We had already left the plains behind and were venturing deeper into the mountains. The path was steep and rocky, yet the Salamanders pushed forward with determination, guided by Zhavros's instructions. The cold mountain air wrapped around us, but what worried me most was the possibility of encountering something unexpected.
"We're close," Eldrek remarked, looking at his map and pointing ahead. "The mountainous area we're looking for is just beyond that ridge."
We dismounted from the carriage and began walking in silence, our footsteps the only sound around us. We advanced for hours, the terrain growing more challenging with each step. We stayed alert, ready for whatever awaited us.
Suddenly, Lyris stopped and crouched to examine the ground. "Look at this," she whispered, showing us a trail of faint footprints.
"Whoever is here doesn't want to be found easily," she commented with a frown.
We followed the footprints cautiously until they faded, leading us to a clearing surrounded by rocks. And that's when I saw her.
She was a tall woman with silver hair that shimmered softly. Her skin also glowed, and she wore a white tunic adorned with golden details, leaving one leg exposed. Behind her, a pair of white wings with golden accents spread partially, radiating a gentle light.
Noticing our presence, she looked at us with distrust, but she didn't seem alarmed. Her golden eyes focused on Zhavros and me, as if she were assessing us.
Zhavros was the first to react, smiling in a way that didn't bode well. "Well, well... an Aasimar? Didn't expect to find you in a place like this," he commented with his usual sarcasm.
The woman shifted her stance to a semi-profile, putting one leg forward. Her eyes hardened. "Don't come any closer," she warned. "I can feel the darkness in you. Especially in you," she said, pointing at Zhavros, "and in him," she added, referring to me.
Lyris tried to calm the situation, raising a hand. "We're not here to fight. We just want to talk."
Zhavros let out a laugh. "Darkness? Is that what worries you?" His tone was defiant. "You should be more concerned about what you could do with all that celestial power."
"What the hell is wrong with you, idiot? We didn't come here to scare her!" I shouted at him.
Before I could stop him, Zhavros surprised us all by launching an attack, a blast of dark magic aimed directly at her. But the Aasimar was ready. She raised a hand, and a shield of pure light appeared, disintegrating the attack instantly.
Without hesitation, Zhavros began to levitate slowly, extending his arms as he conjured shadow illusions that multiplied around him, surrounding her to distract her while he prepared his next strike.
"Zhavros, stop it!" Lyris shouted, but he was already too absorbed. The Aasimar didn't wait to see what the illusions would become. Raising her hand, she dispelled the remaining magic blast and unleashed a wave of light, eradicating all the shadows in an instant with minimal effort.
With a swift motion, the woman summoned a sword of pure light and lunged toward him, but Zhavros dodged skillfully, using his magic to block and counter her attacks.
"Impressive," Zhavros said, still smiling. "Not every day one gets the honor of facing an Aasimar."
She didn't respond, keeping her gaze fixed on us, especially on Zhavros. She seemed more concerned about the darkness she sensed in him and me than about the fight itself.
"Zhavros, that's enough," Eldrek said firmly, stepping between them. "We're here to find allies, not to fight them."
Zhavros finally lowered his hands, though the smile remained on his face. "If you insist..." he murmured, visibly enjoying the encounter. "But I admit, it's been... exciting."
Lyris turned to the Aasimar, trying to be as conciliatory as possible. "Please, forgive him… we only want to talk. We know who you are and what you can do. We need your help to face something much bigger than ourselves."
I, meanwhile, faced Zhavros. "Don't you always boast about being so clever? What was that about?!"
Zhavros looked at me, unfazed. "Trust me, Darius. We had to make sure she'd actually be useful to us."
I ran a hand over my face, trying to contain the frustration I felt.
The woman, still wary, made her sword disappear. "I don't trust you," she said coldly. "You... have mana similar to mine. What are you doing with beings of darkness?" she asked, addressing Lyris.
"I can explain," Lyris said, agitated. "Please, let's go somewhere we can talk calmly."
The Aasimar eyed us with suspicion, but I noticed that Lyris's sincere tone had somewhat eased her mistrust. However, she didn't lower her guard completely.
"Fine," she said, still with that cold tone. "But if I see the slightest hint of betrayal, I won't hesitate to act."
Lyris nodded, visibly relieved. "Don't worry, I understand."
With a gesture, the Aasimar indicated for us to follow her. We moved quietly through the clearing, heading into a more sheltered part of the mountains. The cliffs around us seemed to shield us from the strong wind blowing. She walked with unwavering confidence, as if every rock and path belonged to her.
Eventually, we reached a natural cave. With a simple motion of her hand, the Aasimar invoked a gentle glow that lit up the inside of the shelter. It was a simple place, but spacious enough for us to sit down and talk.
Lyris took the initiative, trying to calm the waters. "We know you have no reason to trust us, but we need you. What we're facing is bigger than you can imagine."
The Aasimar looked at her intently, her golden eyes analyzing every word carefully. "And how do you expect me to trust you if you're traveling with beings cloaked in darkness?" she asked, keeping her gaze on Zhavros and me.
