Although the demi-humans had tried to rob us, the reason behind their theft—simply to survive—left a mark on us.
Lyris and I shared that discomfort, and even Aelira, with her usually serene face, seemed affected by what had happened.
Zhavros, on the other hand, was harder to read. His usual sharp humor had vanished, and although he showed no remorse, his cynical smile was nowhere to be found.
He maintained a neutral expression, as if what had just happened hadn't had the expected impact. There were no words to decipher what he was truly thinking.
"There's something that's become clear," I said to Lyris as we walked back to camp. "I misjudged Zhavros. For a moment, I thought he might have stolen from us, but if it hadn't been for him, we wouldn't have recovered our belongings. They might even have taken the map."
Lyris nodded in silence, her gaze mirroring mine. Sometimes, it was easier to stay quiet and move forward, especially when the future seemed so uncertain.
When we arrived at our makeshift camp, where Eldrek was waiting, we filled him in on everything that had happened. After recounting the events, sleep became elusive. No one seemed willing to try to rest again, so we lit a fire to ward off the early morning chill.
Eldrek took the initiative to prepare some herbal tea for everyone. Calm reigned among us, accompanied only by the crackling of the fire.
Time passed in that silence until the sun began to rise on the horizon. The morning light brought a momentary relief, and for now, the weather was pleasant.
Eldrek, aiming to lift everyone's spirits, leaned into the role of motivator that he knew so well.
"We have to keep moving forward. Situations like these were to be expected, considering the environment we're in. But we're not far from finding another possible ally."
He suggested we take the more challenging path this time, the one that was steeper and harder to cross.
"If that person is in that area, they're probably avoiding contact," he explained, "which could mean they have no ill intentions. Sometimes, those who hide are the ones who prefer peace over confrontation."
To my surprise, it was Aelira who, with a slight shift in her expression, lifted the group's spirits. "The next person we meet should be evaluated more cautiously if we don't want a repeat of this situation," she murmured seriously. She, who usually remained reserved and distant, now seemed determined to lift everyone's spirits.
Despite being an Aasimar, her face didn't radiate the warmth one might expect from a celestial being. It made me think that, perhaps, she'd been through hard times in her life, things we still didn't know about. I wondered if there would ever be a chance to hear her story.
Zhavros, returning to his usual tone, remarked with a mocking tone, "Alright, alright… time to move on. The Dark Being isn't getting any older, ironic as it sounds, it's true. So, let's go.
Let's find our next thief… I mean, ally."
Despite the misplaced joke, both Lyris and I tried to stifle our laughter. There was something about Zhavros's irony that, even in the worst moments, managed to lighten the mood.
Lyris nudged my arm with a playful smile and said, "Come on, old man. Let's hope the outlook is better this time."
— — —
The journey to our next destination wouldn't be very long, just a couple of hours. As long as we didn't run into any issues, we'd arrive without a problem. But in this world, problems were rarely easy to avoid.
Once we were all settled in the cart and in better spirits, the trip went surprisingly smoothly.
I found it curious; that strange calm made me feel like we were on an ordinary trip, which wasn't typical in this world.
The surroundings, however, didn't help to maintain that sense of peace. Almost everything around us looked dead, devoid of life, but even so, there was something comforting in the silence that accompanied us.
For a change, the journey was pleasant.
When we arrived at the steep area where, according to Eldrek, we might find our next ally, the terrain became much more challenging. The salamanders, though strong creatures, couldn't keep pulling the cart at the same pace; the incline was too steep.
"We'll have to get off here," Eldrek said, offering to stay with Aelira to watch the cart. The plan was for Zhavros, Lyris, and me to continue on foot in search of the potential ally. Although Zhavros complained about being too lazy to climb, we managed to convince him to come with us.
The terrain ahead wasn't easy. It felt more like climbing than walking. Lyris and I did our best, but the steep slope and uneven ground tested us. Zhavros, on the other hand, seemed to enjoy the fact that he could levitate, ascending effortlessly and taunting us constantly.
"Come on, don't be lazy," Zhavros teased from above. "Or is it that heights aren't your thing?"
Although it frustrated me, Lyris and I pressed on in silence. Finally, after a good effort, we reached a flatter area, relieved by the change in terrain. We were breathing hard, grateful that the climb was over.
What surprised us wasn't the difficulty of the climb but what we found at the top: right in front of us, sitting by a campfire, was a young woman eating with total calm, not appearing to be more than twenty years old.
A few steps from her was a small tent, simple enough to provide temporary shelter but enough for someone who didn't intend to stay long in that place.
The young woman, far from being scared upon seeing us, showed a strange and genuine surprise. With a bright smile, she quickly approached us, examining us closely, almost as if we were some kind of curiosity she'd just discovered. Her enthusiasm was contagious, though not entirely expected.
She stopped in front of me first, standing on her tiptoes to get a better look at me, even though we were already fairly close. As she examined me, she made little noises like "hmm," clearly thinking or analyzing something. I couldn't help but feel curious, though a bit uncomfortable with her closeness.
Her large golden eyes sparkled with a mix of innocence and wonder. Then she moved to Lyris, repeating the same gesture, making the same "hmm" sounds as she looked at her closely. Lyris also seemed puzzled but couldn't help but smile at the strange situation.
Finally, the young woman approached Zhavros with the same carefree energy. Just as she was about to do the same to him, getting close in the same intrusive way, Zhavros tried to push her back with a look of distaste, extending his arm to create some space.
