Elara nodded. "I've tried to protect him, to teach him what little I know. But I fear it won't be enough. Zodd's men are relentless. It's only a matter of time before they catch up to us."Neel looked at her, his old eyes gleaming in the firelight. "The mountains will protect him, as will the old gods.
But he will need more than that. Aric must be ready to face the darkness that Zodd has unleashed on this land. His power alone will not save him."Elara frowned. "Then what will?"Neel stared into the fire, his expression unreadable.
"The boy's heart. His connection to the world around him. That is something Zodd cannot take, no matter how powerful he becomes."Elara was quiet for a long moment, absorbing the seer's words. She glanced over at Aric, who was sitting cross-legged beside the wolf, his hand resting on its thick fur.
The boy's face was serene, but his eyes were filled with a quiet intensity, as if he were listening to something only he could hear.The next morning, they continued their ascent toward the mountains. The path grew steeper, and the cold began to bite harder.
Aric, however, seemed to draw energy from the land, his pace never faltering. Elara, though weary, pushed on, determined to protect her son at all costs.By midday, they reached the foothills of the ancient mountain range.
Before them, towering cliffs rose high into the sky, their jagged edges cutting through the clouds like the bones of the earth itself. Neel stopped at the base of a narrow trail that wound upward, disappearing into the mist."This is it," he said, turning to Elara and Aric. "The temples of the old gods lie beyond this pass.
Once we enter, there will be no turning back. Zodd's reach does not extend here, but the trials that await us are beyond even his power."Elara felt a shiver run down her spine. "What kind of trials?"Neel's expression was grave. "The gods do not give their knowledge freely. Aric will be tested, as will we.
Only those who are worthy may receive the wisdom of the ancients."Aric stepped forward, his small frame dwarfed by the looming cliffs. "I'm ready," he said, his voice steady and sure.Elara hesitated, her motherly instincts urging her to keep him safe, to turn back.
But she knew they had no other choice. The mountains were their only hope, and Aric's destiny lay within their peaks.
With a nod, Elara took Aric's hand, and together with Neel and the celestial wolf, they began their ascent.