Zhavros, who had remained silent until then, let out a mocking smile. "Oh, you see us as dark beings? How observant. But trust me, celestial, I understand you perfectly—if I were in your place, I'd have my doubts about myself too."
He chuckled softly, clearly enjoying the tension.
Lyris glared at him. "Enough, Zhavros! You're not helping."
He raised his hands, feigning innocence. "Just saying what everyone's thinking, right?"
I remained silent, watching the situation. The Aasimar had blocked Zhavros's attack effortlessly, and though she still seemed alert, it became clear she could be a valuable ally.
"I can explain," Lyris insisted, trying to smooth things over. "It's not as simple as it seems. Yes, they have darkness within them, but they're not our enemies. I'll get to the point: we're here for one reason—to stop the Dark One."
Lyris's comment made the celestial focus on her more closely.
Eldrek didn't wait for the woman to respond. In his calm and polite tone, he intervened before the tension could grow.
"I'm sorry if we've given you a bad impression. That wasn't our intention," he said with a slight bow of his head, as if to ease the hostility in the air.
Then, Eldrek began to introduce us, pointing to each of us in turn. "This is Zhavros," he said, gesturing toward our companion, who still held that mocking smile. Then, he gestured toward Lyris. "This is Lyris, a trusted ally." Finally, he looked at me. "And this is Darius."
When he finished introducing us, Eldrek turned back to the woman. "Now, could you tell us your name?"
The Aasimar looked at each of us before responding, as if to ensure we were worthy of knowing. "My name is Aelira."
At that moment, I preferred to stay silent. Something told me that if I spoke, I wouldn't receive any kind words from her. Aelira seemed observant and extremely intelligent, and she wasn't ready to let her guard down quickly.
After a brief silence, Aelira spoke again. "If what you're saying about facing the Dark One is true... how do you plan to do it?"
Zhavros, always quick to jump in, opened his mouth to answer, but Eldrek interrupted him before he could say anything.
"Let me explain," he said firmly, while Zhavros closed his mouth, surprisingly without protest.
I couldn't help but find it curious to see Zhavros fall silent so easily in front of Eldrek. If it had been anyone else, he would have already thrown some biting remark. But with Eldrek… there was something different. Maybe it was respect, or perhaps he simply wasn't interested in clashing with him.
As Eldrek explained our plan, I preferred to remain on the sidelines, observing Aelira, who listened attentively. Although I still didn't know if she would join us, at least she seemed willing to listen.
"The plan has coherence," she finally said, her voice firm. "As long as you manage to forge those weapons and find all the necessary allies, then—just maybe—you might succeed. But there's something I need to make clear," her gaze landed on me first, then on Zhavros.
"As long as you two are present, I won't be able to fully trust this group. I am an Aasimar, created and trained to purify or eliminate creatures like you if necessary."
The seriousness in her face was evident; she wasn't comfortable with Zhavros and me around. Her presence commanded respect, and despite herself, it was hard not to notice the perfection of her features and the energy her celestial figure radiated.
I felt the weight of her judgment upon me. I was about to stay quiet and accept her verdict, but something inside me couldn't sit still. Before I knew it, I was already speaking.
"I understand," I said, more honestly than I had expected. "I know there's chaos within me. And believe me, I'd like to control it, to manage it. If you decide to join us, it would be an honor if you could help me better understand this power... and keep it under control."
Aelira remained silent. For a moment, I thought I'd said too much, but I saw a different glimmer in her eyes, as if she hadn't expected such sincerity from me. Her expression softened slightly, though it didn't reveal whether she was truly willing to help us.
And, as expected, Zhavros didn't waste the chance to take advantage of the situation.
"Remember, you already have your 'special someone,' Darius," he said with a mischievous smile. "Don't get too excited; this Aasimar is out of your league."
I felt myself blushing instantly, a mix of irritation and embarrassment. "That's not what I meant!" I replied, shooting him a frustrated look.
Zhavros laughed, clearly enjoying my discomfort. Lyris, for her part, shook her head, looking at Zhavros with disapproval but not surprised at all by his comment.
Aelira said nothing, but I could tell she was observing the interaction between Zhavros and me with curiosity. Maybe, after all, something I'd said had resonated with her.
Finally, she let out a slight sigh and nodded.
"I will join you on your journey," she said, her tone still reserved but resolute.
"I'm not doing this for you," she added, casting a quick glance at Zhavros and me, "but because I know Eldrek's reputation. He's someone I can trust, and Lyris has shown to be as well. I'll join you... for now."
The tension in the air lessened slightly with her response, but before any relief could settle, Zhavros, predictably, intervened one last time.
"Well, well... Eldrek, you're quite the celebrity," he said, clapping softly, a sarcastic smile on his face.
Eldrek offered a slight smile but replied firmly, "Zhavros... have the courtesy to keep quiet this time. Yes?"
As the rest of us prepared for what lay ahead. With Aelira by our side, we now had a new and powerful ally.