But, to our surprise, the young woman nimbly dodged his gesture, moving right back into his personal space, smiling all the while.
Zhavros frowned and tried again, but she, always smiling, dodged each time with quick, fluid movements. With each dodge, Zhavros seemed more irritated, which made Lyris and me stifle our laughter.
It wasn't common to see Zhavros so out of control.
"Enough!" Zhavros snapped, visibly annoyed, though his attempts to push her back only made her dodge again, always with that innocent expression on her face.
Finally, the young woman stopped and looked at all of us with undiminished joy. She was small, perhaps shorter than Lyris, with a slender, youthful build, and her light hair fell in soft waves down her back. Her constant smile reflected an innocent energy, as if nothing in the world could unsettle her.
"I'm Nymira," she said, introducing herself with enthusiasm, as if she'd known us all her life.
Lyris was the first to respond, nodding slightly. "Lyris, nice to meet you, Nymira."
I nodded, still surprised by her energy. "Darius," I said, returning her smile.
Zhavros, however, didn't bother to introduce himself. Instead, he muttered irritably, "This was a mistake… coming all this way."
Nymira looked at him for a moment, tilting her head slightly as if she were thinking. Then, with a carefree smile, she said, "Well… I'll call you Grumpy." Her tone was innocent, as if she genuinely believed it was a fitting name for him.
Lyris and I couldn't hold back our laughter this time. Nymira's confidence, her casual way of addressing Zhavros, was something none of us had expected.
And Zhavros, with an even more tense expression, seemed to be holding himself back from snapping, irritated by the young woman's spontaneity.
Zhavros clenched his teeth so hard you could almost hear them grinding, his eyes closed, and his brow deeply furrowed. His fist, raised near his face, trembled with pure irritation, as if he were about to explode at any moment.
Seeing this, I couldn't help but chuckle as I stepped closer, positioning myself between Nymira and him to prevent whatever Zhavros was about to do.
"Calm down, Zhavros…" I murmured, trying to defuse the situation. "Look, she's just curious."
I turned to Nymira and explained, "We're looking for someone with mana of light, order, or some kind of magic that counteracts chaos. We want to know if you're that person."
Nymira, with wide eyes and an even bigger smile, responded with enthusiasm, "Yes, that's me! I have a mana of light… well, a bit turbulent, but light nonetheless!" She said, laughing nervously, which made me smile.
"Excellent," I replied. However, Lyris approached me with a slightly worried look. "Darius, maybe she's too young for what we need," she said quietly, which made me hesitate.
Before I could answer, Zhavros, still irritated, added, "She's clearly not equipped for this mission. She won't be of any help." His tone was harsh, almost disdainful.
Nymira, unfazed by the comments, listened attentively. Then, with the same cheerfulness, she exclaimed, "Mission?! I want to be part of a mission! Take me with you!" She said this while bouncing slightly and bringing her fists to her chin as if she were begging.
Zhavros let out an exasperated sigh. "Oh, please! Look at that little creature… I'm out." He levitated to the edge of the terrain, moving away a bit.
"Wow, you can fly!" Nymira exclaimed, fascinated. "Could you carry me all the way down?" she asked innocently, to which Zhavros snapped back, his irritation clear, "Of course not!"
Zhavros descended as Nymira watched him with a look of doubt, murmuring to herself, "Hmm... I wonder why he's so mad?"
Lyris stepped forward and patted her shoulder. "Don't worry, he's just… particular," she said, trying to reassure her.
"Maybe we should take her to Eldrek and Aelira to get their opinion," I suggested, looking at Lyris, who, after a moment of thought, nodded. Upon hearing this, Nymira became excited and clung to Lyris's arm, who seemed surprised but not bothered.
As we prepared to head down, Nymira warned us, "Going down there is dangerous. There's a safer path this way." She pointed us to an alternate route. Lyris and I exchanged glances and, grateful for the suggestion, agreed.
Nymira packed up her small tent and, taking a last bite of the animal she'd cooked over the fire, exclaimed with enthusiasm, "I'm ready!"
The descent along the path was much easier, and soon we arrived where Eldrek and Aelira were waiting. As soon as she spotted Eldrek, Nymira's jaw dropped, impressed by his size, "Wow! I've never seen a giant before," but what amazed her most was when she saw Aelira. With a look of awe and respect, she murmured, "An Aasimar…?"
Before we could react, Nymira ran over to Aelira, invading her personal space with curiosity, but this time her gaze was different. She looked at Aelira with admiration, almost as if she adored her. Without a second thought, she knelt down before her, placing her forehead to the ground.
"Please, make me your disciple!" she exclaimed.
Aelira looked visibly surprised by the gesture. It was the first time I'd seen her show anything other than her usual seriousness. She quickly knelt down and helped Nymira up.
"That's not necessary," Aelira said kindly, nodding slightly in respect. "I'm Aelira," she introduced herself with a small bow.
Nymira, still in awe, mirrored Aelira's gesture. "I'm Nymira," she said with a nervous but always enthusiastic smile. Aelira looked her directly in the eyes, as if examining her deeply.
After a moment, Aelira spoke aloud, "This young woman has potential. I can feel her mana flow. With proper training, she could be valuable."
Zhavros, already seated on the cart, let out a deep sigh of disapproval, clearly annoyed. Eldrek, on the other hand, smiled and approached Nymira, introducing himself. Nymira, as was her custom, mimicked him with a smile.
And so, Nymira joined our group, a diamond in the rough that I hope one day will shine with a light powerful enough to overshadow that despicable being.