Chapter 51 - The Final Deal

Ticaros's appearance shocked not only the creatures we were facing but all of us as well. None of us expected such a beast to become our ally. The spell Zhavros used to control the creature had left him more exhausted than he already was after his transformation during the battle against the elemental beings. He could barely stay conscious, and as he gasped for breath, his gaze drifted toward the sky."I need a break…" he murmured before collapsing completely onto the ground, visibly shaken.The group watched the scene, unsure of what to say. I, like them, was struck by the power Zhavros had unleashed. As he rested, he gave a simple but firm command: "Ticaros, eliminate all the creatures."The beast, without hesitation, roared and charged at the remaining hordes. Even though there were many of them, the colossal creature began to devastate them with a combination of its abilities.The giant lizards, which had been ravaging our allies, gathered their strength to stop Ticaros, but the overwhelming power of this creature was beyond anything we had experienced ourselves.Its multiple limbs allowed it to defend and attack from various angles, while an acidic breath spewed from its mouth, melting armor and bodies alike. Those who tried to escape were struck down by the poisonous spikes of its tail, shooting out with deadly precision.Despite having such a monster on our side, Vaelor, mounted on his winged draco, left nothing to chance. With a firm voice, he called out to the few warriors still standing."Support Ticaros; don't let any creature escape!" he ordered. The warriors, though still stunned by the beast's presence, obeyed and joined the fight, aiding Ticaros in wiping out the remaining enemies."This is our chance," Eldrek said with enthusiasm. "We have to enter the village now and take down the dark being… and while we're at it, Grimmor too."None of us had noticed they'd escaped when Ticaros arrived. They took advantage of our distraction to get away."Lyastra, can you help Zhavros recover faster?"Lyastra nodded decisively. "Of course, Eldrek."Eldrek sighed in relief and continued, "Good. Meanwhile, Lyris, Darius, Aelira, and I will head into the village. Zhavros, join us as soon as you're ready."Lyastra quickly approached Zhavros. Although she looked tired, her hands began to glow with an intense healing energy, ensuring Zhavros would recover as soon as possible.While Ticaros continued devastating the creatures in the field, Vaelor and his warriors supported from the air. Ticaros's roars echoed repeatedly, filling the air with a mix of power and terror.It looked like we'd regained the upper hand. Eldrek didn't waste any time. "This is the moment," he said, looking at all of us. Without hesitation, we began running toward the village entrance.As we reached the gate, we stopped. All four of us were breathing heavily, but it wasn't just from the effort. There was something in the air… a dark sensation. Aelira, who was more perceptive, was the first to point it out."Stay alert. The air here is laced with chaos; it'll gradually seep into our lungs. We have to act fast.""So, we're walking straight into a trap… great."Inside the village, there was no sign of any creatures. The dark being was also nowhere to be seen. The deeper we went, the more it seemed like the place was sinking into darkness.Though it was night, a soft mist floated in the air, giving the village an eerie, haunting atmosphere. Everything was deserted—empty houses, deteriorated market stalls stripped of life. It looked like a dead village, an unsettling and curious sight.Something made me stop for a moment. I looked at the group and said, "I have a feeling the dark being is in the central tower."Lyris looked at me, puzzled. "How can you be so sure, Darius?""It's just a hunch," I replied, trying to sound convincing, though I wasn't entirely sure why I felt that way.Eldrek sighed, and though a bit skeptical, motioned for us to move forward. "Fine, time isn't on our side, so let's go immediately."The surroundings remained just as bleak, like something out of a nightmare. Each step we took seemed to sink us deeper into that oppressive atmosphere. When we finally reached the central tower, we stopped a few meters from the entrance. Something was unsettling me.Aelira suddenly raised her voice. "Stop!"We turned to her, hearts racing. "What's going on?" Eldrek asked.Aelira, frowning with a worried expression, said, "Something's coming. I can feel chaos magic gathering around us… it's definitely the dark being."Lyris looked up and pointed. "Look! Above us… that mist… it's closing in on us."We all looked up, and a chill ran down my spine. A dark mist was slowly advancing toward us, closing in as if it had a life of its own."What do we do?" I asked, trying to stay calm, though panic was creeping over me.Aelira looked at the mist with concern. "It's from the dark being's chaos… it's harmful. If it touches us, it'll start to consume us," she warned, her tone clearly worried.We stood back-to-back, forming a circle. Aelira looked at Lyris and said, "Follow my movements."Aelira brought her palms together at her chest and began generating a shield around us, expanding it slowly. Lyris, who shared the same ability, mirrored her movements, reinforcing the shield and halting the chaos