At the foot of a mountain, a cold wind spread, bringing a biting chill that seeped into the bones. The clouds were dense, covering the sun and blocking its warmth.
After a few minutes, raindrops began to fall, accompanied by the thunder's roar, as if the sky itself was crying in anger. Slowly, the rocky soil turned into a swamp of mud, and the scene looked like something from another world—a world thirsting for ruin.
Oliver stood at the entrance of a large cave within the mountain, watching the rain with bewildered eyes. Rain here was like a miracle; it was rare in the nearby desert, where one might wait thirty years to see a single drop. And now, the moment they arrived, the sky poured rain without an obvious reason.
Memories flooded Oliver's mind as he recalled everything he had seen since they left the desert: rocks covered with green grass, fruit-bearing trees, fertile soil nourished by heavy rains, and even a river flowing with fresh water. Everything looked like a dream, a paradise no one who lived in that barren desert could imagine.
"If there's a place this magnificent, why doesn't anyone live here?" he thought for a moment, then returned inside the cave. "After finding this mysterious cave, we can send some men to buy women from Ristormia and build our own colony here."
Deep in the cave, a warm red glow shimmered amid the murmur of voices. Everyone seemed to share Oliver's thoughts.
The men gathered around fires in small groups, discussing their dreams for this place while they ate the fruits they'd collected that morning.
"We should stay here with all this abundance; who wants to return to that barren desert?" one of them said loudly to a nearby group.
But his friend quickly pulled him aside, saying in a low voice, "Have you forgotten why we came? We're here searching for something mysterious, and with all those rumors about the spirits of Eganor, the risks are as high as in the desert."
"I don't care, even if I have to break away from the tribe. If the person we're looking for lived in this place, why shouldn't we live like him?" the man grumbled, while a third person responded in a calm tone, "Let's wait. We don't want to make decisions we'll regret later."
The conversation about this place echoed through nearly every group—except one. In a gloomy corner of the cave, two men sat in silence.
One was the elder Sun, with a single eye, who spoke in a despairing tone, "It's all over. They'll find Rian, and the plan has failed."
Kieran, looking exhausted, replied, "I did everything I could, but now there's nothing left in my hands."
The elder Sun sighed, his eyes cloudy as if he were sinking into distant memories.
…
One afternoon long ago, the tribe's elders gathered in a private room at the "War Rose" tavern, where a man stood by the window.
"Why did you gather us here, Ethan?" Asher said with an arrogant tone, standing beside Oliver, along with the two elders, Owen and Sun.
Ethan turned to them, with a serious expression and leather clothes, and said clearly, "As the new chieftain of the tribe, I appoint Sun and Owen as tribal elders."
Sun quickly objected, "But Ethan, what about the current elders? You can't just dismiss them like that!"
In response, Owen laughed loudly, already drunk, "Haha, finally I got promoted!"
Ethan reassured them, "I've already taken care of it." Then he turned to Oliver and Asher, "I want you both to be my deputies and brothers in every situation."
Everyone stood and bowed to Ethan, saying, "We pledge loyalty to the tribe's chieftain."
That moment was engraved in Sun's memory, but since then, everyone who was there had chosen their path, and now Ethan was only a memory.
…
"Attack! Gather quickly!" the guards broke the silence with a loud shout.
The seriousness returned to Sun's features, and he looked at Kieran, saying, "How could we have enemies here? They must have followed us all the way."
Kieran nodded, gripping his dagger, and said, "Let's go. Oliver was outside; he might know what's happening."
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Main Adjustments:
Added additional details to deepen the setting and clarify the environment.
Shortened some dialogues to make them more realistic.
Added breaks to clarify transitions between present and memories.
Added some figurative language to strengthen the literary quality.
If you have any additional comments or want further adjustments, let me know!