphs, but I'm not so sure. Are you really with us, or do you have other interests?"
Zhavros narrowed his eyes, and his smile turned more sinister. He looked at me intently, almost as if he were challenging me. The tension between us increased, and for a moment, I felt things might escalate.
Eldrek, noticing the uncomfortable situation, quickly intervened. "Zhavros can be an idiot sometimes, and his methods may be questionable, but I trust him completely."
Zhavros didn't take his eyes off me for a second, but he nodded with an ironic smile. "Listen to Eldrek's words and stop wasting time with those suspicious questions… Darius."
I remained silent, reflecting. Despite what Eldrek had said, I couldn't help the doubt creeping into my mind. A thought crossed me:
What kind of being was Zhavros, really? He'd shown overwhelming power: he defeated the chimera, put a being as powerful as Tícaros to sleep, and faced him again when we escaped. Moreover, he managed to confront me when I lost control without even injuring himself. There was much more behind his arrogance than he let on.
Lyris, noticing the rising tension in the room, decided to shift the focus. "Let's put aside who created it for now," she said, looking at Zhavros. "The most important thing now is how we're going to use it. We need to find allies if we're going to face the Dark Being. How do we use this artifact?"
Zhavros, who had been closely studying the artifact, quickly responded.
"I think I have an idea on how to do it," he replied, taking the sphere from Lyris's hands and holding it in the center of the room. "This artifact responds to mana, but not just any kind. It requires someone with a deep connection to magic to activate it."
We waited in silence, anticipating his next words. His confidence was evident.
"I'll be able to do it, of course," Zhavros announced with certainty. "After all, none of you have as strong a connection to mana as I do."
He placed the sphere on the table, raised his hands, and traced complex symbols in the air with precision, as if following an ancient ritual engraved in his memory.
The sphere began to emit a faint glow, and for a moment, I thought everything was under control. But then, something shifted. Zhavros's movements became tenser; he clenched his teeth as he channeled mana into the sphere.
His hands started to tremble, sweat trickling down his forehead, but he didn't stop. His breathing grew heavier, each movement a visible effort to maintain the flow of energy.
"Are you alright?" Lyris asked, taking a step toward him, frowning.
Zhavros raised a hand to stop her. "I'm... fine," he said through gritted teeth, though it was clear he wasn't. Sweat started to gather on his forehead, and his body shook slightly.
I felt the air grow colder around us, as if all the energy in the room was being absorbed, concentrating solely on Zhavros and the artifact.
Finally, after a visible effort, Zhavros managed to channel enough energy. The sphere projected a bright light, and a sort of image began to form before us.
We all watched in awe as the light took shape, showing what looked like a map of the area.
On the map, points of different colors glowed in various locations. Each of those glows represented an individual, and the color indicated the type of mana they carried.
Zhavros, clearly exhausted, lowered his arms and breathed heavily. His face was paler than usual, and it was evident he'd spent a large part of his energy. He leaned on the table, his hands trembling as he tried to maintain his composure. But he couldn't hide his fatigue.
"There... you have it," he said in a much weaker voice. "Those points... represent individuals with different types of mana. Each color indicates a type of power. Now we can see where the potential allies are."
I stood watching Zhavros in silence. He'd managed to activate the artifact, but at a much higher cost than he was willing to admit.
While the map continued to project, Lyris approached and looked closely at the glowing points. "How do we know which of them we can trust?" she asked, but her words hung in the air.
The sphere floated above the table, projecting the map and its colors, while we mentally prepared for what was to come.