mist, creating a protective dome that isolated us from the threat.The tower entrance remained clear thanks to the shield. Aelira looked at us seriously. "Lyris and I will have to stay here to keep the shield up."Eldrek scowled. "This isn't a coincidence… this was planned to keep you two occupied, and now Zhavros will have a hard time reaching us with this mist around us."A wave of frustration washed over me, and I cursed under my breath. "Damn them!"At that moment, we heard a voice coming from the tower entrance. "As usual, quite perceptive, old man."We turned, and there stood Grimmor, with a mocking smile and his arms crossed. He was visibly injured; an open wound from Lyris's strike marred his face, and his leg was bandaged, stained with blood. We all went on high alert, but Aelira and Lyris held their positions, focused on maintaining the shield as the mist kept trying to infiltrate.Grimmor laughed and appeared in front of us, almost relaxed. Fueled by anger over what he'd done, I couldn't hold back as I pointed my sword at him: "What you did to Nymira will be settled tonight."Grimmor raised his hands with a falsely innocent expression. "Calm down, I'm not here to fight you. I'm already pretty beat up.""What the hell do you want?" Eldrek growled, his distrust more than evident.Grimmor's grin widened. "Here's the deal… I'll stop this whole attack, but on one condition." He pointed at me. "He has to go in and talk to the dark being."We were stunned. A heavy silence fell over the group as we tried to process what he'd said. I was the first to object. "Forget it. I've known you since the last era, Grimmor. You're not someone to trust. Besides, the battle is turning in our favor."Grimmor nodded slightly, as if agreeing. "You're right. With that beast outside, you really caught us off guard. But…" he paused, as if he knew what he was about to say would sway my decision."Spit it out already!" Lyris shouted, clearly exhausted from maintaining the shield.Grimmor fixed his gaze on me. "Darius, you came to this world for a reason, didn't you?" Hearing those words, my eyes widened in surprise, my heart racing."You're here to find someone special…" he paused again, looking at me intensely. "What if I told you that if you enter that tower, you'll get information about that person? Who knows… maybe you'll even see her."A shiver ran through me as I heard his words. Grimmor was right. I came to this world for a single purpose: to find her. Amid all the adventures and intense battles, there were moments when even I forgot the true reason for my journey. I reached for the pendant hidden under my clothes and held it tightly."Darius! Don't believe him!" Lyris shouted at me desperately. "You know this could be a trap."I stood there, in shock, unable to decide. I looked down, trying to clear my thoughts. That's when I felt Eldrek's hand on my shoulder. "Friend, come back to the present for a moment."I blinked, regaining focus. Eldrek looked at me seriously. "I won't tell you what to do; it's your choice. But if you decide to go in, please remember that this could all be a trap."I looked at him, and after a pause, nodded, grateful for his support. I turned to Aelira and Lyris. "I'm sorry, Lyris. Even if it's a lie, if going in means stopping this mist, that's already a gain."Lyris looked at me, surprised, unsure of what to say. She knew maintaining the shield for much longer was nearly impossible."Aelira, can you hold out a bit longer?" I asked.Aelira nodded, though the exhaustion was clear. "Remember our training, Darius. That being is going to test every fiber of your being."I nodded seriously, turning around, determined to enter. "Darius!" Lyris called out. I stopped and looked at her. She gave a faint smile. "Please, be careful. Remember, you still need to go back to the past… to leave descendants."I smiled at her words and nodded. "I will." Then, I turned and began advancing toward the tower entrance, my heart pounding.As I walked, I passed by Grimmor. I looked at him unconsciously with hatred, and he, with an ironic smile, said, "Good luck, Darius. I'll stay here, making sure nothing happens to your friends." His mocking laughter made me grit my teeth, but I simply shot him a disdainful look and kept going.I started climbing the stairs, assuming the dark being would be at the top. My footsteps echoed in the darkness, and I couldn't stop the nerves from taking over. Would I really see her again? I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts. I needed all my senses sharp in case of an attack.Finally, I reached the top. There was a single, wide room. I approached cautiously, and there he was, facing away, looking out of a window. I could see and hear the battle still raging outside—the unmistakable roars of Ticaros and the booms from his attacks.The dark being slowly turned to face me. I stood at the entrance, wary, keeping a distance I deemed safe. From there, I could confirm he was the same being who had offered me the deal in my dream; he looked the same, his dark attire and face still hidden under the hood. A wave of anger surged within me as I reaffirmed it. I clenched my fists and stepped forward."So, it really is you…" I said with barely contained fury. My voice echoed in the wide room as he watched me with an infuriating calm that only fueled my rage.